Port wine takes its name from the city of Oporto, Portugal, which is the center of most of the world's port production.

The city lies at the mouth of the Douro River, which twists its way through rugged, wind-swept mountains where vineyards are planted in terraces to prevent erosion on the steep slopes. Port has been made in this starkly beautiful place since the time of Roman occupation, but a connection with England thousands of year's later elevated its character to its present level.

Port was introduced in Britain as early as the 14th century and sales somewhat increased in the 16th century when British ships began making regular runs to Portugal to trade for New World products. Yet it wasn't until 1703 when England's Queen Anne went to war with France that port, and the market for it, changed forever. In an attempt to stymie French wine profits, English Ambassador John Methuen negotiated a significant tax advantage for Portuguese wines over all others coming into England. At first, the typical Englishman who found the flavor too harsh and sharp did not embrace the flood of port. But the scarcity of other wines and a desire to make it more appealing to the English palate led to experimentation with the port-making process. It was discovered that when brandy was added during fermentation, it not only boosted the alcohol content, but also killed the fermenting yeast. This allowed more of the natural grape sugar to remain, and port was transformed into the sweet, rich libation that made "an Englishman and his Port" inseparable.

Because of the Methuen Treaty and the subsequent English appetite for port, enterprising British businessmen bought controlling interests in the port trade. They began operating foreign trading stations in Oporto called factories and the famous building at the center of all the trading became known as the Factory House. Constructed in 1790, the elegant structure still stands and its wood-paneled meeting rooms recall the history of British participation in the port business. Waterford chandeliers and walls plastered in Wedgwood patterns grace the luxurious ballroom where English nobility and heads of state were entertained. Massive iron stoves shipped from England was used to prepare formal banquets, and the mahogany dining tables are still used for the regular Wednesday luncheon meetings of the port shippers. To this day, most of the names on port wine labels are English, and the factories in Portugal are almost all run by Englishmen.

The elegant history of the business operation contrasts with the robust tradition of the wine production. If I had been given a choice between attending a function in the ballroom or participating in the winemaking festivities, the latter would have won out. The method behind creating the wine is a legacy passed down for centuries, and only in the last few decades has modern equipment entered the picture.

The making of port begins each year with a three-week autumn festival during which villagers from miles around gather to take part in the grape harvest. Led by musicians playing an accordion or flute, men and women arrive with their possessions stowed in baskets borne on their heads. Traditionally women picked the grapes, which they hauled to the pressing vaults. There the men would link arms and rhythmically tread the fruit, moving in a circle to a whistled tune. The work would continue into the night and, like the port itself, the men would fortify themselves with shots of brandy. Meanwhile the women would return from the vineyards and dance as they cheered the men on. Much of the same spirit and camaraderie still exists today, although most port is now machine pressed.

After fermentation, the fresh wine is taken to the port lodges in Oporto and its neighboring city, Vila Nova de Gaia. In years past, the barrels of wine were ferried there on quaint barges called rabelos, but today's port is shipped by truck for expedience and safety. Once stored, it is labeled and, depending upon the quality of the port, aged either in wooden casks or bottles. The finest port is called vintage, meaning wine pressed in an exceptional year. Most shippers manage to get only about three vintages per decade.

All ports should rest a long time before they are consumed, but vintage port requires the longest wait to be enjoyed. In order to mature, it must stay in the bottle a minimum of ten years and will improve steadily every year thereafter.

It is a custom in England to buy a bottle of vintage port upon the birth of a child, which will be saved and used to celebrate the child's wedding. The other varieties of port, such as tawny, ruby and white, all have their merits and are usually more available. But vintage port is in a class all it's own, and those who consume it can almost taste its rich history in every sip. Make it one of your New Year's resolutions to re-aquaint yourself with the world of port. On a cold winter's evening by the fire, you'll understand what the English saw in this gift from the Portuguese sun and why the Portuguese are justifiably proud.

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