What is port?

Although there are many theories about the emerge of Port wine, it is believed that the discovery of this exquisite drink was accidental. In the middle of the seventeenth century, England chose Portugal to be its main supplier of wines. In order to preserve the drink of the hot weather during the long voyage, English merchants add aguardente (a type of brandy) to prevent its deterioration. This addition of alcohol not only preserved the drink but also enhanced its flavor. It was through this formula that the idea arose to add aguardente during the fermentation process to sweeten the wine and to increase its alcohol content. 

A fortified wine is simply a wine that has had a distilled spirit added to it. This is done to typically achieve at least one of several possible goals: to strengthen the wine, to preserve the wine, and/or to halt fermentation, resulting in a sweeter, stronger wine. Adding more alcohol to a base wine stops the fermentation process because this addition will kill off yeast. Once the yeast cells (which convert sugar to alcohol) are dead, any residual sugar they didn’t convert remains in the liquid. This ultimately results in a sweeter, more alcoholic end product.

Fortification is a wonderfully versatile word to use to describe this category of wine. It describes the protection and preservation of the wine, in addition to describing a degree of enhancement and strengthening. More all-encompassing, to “Fortify” something means to change and build on its base structure.