| Perfect Pairings | | | | Institute's standards, then the year is declared a |
| February 14, 2007 – as published in the | | | | vintage year. |
| Beacon News and Naperville Sun | | | | Pairings |
| | | | The classic pairing of port wine is Stilton blue |
| Now that the December family celebrations are | | | | cheese and walnuts. This can be particularly |
| over, we turn to a more private and romantic | | | | appealing in front of the fireplace after a |
| moment - Valentine's Day. This month I will pair | | | | satisfying meal. |
| chocolate with port wine. While other wines are | | | | Chocolate is popular all year and is given as an |
| also enjoyed with chocolate, ports have an | | | | expression of love in February. At my catering |
| intriguing past and are gaining popularity. | | | | company, we offer ruby ports with dark |
| History | | | | chocolate flourless cake, chocolate mousse piped |
| Due to historical conflicts between France and | | | | into dark chocolate dessert cups garnished with a |
| England, French wines were banned at one point | | | | fresh raspberry and decadent chocolate brownies |
| by the king of England. Portugal and Spain were | | | | served with a raspberry Coulis sauce. We |
| only too happy to fill this void with their wine. | | | | recommend ruby ports, as they are more |
| The Portuguese added a spirit to their wine to | | | | approachable for the general public in terms of |
| help stabilize their product during transport. Thus, | | | | sweetness and offer fuller fruit flavors. Tawnies |
| "fortified" wines came into being. To improve the | | | | are considered the classic pairing with chocolate |
| quality of Portuguese wine, Englishmen traveled to | | | | and are equally enjoyable. |
| Portugal and worked with local wine makers. They | | | | A recent trend by wineries is the addition of |
| discovered that monks in the Douro Valley were | | | | chocolate to port wine. This changes the |
| adding brandy to their wine early in the | | | | character of the wine and offers a richer |
| fermentation process. This created a sweeter | | | | experience. Examples of this are Rosenblum's |
| product with a higher alcohol content. English | | | | Desiree and Trentadue's Chocolate Amore ports. |
| traders quickly set up warehouses in the town of | | | | They make a delicious pairing with your favorite |
| Oporto on the Atlantic Coast. This explains the | | | | chocolate dessert. Mark Dryden of Cabernet & |
| name port and why they have British names, | | | | Co. in Naperville suggests adding a touch of |
| such as Dow's, Warre's and Graham's. | | | | raspberry wine to chocolate port for a delightful |
| Types | | | | combination. |
| Today, there are four basic categories of port: | | | | Bill's Picks |
| ruby, tawny, white and vintage. | | | | Listed here are some recommended ports that |
| Ruby ports are generally made from lower quality | | | | are available locally. Prices are suggested retails |
| wine and are aged in casks for two years. The | | | | and may vary. |
| wine is young, sweet and has a deep red color. | | | | Good Introductory port: Dow's Fine Ruby Porto of |
| Late bottle vintage are higher quality ports that | | | | Portugal, $13 |
| come from a single vintage, are barrel aged up to | | | | Classic port with dark, intense fruit: Warre's |
| six years and are filtered. These LBV's are | | | | Warrior Special Reserve Porto, $16 |
| commonly served in restaurants, as there is no | | | | Complex, excellent value: Jonesy Aged Tawny |
| sediment. | | | | Port of Australia, $11 |
| Tawny ports are named for their amber color, a | | | | Intense ruby port: Heredias Ruby Porto of |
| by-product of aging in casks. Tawnies are higher | | | | Portugal, $18 |
| quality, tend to be lighter, more complex and | | | | Rich, nutty and powerful: Quinto do Noval Tawny |
| have nutty and caramel notes. Tawnies from a | | | | Porto of Portugal, $19 |
| single harvest that are barrel aged for at least | | | | High quality producer: Quinto do Infantado Porto |
| seven years are called Colheitas. They are | | | | of Portugal, $25 |
| preferred by some over vintage port. | | | | Wonderful chocolate flavor: Rosenblum Desiree |
| White ports are produced using white grapes. | | | | Chocolate Port of California, $21 |
| To be declared a vintage port, the wine is from a | | | | A great sip or over vanilla ice cream: Trentadue |
| single year and must pass a rigorous evaluation | | | | Chocolate Amore Port of California, $25 |
| from the Port Wine Institute of Portugal. Vintage | | | | |
| ports are aged in casks for two years, are not | | | | For more from Bill Garlough's Perfect Pairings visit |
| filtered and can be bottle-aged for decades. If 50 | | | | My Chef. |
| percent or greater of a crop's port meets the | | | | |