Depending on when you grew up, Christopher Columbus was either the brave Portuguese explorer who discovered America by sailing the ocean blue in 1492, or an Italian hustler who conned the Portuguese royalty into paying for a trip to India, never found the place, and eventually became the enemy of indigenous peoples everywhere. But whatever your feelings about Columbus, one reason to celebrate the holiday in his honor is that if it weren’t for him, we wouldn’t have this country called America, where you can buy this wonderful kind of wine made in Portugal called port. It’s surprising how many otherwise sophisticated diners put so much effort into cocktails before dinner, matching a wine or two with two or more food courses, and then skip the “port course” entirely. Especially in light of what a value even a moderate-quality port really is. For even thirty to forty dollars, you can pick up a nice bottle of tawny or ruby port that might easily service you for a couple of weeks of fine dining, depending on your drinking and dining habits. Although many port lovers wouldn’t DREAM of having a nice dinner without some port afterward, most of us dine a little more casually, and think of port as a treat, which it is! And in the case of many tawnies and rubies, an opened bottle will last much longer than an unfortified wine. And those who say “Oh, I couldn’t POSSIBLY drink any more tonight”? Well, in the same way that many people fail to understand the gastronomic logic behind dessert and coffee – i.e., the fact that they make you feel LESS stuffed and lethargic by boosting your blood sugar and giving you a small caffeine kick – they also misunderstand port, and its comforting effect. It has been referred to as “wine of philosophy” because of this calming quality, and the contemplative nature of properly enjoying it. If you want to learn more about port you can of course read about it on Wikipedia, or this IntoWine.com article explains some of the amusing traditions that go with enjoying port, like the “do you know the bishop of Norwich” trick. But as with any fine wine, the best way to learn about port is DRINK some. And we have plenty on hand; around a hundred varieties. A couple of highlights are below.
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