What I Learned
Port is a fortified wine with its own appellation. It became known as Port because it was stored and shipped from the Portuguese town of Porto. The wine itself comes from the upper Douro region. These basic facts weave a fascinating tale of the history of Port.
Port wine begins in the upper Douro River valley. This grape growing area was one of the first in the world to be demarcated. Currently, the appellation regulations permit some 100 varietals for port production. After the harvest and some fermentation, aguardente, a brandy-like substance (but certainly not one that brandy drinkers would appreciate), is added to the wine to stop fermentation.