Oporto, Portugal

The first port of call this summer was Oporto, Portugal. The two reasons to be here are: it is in-between here and there, and to learn (and taste) real port wine.

Port wine is a Portuguese fortified wine, produced from grapes grown exclusively in the Douro Valley about 60 miles north of the city.

It is generally sweet, red and consumed as a dessert wine, good with cheese and nuts.

Different from normal wine production, it is fortified by adding a wine spirit which stops fermentation. The fortification leaves residual sugar and boosts the alcohol content to about 20% (about 40% higher than typical table wines).