Port wine, less-sweet, $35-ish?

October 9, 2009 10:49 AM

At a wine tasting last year, I tried a port that was notably less sweet than any other I have had. I liked it a lot, and I totally forget who made it or what it's name was. It wasn't tawny, and it wasn't white. It might have been vintage. That's all I remember. So: recommendations for less-sweet ports that retail for $35 or so?
posted by everichon to food & drink (6 answers total)

Speaking very, very (even over-) generally, the older the port, the less-sweet it is. Those sugars get converted into alcohol.

If it wasn't tawny, or white, then it was ruby.
posted by Marquis at 11:09 AM on October 9, 2009

Was it a ruby port? I've had some good ones vising central Texas wineries, and they were markedly less sweet than the tawny ports I've had.
posted by fiercecupcake at 11:10 AM on October 9, 2009

I had several from the San Sebastian Winery in St. Augustine, FL (affiliated with the Lakeridge Winery in central FL) and they had several less-sweet selections. The muscadine adds an interesting touch to all their wines.
posted by vsync at 12:01 PM on October 9, 2009

Speaking very, very (even over-) generally, the older the port, the less-sweet it is. Those sugars get converted into alcohol.

Marquis, part of your (admitted) over-generalization is that, above a certain alcohol level, no further fermentation occurs (because alcohol is a poisonous excretion of the yeast). So, not even true at all for many ports. FWIW.


Ten+ years ago, I went to a port tasting. Four lovely ports, but one stood out like Marilyn Monroe amongst the Pumpkin Center Cheerleading Squad. My god it was good. And, 2nd-cheapest in price: 1/2 the price of the most expensive. $20 or so.

Been trying in desperation to remember the name since. Look through every danged port selection I see... Dammitol.
posted by IAmBroom at 12:11 PM on October 9, 2009

I've had some success with a port called Three Grapes. It was not too sweet but nicely complex, and it was in a rather reasonable price range.
posted by nursegracer at 2:59 AM on October 10, 2009

I have actually enjoyed Three Grapes myself, nursegracer, and I agree on all counts.
posted by everichon at 8:33 AM on October 10, 2009