Port has always intrigued me, what is this wine that isn’t wine?  For years, I tried it by ordering it in restaurants and friends would introduce me to a supposedly-great Port; I enjoyed it but it never rocked my world…until recently.

In February 2009, I visited Prager Portworks in Napa and wrote about the visit.  I distinctly remember four remarkable points they made: 1) their Port is dry not sweet; 2) they insist it can be paired with food; 3) they named it after their daughters/nieces etc; and 4) an open bottle will be drinkable for months.

I bought 4-5 bottles and kept them in my temperature-controlled wine refrigerator. The interesting part is that I uncorked them in February ’09 and shared them with friends for 16 months. They all held up over time except one that was not stored properly (re-corking is okay but not as safe as using a rubber enclosure.)

On June 25, 2010 Hubby & I took out an open 2004 Aria White Port to enjoy with dessert.  That’s when Port rocked my world.  I didn’t expect it to be very good, having been open so long, but au contraire, it was better!  It was one of those rare tasting memories that will forever be seared in my brain.

So, next stop Prager Port to restock.  I’m so looking forward to kicking back and spending some time with these extraordinary Port makers.

Tags: napa, Pairing Port, Port, Recommendation, Tour