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Port is a sweet, fortified wine grown in the Douro valley, but takes its name from the city of Oporto which is the historic centre of the port trade, where it is stored and distributed from. There are many different styles of port including Dry White (usually served chilled as an aperitif), Ruby, Crusted, Late Bottled Vintage, wood-aged Tawny and Colheitas, Single Quinta and Vintage. Vintage Port is the pinnacle of Port production and is only produced in small quantities, in certain years (deemed good enough for Vintage production) and is the product of a single vintage. In a good vintage such Port will last for 30 to 50 years, if cellared correctly, and is a traditional Christening gift. These wines, when mature, are rich, smooth, sweet and very powerful - there are, however, differences between Port houses. Graham is generally considered to be the sweetest style but is closely followed by Warre, Ramos Pinto and Niepoort, a small, extremely high quality producer. At the other end of the sweetness scale are Fonseca and Dow's, which is the driest style. All Vintage Port throws a crust, or sediment, and should be carefully decanted prior to serving. For more information visit The Vintage Port Site.
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