Pro Trade Report

Perfect Pairings

February 14, 2007 – as published in the Beacon News and Naperville Sun

By Bill Garlough

Now that the family celebrations in December is over, we turn now to a more intimate and romantic – Valentine's Day. This month, I pair chocolate with port wine. While other wines are also popular with chocolate, ports have a fascinating past and gaining in popularity.

History

Because of the historical conflicts between France and Britain, French wines have been banned at one time by the King of England. Portugal and Spain were only too happy to fill that void with their wine.

The Portuguese added a spirit of their wine to help stabilize their product during transport. Thus, "fortified" wines emerged. To improve the quality of Portuguese wine, the English traveled to Portugal and worked with local growers. They discovered that the monks of the Douro Valley were adding brandy to their wine at the beginning of the fermentation process. This has created a product sweetened with a higher alcohol content. English traders quickly set up warehouses in the city of Porto on the Atlantic coast. This explains the name port and why they have English names, such as Dow's, Warre and Graham.

Types

Today, there are four basic categories of port: ruby, tawny and vintage white.

Ruby ports are generally made from lower quality wine and high in barrels for two years. The wine is young, sweet and has a dark red. Late-bottled vintage ports are higher quality that just one vintage is barrel aged up to six years and are filtered. These LBV are commonly served in restaurants, because there is no sediment.

Tawny ports are named for their amber color, a byproduct of aging in barrels. Tawnies are better, tend to be lighter, and more complex notes of hazelnut and caramel. Tawnies from a single harvest that are aged in barrels for at least seven years are called Colheitas. They are preferred by some on vintage port.

White ports are produced with white grapes.

To be declared a port vintage wine is one year and must pass a rigorous assessment of the Wine Institute of Portugal Porto. Vintage ports are aged in barrels for two years, are not filtered and can be bottle aged for decades. If 50 percent or greater port of a culture responds Standards Institute, and the year is declared vintage year.

Pairings

The Classic pairing Port wine is Stilton blue cheese and walnuts. This may be particularly interesting in front of the fireplace after a good meal.

Chocolate is very popular all year and is given as an expression of love in February. In my catering company, we offer deep ruby port with a chocolate cake without flour, chocolate mousse piped into dessert cups dark chocolate topped with fresh raspberry and decadent chocolate cake served with a raspberry coulis sauce. We recommend ruby ports because they are more affordable for consumers in terms of sweetness and provide fuller flavors fruit. Tawnies are considered the classic route with chocolate and are equally enjoyable.

A recent trend by wineries is the addition of chocolate port wine. This changes the character of the wine and offer a richer experience. Examples of this are Rosenblum Desiree and Trentadue's Chocolate Amore ports. They make a delicious pairing with your favorite chocolate dessert. Mark Dryden of Cabernet & Co. in Naperville suggests adding a touch of raspberry wine port of chocolate for a delicious combination.

Bill's Picks

Listed Here are some recommended ports that are available locally. Prices are suggested retail and may vary.

Good introduction to the harbor: Dow's Fine Ruby Porto of Portugal, $ 13

Port Classic black, intense fruit: Warre's Warrior Special Reserve Porto, $ 16

Complex excellent value: Jonesy Aged Tawny Port from Australia, $ 11

Intense ruby port: Herédias Ruby Porto of Portugal, $ 18

Rich, nutty and powerful Quinto do Noval Tawny Porto from Portugal, $ 19

High quality producer: Quinto do Infantado Porto of Portugal, $ 25

Chocolate tastes delicious: Rosenblum Desiree Chocolate Port of California, $ 21

A draft large or ice cream Vanilla: Trentadue Chocolate Amore Port of California, $ 25

For more Bill's Garlough Perfect Pairings visit my head.

About the Author:

Bill Garlough is a Level 1 Master Sommelier and an owner of My Chef Catering in Naperville, the winner of the U.S. Chamber’s 2007 Small Business of the Year award. Bill can be reached at My Chef or wineparings@mychef.com

Article Source: ArticlesBase.com – Port Wine and Chocolate Make Valentine’s Day Extra Sweet