Fortified Wine
Fortified wine is a unique category of wine enhanced with distilled spirits, such as brandy, resulting in a higher alcohol content and extended aging potential. Known for its rich flavors and versatility, fortified wine includes popular styles like Port, Sherry, Madeira, and Marsala, each offering distinct characteristics. Originating centuries ago as a preservation method, fortified wines are now enjoyed worldwide for their complexity and depth. Perfect as an aperitif, dessert pairing, or cocktail ingredient, they cater to diverse tastes and occasions. Explore the fascinating world of fortified wine and discover its timeless appeal, available in a variety of styles and flavors.
What Is Fortified Wine? Understanding Its Unique Characteristics
Fortified wine is a distinctive wine style created by adding distilled spirits, such as brandy, during or after fermentation. This process increases the alcohol content and enhances the wine's flavor, body, and aging potential. Fortified wines come in a variety of styles, from sweet Port and Sherry to dry Madeira and Vermouth, each with unique characteristics. Known for their rich, complex profiles, these wines are versatile, pairing well with desserts, cheeses, and savory dishes or serving as key ingredients in classic cocktails. Understanding what sets fortified wine apart allows wine enthusiasts to appreciate its craftsmanship and explore its diverse offerings.
Popular Types of Fortified Wine: Sherry, Port, and Beyond
Explore the diverse world of fortified wines, featuring popular types like Sherry, Port, Madeira, and Marsala. Sherry, from Spain, offers a range from dry Fino to sweet Pedro Ximénez, perfect for sipping or pairing. Port, hailing from Portugal, is known for its rich sweetness and robust flavors, ideal with desserts or cheese. Madeira, a fortified wine from Portugal’s Madeira Islands, stands out for its unique aging process and diverse flavor profiles. Marsala, an Italian favorite, enhances savory dishes and desserts alike. Each fortified wine brings unique characteristics, making them versatile and essential for wine enthusiasts to explore and enjoy.
The History of Fortified Wine: A Legacy of Preservation and Trade
Fortified wine has a rich history rooted in preservation and global trade. Originating in the 16th and 17th centuries, fortified wines like Sherry, Port, and Madeira were developed to withstand long voyages, thanks to the addition of spirits like brandy. This process not only preserved the wine but also enhanced its flavors, leading to its popularity among sailors and traders. Fortified wine became a sought-after commodity in European markets and colonial territories, symbolizing luxury and craftsmanship. Today, its historical significance lives on in its timeless appeal, with each bottle telling a story of innovation, resilience, and global cultural exchange.
How Fortified Wine Is Made: The Role of Fortification in Winemaking
Fortified wine is crafted by adding distilled spirits, such as brandy, to the winemaking process, either during or after fermentation. This fortification increases the wine’s alcohol content, preserves its flavors, and creates a versatile range of styles. When added during fermentation, the process halts, resulting in sweeter wines like Port. Adding spirits post-fermentation produces drier varieties such as certain Sherries and Madeiras. Fortification also enhances aging potential, allowing the wine to develop complex flavors over time. This unique method gives fortified wines their rich profiles, making them ideal for pairing with food, sipping on their own, or using in cocktails.
Food Pairing with Fortified Wine: What Works Best?
Fortified wines offer incredible versatility when it comes to food pairings, enhancing a variety of dishes with their rich flavors. Sherry, with its range from dry Fino to sweet Pedro Ximénez, pairs perfectly with tapas, nuts, and creamy desserts. Port complements blue cheese, chocolate desserts, and roasted meats, adding depth to each bite. Madeira shines with savory dishes like roasted poultry or sweet treats like caramel tarts. Marsala is a classic match for Italian cuisine, enriching sauces and desserts alike. Understanding the unique characteristics of fortified wines helps elevate your dining experience, making every meal a flavorful adventure.
Buy Fortified Wine Online Today
Shop premium fortified wines online today at The Wine Connection! Explore a curated selection of Port, Sherry, Madeira, and more from renowned producers. Perfect for pairing with food, enjoying solo, or crafting cocktails. Convenient delivery straight to your door ensures you can savor these rich, flavorful wines anytime. Discover timeless favorites and elevate your wine experience—shop now!
