The history of port

From ruby and tawny to vintage and white styles, Port is one of the world’s most historic and distinctive fortified wines. But how did this wine from northern Portugal become so closely tied to British drinking culture and what makes the different styles taste the way they do? In this guide, award-winning drinks writer Henry Jeffreys explores the history of Port, how it is made and the key styles to know, from everyday ruby Port to long-aged vintage expressions. Port is a fortified wine from northern Portugal. It owes its existence to Britain's fractious relationship with its neighbour, France. Since the 12th century, wine in England had come from Bordeaux. But when William III and Mary came to the throne in 1688 in the so-called Glorious Revolution, it ushered in a period of on-and-off conflict that would continue until the defeat of Napoleon in 1815. Wine shipped from France became subject to high taxation. By 1698, duty on French wine was £47 a cask when the wine itself cost only £1

by WSETglobal · source ↗