140 Port anD the Douro
it was. A tasting of different spirits set up for me in 2010 showed just how oily in character
the standard spirit is and how a cleaner, more aromatic spirit interferes much less with the
fruit, right from the start. This has led to a significant change in vintage Port with shippers
tending to use better quality spirit from the 2000 vintage onwards; the influence of spirit
on vintage Port is discussed again in Chapter 5. David Guimaraens concludes that the
aldehydes have an important role and that if a spirit is too neutral (e.g. the very pure 98%
ABV spirit used in Australia) it has a negative effect. A neutral spirit, the most expensive
of all, is however desirable for white and rosé Port, and forms a significant part of the cost
of these wines if they are well made.
tiMe to Press
The mass of grape solids (skins, pips and stalks) remaining after a Port fermentation has
been run off and fortified contains valuable must, rich in colouring matter and tannin. The
traditional means of extracting this juice is to transfer the solids either to a vertical (basket)
press in the centre of the lagar, or to a hydraulic piston press located elsewhere in the adega.
Nowadays most wineries are equipped either with horizontal plate presses or a continuous
screw press. The former is generally preferable as continuous presses can produce bitter,
over-extractive juice; in spite of this, they continue to be used successfully by a number
of major shippers. The greater proportion of the press juice is mixed with the free run;
however, more astringent fractions may be fermented to dryness and sent for distillation.
The more gentle pneumatic presses favoured by many wine producers are not generally used
by Port producers as they provide insufficient levels of extraction.
the enD oF vintage
The vintage usually ends as noisily and cheerfully as it begins. Once all the grapes have been
gathered and the final lagar has been trodden, the roga or gang of pickers prepare to depart.
The conclusion of a successful harvest is the excuse for a celebration by all those involved.
The patroa (wife of the owner of the quinta) is customarily presented with the ramo, a palm
or bamboo branch that has been festooned with flowers, grapes, paper streamers and other
objects, like empty sardine tins, that happen to be on hand. The significance of this ceremony
has been lost to all those who take part today but it is thought to originate from a pagan
attempt to ward off evil spirits. The presentation of the ramo is accompanied by a chorus of
‘vivas’ from the roga followed by singing and dancing along with the libatory consumption of
wine, bagaceira and food provided by the quinta. The roga then return tired and somewhat the
worse for wear to their village where they remain until the following vintage. After a month of
frenzied activity, an uncanny silence settles once more on the Douro.