Port is a fortified wine from the Douro Valley. The four styles you will meet most often are White Port (fresh, citrus), Ruby (young, red fruit), Tawny (aged in small casks, nutty and caramel) and LBV, a Late Bottled Vintage from a single year. The fastest way to understand the difference is to taste them side by side, which is exactly what our one-hour Port tasting in Lisbon does.
How Port is made, in two sentences
Grapes from the Douro are crushed and start fermenting like any wine. Halfway through, the winemaker adds a neutral grape spirit, which stops the fermentation, keeps part of the natural sugar and brings the wine to around 19 to 22% alcohol.
After that, everything depends on how the wine ages: in big vats that keep it young and fruity, in small wooden casks that let it slowly oxidise, or in the bottle. That is what the names on the label tell you.
White Port
Made from white grapes, from dry to quite sweet. Expect citrus peel, honey and almonds. In Portugal it is mostly drunk cold as an aperitif, and very often as a Portónico: White Port, tonic, ice and a slice of orange. If you think you do not like Port, start here.
Ruby Port
The young, deep red style. It spends a few years in large vats, so it keeps its fresh red and black fruit. Simple and generous, good with dark chocolate or a strong blue cheese. Serve it at cellar temperature, not warm.
Tawny Port (and 10 Year Tawny)
Tawny ages in small oak casks, so air slowly gets in. The colour turns amber and the fruit turns into walnut, caramel, dried fig and orange peel. A 10 Year Tawny is a blend whose style matches an average age of about ten years; you will also see 20, 30 and 40 Year. Serve it slightly chilled. With a pastel de nata, it is the best argument for Port we know.
A Colheita is a Tawny from a single harvest year, aged for at least seven years in wood. Rarer, and a great gift if you know someone’s birth year.
LBV (Late Bottled Vintage)
Wine from a single year, bottled four to six years after the harvest. It sits between Ruby and Vintage: darker and richer than a Ruby, with plum, spice and chocolate, but ready to drink when you buy it. Very good value, and the Port we open most often for red meat and chocolate desserts.
Vintage Port
The top of the pyramid. Made only in the best years, bottled young, and built to age for decades in the bottle. Once opened it should be finished within a day or two. It is not part of our standard tasting, but ask us in the shop.
Serving Port at home
| Style | Serve at | Once opened |
|---|---|---|
| White Port | Well chilled, or with tonic and ice | About 2 weeks in the fridge |
| Ruby | 16 to 18°C | A few weeks |
| Tawny, 10 Year Tawny | Slightly chilled, 12 to 14°C | 1 to 2 months |
| LBV | 16 to 18°C | A few weeks |
| Vintage | 16 to 18°C, decanted | 1 to 2 days |
Where to taste Port in Lisbon
You do not need to go to Porto. At POP, in Graça, the Port wine tasting pours White, Ruby, 10 Year Tawny and LBV with dark chocolate, in about an hour, for €39 per person. If you would rather mix wine and Port, the Wine and Cheese tasting has four wines, two Ports and a cheese and charcuterie board. Sessions run every day at 15:00, 17:00 and 19:00. Book your Port tasting here.
Want to buy a special bottle to take home? VisitmyLisbon keeps a list of where to buy Port in Lisbon.
Planning more wine during your stay? Read wine tour from Lisbon or tasting in the city and our guide to Portuguese wine regions.
Questions we get asked
What is the difference between Ruby and Tawny Port?
Ruby ages in large vats and stays fruity and red. Tawny ages in small casks, takes on air and becomes amber, with notes of walnut and caramel.
Is LBV the same as Vintage Port?
No. Both come from a single year, but LBV is bottled after four to six years and is ready to drink, while Vintage is bottled young and needs years in the bottle.
Should Port be served cold?
White and Tawny Port are best chilled. Ruby, LBV and Vintage are served at cellar temperature, around 16 to 18°C.
Can I do a Port tasting in Lisbon?
Yes. At POP in Graça, the Port tasting covers White, Ruby, 10 Year Tawny and LBV with dark chocolate, in about an hour, for €39.
How strong is Port wine?
Most Port is between 19 and 22% alcohol, because grape spirit is added during fermentation.