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PORT
There are different
types
of Port, red, white or tawny, and,
of course, a difference in the style, age, strength and sweetness.
Vintage Port is the best. This is a " Red " Port and, if the
wine of any year shows exceptionally well, the very best are selected,
examined by expert tasters and laid aside. The grapes must be
perfectly sound and perfectly ripe when picked and a good " sunny "
year is usually a " Vintage " year. They are shipped from Oporto
about eighteen months to two years after the Vintage and are bottled
in England soon after landing. Time is then given for maturing
and if given sufficient time in a peaceful home, away from the light
of day, changes of temperature and all shocks, the result is a perfect
wine after about twelve to fifteen years.
Tawny ports are blends of Ports of different years matured in
cask in the presence of much more oxygen—the oxygen from the
air—so that the rate of maturation is more rapid, resulting in loss
of colour and strength. The older it is the dearer it is, but it is
never so dear as Vintage Port.
Ruby Port is a fairly young wine, less expensive than Tawny or
Vintage Port. Wh i t e Port is cheaper still, is favoured by ladies,
is white in colour and sweet of taste.
Some of the best Vintage years were 1927, 1924, 1922, 1920 and
1917. 1912 was shipped by nearly all shippers, as were also the
wines of 1908, 1904, 1900 and 1896. There were also wines not
shipped as Vintages by many shippers, but excellent wines such as
Graham 1897 and Sandeman 1911. Previous to 1896 wines like 1887
the " Jubilee " Port, 1878, 1875, 1868, 1863, 1851, 1847, back to
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