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Product Type
Wine Type
Common Primary Varietals
Region
The NV Pedro Ximenez Solera 1927 is non-vintage, but does have some 1927 material in it. This is totally dark brown/amber with notes of figs, toffee, caramel syrup, molasses and coffee. It is dense, super sweet, intense, rich and...
$39.99
The wine is rich, ripe and fruity with good acidity as well as a bite of spirit and old-wood aging. It is well balanced, keeping the freshness of a 10-Year-Old while also showing good signs of its wood aging....
$39.99
Press Rated 93 Points Wine Enthusiast The sweetest and richest in the Historic series, the New York Malmsey unfolds slowly in the glass, gradually revealing layers of depth and flavor. Coffee, toffee and date notes emerge, followed by earthy,...
$59.99
This attractive full-bodied wine has an unctuous texture and crystallized lemon flavors.It is soft and perfumed with just enough acidity at the end. 89 Points WIne Enthusiast
$19.99
Made from Grillo, Insolia, and Catarratto, aged one year in oak casks. Amber with golden tints. Intense and harmonious. Pleasantly sweet and full bodied.
$12.99
Dark amber in color, with maple, walnut and other sweet-meets-nutty aromas. It's a bit tangy, but being as zesty as it is propels maple, white chocolate and apricot flavors. This one has depth and a very long finish, which...
$42.99
The RWC Historic Series represents a close collaboration between The Rare Wine Co. and Vinhos Barbeito. First conceived in 1998, the goal from the beginning was to produce a series of affordable Madeiras that possess the magical qualities of...
$94.99
Remarkably, this is able to show age and long cask aging, but the flavor is still here: figs and honey, balanced out with burnt caramel aged acidity and a rich (but not sweet) finish. Excellent, top quality aged tawny....
$149.99
This high-end fino from Tio Pepe is yeasty and shows a flor-related character. In addition, there are aromas of apple, toasted almond and turpentine. The palate is full for fino, with yeasty weight cut by acidity.Flavors of crisp, dry,...
$14.99
For many the perfect age for a great Tawny Port. The vibrant purple colour of a great young Port has softened to a delicate green-gold after 20 long years in seasoned oak casks under the watchful eye of the...
$99.99
Catarratto, Grillo and Inzolia are fermented as base wines, then for the production of Marsala, fermentation is halted by the addition of a grape brandy when the residual sugar content reaches the pre-determined levels according to the sweet/dry style...
$12.99
The non-vintage Moscatel Emilin Solera Reserva is the sweetest sherry in this group as well as the easiest to appreciate as it is made from 100% Moscatel. 96 Points Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
$29.99
The non-vintage Dry Amontillado Los Arcos Solera Reserva reveals a medium amber hue along with a nutty, honeyed, dry personality with great acid. 93 Points Robert Parker's Wine Advocate A more flattering style, with an off-dry edge to the...
$18.99
Press This impressively structured wine shows a perfect balance between its powerful, spicy fruits and firm tannins. Dense tones of dark berries and smoke are rich and flavorful, bringing the wine to a perfect conclusion. It's immensely ageworthy... Rated...
$145.99
Winemaker Notes "10 Years" indicates an average age – this Aged Tawny Port is a blend of older wines, which offer complexity and younger wines, which bring fresh fruit flavors and vibrancy. During their long maturing period in oak...
$39.99
Tasting Notes Good medium-deep red. Aromas of red fruits, tar and smoked meat. Fat, lush and sweet; flavors of black cherry and earth. Slightly fiery but persistent back end.
$17.99
Press Bottled in 2018 and matured for 49 years in seasoned American oak casks, the 1968 Sercial exhibits a complex bouquet of mocha, baked apple, praline, dates, fine furniture polish and marmalade. On the palate, it's medium to full-bodied,...
$349.99
Winemaker Notes This exceptional sherry brings together the finesse and delicacy of an Amontillado with the richness and body of an Oloroso. An extremely versatile wine. Aged in Bodega Emperatriz Eugenia in Jerez de la Frontera. Light amber in...
$28.99
