Port is a fine after dinner drink with a great tradition. It is made from a variety of grapes cultivated in northern Portugal. At a specific moment in the fermentation process, the wine is transferred to vats where local (particularly high strength) brandy is added. The brandy, called aguardente, serves to halt the fermentation process. This process ensures that some of the grape sugar is retained and at the same time, fortifies the wine.

Port is blend of wines from different estates (quintas). Although the Port is actually made in the Douro region, it is transferred to cellars in Vila Nova de Gaia, across the river from Oporto, for the maturation process. Recently, the Portuguses wine industry has renamed Port Porto to reflect its authenticity and the name of the city from which it is shipped. They also want to avoid it being mistaken for Port not produced in Portugal.

Port falls into two main categories- Wood Port and Bottle Port. Each has its own subcategories:

Wood Port

Wood Port has spent all its life maturing in casks and is ready for drinking as soon as it is bottled. Examples of this type of Port include, Ruby, Tawny and White.

Ruby Port - This is the basic type of Port often consumed with lemonade and other mixer drinks. It is a relatively young wine that can be sold after as little as two or three years maturing in wood, although up to five years is more common. It has a distinctive, deep ruby colour and fruity liquorice-like flavour.

Tawny - Tawny Port is matured in casks for up to ten years (even longer for an aged Tawny) or until it fades into a distinctive tawny colour. Tawnys are often real quality Ports with a very mellow character.

White Port - This accounts for a very small proportion of the Port trade. The vinification is the same as for standard Ruby Port. It is sometimes drunk as an apéritif.

Bottle Port

Unlike Wood Port, this type of Port has matured mainly, or at least part of the time, in bottles. Examples include Vintage Port, Vintage Character Port, Late-Bottled Vintage (LBV) and Crusted Port.

Vintage Port -This style of Port is made from grapes grown in a particularly good year and produces the finest Port available. It is usually matured in wood for two or three years and then kept in bottles for up to twenty years or more so that it can benefit from a slow maturation process.

Vintage Character Port - This Port is blended good quality wine taken from different years. It is wooded for approximately four years and is ready for drinking soon after being bottled.

Late Bottled Vintage (LBV) - LBV is a vintage style Port which has been matured for about six years and then bottled, where it will continue to improve.

Crusted Port - This is a blend of vintage quality ports that have been kept in casks for up to four years. Once bottled, it develops sediment or crust as it matures, hence its name.