Port and the Douro (Faber Books on Wine)

An indispensable book for both the armchair wine connoisseur and anyone interested in visiting Portugal. Port is indisputably one of the world's great fortified wines, and shipments of Port to countries around the world are at their highest level ever. Port and the Douro recounts the fascinating history of Port, going back to the fourth century through the golden age of Port in the 1800s and up to the modern methods of production of the 1990s. Approaching his subject with a wonderful combination of enthusiasm and erudition--and enhancing his points with beautiful color photographs and evocative line drawings by Leo Duff--Richard Mayson looks at each of the main quintas in the Douro Valley, the valley of terraced vineyards in northern Portugal in which the roots of Port are firmly embedded. He describes how Port is made and identifies all the different styles, from white to ruby to vintage Port. In addition to providing a list of the finest producers and vintages, he also offers such practical advice as how to age, decant, and serve Port, giving the Port drinker all the knowledge he or she needs in order to appreciate fully this special wine.