Sweet Red Wine

The most famous sweet red wine in the world, by far, is Port – a fortified wine from Portugal’s Douro Valley, with a long and proud history. Port has a particular connection to the UK, having been invented – almost by chance – when British merchants, looking for an alternative to French wine during a trade dispute, turned to Portugal’s reds, and fortified them with brandy so they would better survive the long journey. Today the wines are still made with this fortification, if with slightly more forethought and skill, the category spanning a range of ports, from vintage to tawny, colheita to single-quinta. All have varying degrees of sweetness, and also vary hugely in their character, from rich and raisiny to light and racy.