Sherry, Port and Madeira

Volatile Composition of Fortification Grape Spirit and Port Wine: Where Do We Stand?

“…For instance, the selection of the grape varieties may be performed, according to their anthocyanin and tannins content, and it is essential to ensure the adequate preservation of red wine color and mouthfeel throughout the maturation step, which can take many years or even decades. Indeed, producers’ decision-making is increasingly based on objective information; for example, the harvesting process takes place when the grapes present a specific gravity between 1.090 and 1.100, a total acidity between 3.9 and 6.0 g/L (expressed as tartaric acid), a pH around 3.3 to 3.7 (in warmer regions the pH can be as high as 4.0) and phenolic compound concentrations between 0.4 and 0.6 g·L −1 [ 41 ].…”

“…It is not at all the purpose of this section to detail the various stages involved in the production of Port wine, for which proper regulations and publications already exist [ 5 , 7 , 19 , 41 , 42 ]; however, production of grape spirits and the fortification stage will be emphasized.…”

“… Schematic representation of Port wine production process, including fortification spirit production [ 19 , 41 , 42 ]. …”

“…White Port aroma is defined by the duration of the ageing period, with young wines characterized by “crisp”, “fresh”, “acid”, “sweet”, “citrus fruit”, and “lemon balm” notes. Aged White Ports develop a “dry”, “woody”, “nutty”, and “incisive” flavor, due to the prolonged stage in wood and oxygen exposure [ 41 ].…”