Perfect Pairings: Ports & Pies

Pies are the official dessert of Thanksgiving, and there's no better pairing than Port.

(Plus, we're suckers for alliteration.)

That said, there are so many different types of ports -- so how do you know what to pair with what?!

In general, we can group Ports into two general styles: RUBY (more dark-berry fruit, less oak aging) and TAWNY (toffee-nutty, more oak aging).

Below, we'll break down some major types and how to pair perfectly with pie!

A BRIEF INTRODUCTION TO PORT

Most Port is a blend of red grapes from the Douro Valley in Portugal. Amazingly, there are 80 varieties permitted, but the most famous are Touriga Nacional, Tinta Roriz (Tempranillo), Tinta Cão, Tinta Barroca , and Touriga Franca.

The wine makes a long journey down the Douro River and is then aged in the coastal town of Porto (hence, the name)! To make this long journey, the wines were fortified with brandy to enhance their preservation. However, when you add spirit to a wine while it is fermenting, some grape sugar remains, making the wine taste sweeter.

Here is where the RUBY vs. TAWNY part comes into play: Wines that are bottled earlier and don't spend a lot of time in oak retain more fruity qualities (RUBY).

Those that are aged in oak for longer periods of time experience more oxidation and loss of color, hence the TAWNY designation.

FRUITY STYLE PORTS WITH CHERRY & CHOCOLATE PIES

In general, Ruby Ports are a blend of fruit from different years and are fruit-forward, with vibrant notes of blackberry, cherry, and plum. Rich, sweet, and bold, Ruby ports are meant for early drinking. Perfect for cherry pie!

Having a rich, decadent chocolate pie? Then Late Bottled Vintage should be your go-to pairing. Late Bottled Vintage (LBV) is a special version of this fruit-forward style: The grapes were all harvested from a single year! It is typically more structured and concentrated than Ruby Port, with deeper blackberry, cassis, and dark chocolate notes. (True Vintage Port can take decades before it is ready to drink, but LBVs are meant to drink now!)

NUTTY STYLE PORTS WITH PECAN & PUMPKIN PIES

Tawny Ports are aged in large barrels for an extended period of time. Interestingly, age designations are "average" years of aging; some wines in the blend are younger, while others can be much older.

This aging process changes the color to a beautiful, deep amber, and it also alters the taste profile of these once deep, dark colored berries.

For the classic pumpkin pie, pairing it with 10 Year Tawny Port will blow you away. 10 Year Tawnies are silky and elegant with flavors of caramel, hazelnut, dried apricot, and toffee. Barrel aging brings warm spice and a long, nutty finish with a touch of oxidative complexity.

Pecan pie? Reach for 20 Year Tawny Port: Deeply complex and beautifully refined, showing layers of candied orange peel, almond, fig, and butterscotch. Long oxidative aging creates exceptional finesse.

Don't worry - we didn't forget the apple pie.

Apple pie pairs beautifully with any age of Tawny Port, but we have something special for you to consider: VINTAGE Tawny Port, which is a special designation called COLHEITA.

This is truly a special Port you don't see every day.

And finally, the perfect gift for your host:

Vintage Port is only made in the best years, from the best vineyards, and the best grapes. And your host deserves something special!

Meant to evolve for decades, Vintage Port develops extraordinary complexity over time, gaining notes of dried fruit, spice, and silky richness as it matures.

If we're being honest, Port goes well beyond pies!

Between the sweet potatoes and cranberry sauce, there's natural sweetness in many classic Thanksgiving dishes.

Later this week, we'll share some of our all-time favorite wines for Thanksgiving, but Port (especially Ruby) can be a surprising pairing during the meal itself!

Open a bottle before dessert, give it a try, and let us know what you think!

Cheers!