Port is now a
name that will soon disappear from the labels of fortified wine produced in many
countries including Australia. Following is information about
Many other
traditional wine names have also either been removed from labels or will soon be
due to international treaties that protect geographical and traditional wine
names. The most notable in Australia would be the famous and very expensive
"Grange" previously known as the "Grange Hermitage". Hermitage is a region in
France where Shiraz, or as the French call it Syrah, and is also another name
for Shiraz wines. My personal view is that our new world wines are good enough
to stand alone without the use of some other traditional or geographical name
but what else do you call a sparkling Chardonnay or sparkling Pinot or blends of
these but of course Champagne. It will not be long before the relatively small
production of fortified wines from Portugal known as Port will have lost all
significance in the greater world market and we will all simply know and ask for
a Fortified Shiraz or similar.
ILNAM Estate has
just released it's first fortified called "L J" Fortified Shiraz 2005. This is a
vintage style fortified, deep purple in colour and displays all those exciting
shiraz qualities of spicy blackberry, plum, mulberry and black currant. Combined
with the spirit this wine richly excites the palate before leaving a soft
dryness. When the fermenting grapes had produced approximately 10% alcohol and
the desired level of grape sugars were left we added spirit, 96% proof, this
stoped the ferment and then the wine was put to oak for 8 months before
bottling.
The residual of the wine used to make this fine fortified was allowed
to ferment to dryness on 100% of the skins and is over 15% in alcohol and a huge
style dry table shiraz that will need at least 2 years in oak and 2-3 in bottle
before it is ready to be enjoyed. It will be worth it.
The
origins of the famous "Vinho de Emharque" later on known as Vinho do Porto or
simply Porto or Port is a little mixed in history but certainly became well
entrenched in the 17th century with trade to Great Britain. Wines were a big
part of trade and many would arrive at their destination in a less than perfect
state or often spoiled. The fortified wines of Portugal and in particular those
of the Douro Valley were found to be able to travel great distances and arrive
in the same condition as when they had left their place of origin.
The
Douro valley is steep and stony and the climate is hot in summer and cold in
winter and the grapes produced here achieve high sugar levels and are rich in
flavour and is the reason that such exciting big style wines were able to be
produced.
The
vine was and is still cultivated on terraces supported by stone walls made of
the plentiful schist and more recently on platforms held up by natural slopes or
even on tracts of sloping land without walls or ramps. The terraces as well as
the platforms usually follow the contours of the hillside, thus changing the
steep and rocky valleys of the Douro Region into gigantic and wonderful
stairways. The low-growing vines are set up in parallel trellises: rows of vines
supported on wires and wood or stone props.
PORT WINE
-
DIFFERENT TYPES
Port
Wine is a name of origin and not a type of wine. There are different types of
Port some age in oak barrels, others in bottles. Oak ageing is generally the
result of wine blending over many years and primarily Tawny style ports. Bottle
ageing is common to the Vintage style or single year ports.
WHITE - produced from white grapes, aged
in cask, product of several blends, it can be sweet or dry. Modern trend is
directed towards the dry or extra-dry white Ports that are unique aperitifs.
RED AND RUBY - also aged in cask and the
product of several blends, they are usually young and sweet, somewhat bodied and
fruity.
TAWNY -aged in the same way, it is very
often older, more elegant and open in colour and can be half-dry or sweet. A
great wine for any occasion.
VINTAGE - This is the Port Wine of one
single harvest produced in a year of outstanding quality, rich in color and
full-bodied, fine both in 'bouquet' and taste. It is bottled approximately
between the second and the third year of age, maturing henceforth in the bottle.
It is a dessert or even after-dessert wine. Besides the name of the firm, the
label shows always the year of the vintage, the designation "VINTAGE."
L.B.V. (LATE BOTTLED VINTAGE) - This is
also the Port of one single harvest. It is produced in a good quality year, red,
with some body and fine 'bouquet' and taste. Bottled approximately between the
fourth and sixth year of age, its label will show not only the year of the
harvest but also the date of bottling and the designation L.B.V., or this in
full.
Taste
award winning local wines today at ILNAM Estate
ILNAM Estate is
a unique tourist attraction as we are the only winery on
the Tweed. ILNAM Estate Winery is located just 20 minutes from the Gold Coast
Airport, 40 minutes from Surfers Paradise and only 1 hour 20 minutes from
Brisbane.
ILNAM ESTATE WINERY- 750 Carool Road,
Carool NSW- Ph (07) 5590 7703
