How to Buy a Ruby Port Wine

Ruby port wines are considered to be the lightest and easiest to drink of all the port wine varieties. These characteristics are what make ruby port the perfect choice for someone who is new to port wine as well as the occasional or casual port wine drinker.

Difficulty: Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Port wine or tulip glasses

1. Know the ruby port grapes. Ruby port is made from a handful of choice grapes: Toriga Nacional, Tinta Roriz, Tinto Cao, Tinto Barrocca and Toriga Francesca. These grapes are what give ruby port its bright garnet color.

2. Discover how ruby port is made. Ruby ports are a made from a blend of grapes of several different vintages and are stored in wood casks for three years before being bottled.

3. Recognize the flavor characteristics of ruby port. This port has forward fruit flavors of plums and ripe cherries, has a smooth mouth feel and a long, warm finish.

4. Understand when to drink ruby port. Ruby ports are made to be consumed immediately after bottling because they have already matured during the two to three years spent in wood casks.

5. Try a glass before you buy a bottle. Attend a port wine tasting to get an idea of what brand of ruby port you like before you buy a bottle. If Port wine tastings are not available in your area, order a glass of ruby port the next time you dine out.

Tips & Warnings

• Try Warre's "Warrior" for a ruby port from a distinguished port house.
• Don't worry about spending a lot of money on ruby port. Ruby port wine is the least expensive and the most widely available of all port wines. These factors contribute to the reasons why it is the perfect introduction to port wine.
• If you buy and hold ruby port, it will develop sediment in the bottle after about a year and must be decanted.

Resources

• Learn more about ruby port at Worldshippers.
• Get more information about ruby port at Epicurious.

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