PAIRING PORT

This versatile dessert wine pairs well with everything from cheese to chocolate.  Port is an ubiquitous part of fine dinning during the holiday season, but this long-lived dessert wine rarely garners much fanfare in the United States. Yet for lovers of big bold wines, Port is an obvious next step once the dinner plates, and their accompanying table wines, are cleared away. While sipping a glass of Port can certainly be considered dessert in and of itself, Port’s various styles match well with many foods. This largely attributed to Port’s sweetness and its high alcohol content, from 19% to 21 %, which allows it stand up to strong cheeses and to desserts with more assertive flavors. The classic pairing for vintage Port is Stilton, the rich and earthy cow’s-milk cheese from England. Virtually any type of blue cheese is happy alongside Port, ranging from a creamy Bleu d’Auvergne from France to a crumbly Cashel Blue from Italy. Looking beyond blue cheese, aged cheeses can also make successful pairings with Port. Try aged cheddar or an aged Parmesan for cheeses with powerful flavor profiles to match the concentrated dark fruit flavors found in Port. Echoing Port's fruit and nut flavors with the original product is another option, as dried fruits and berries and a wide range of nuts are also complementary. Fig paste and quince paste are two typical accompaniments for cheese, and both offer concentrated fruit flavors and a touch of sweetness, as does Port. Apple or mince pies, as well as the dried and baked fruit and nuts in the holiday fruitcake, also pair well with Port, particularly the lighter style tawny Port.