Fortified wine
Fortified wine is a category of wine to which a distilled grape spirit, usually brandy, has been added. The process of fortification increases alcohol content, influences sweetness levels, and contributes to the longevity of the wine, making these styles distinctive within global viticulture and trade.[1]
Background
The origins of fortified wine are closely linked to the expansion of European maritime trade during the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries. Winemakers discovered that the addition of grape spirit stabilised wine during long voyages, reducing the risk of spoilage and extending its commercial reach.[2] This technique became especially prominent in the Iberian Peninsula, where regions such as Porto and Jerez built thriving export industries.
Production method
Fortification involves the deliberate addition of neutral grape spirit at different stages of fermentation. If added while fermentation is still active, the spirit halts yeast activity, leaving residual sugar and resulting in a sweeter style of wine. When added after fermentation, the wine tends to be drier, as more sugar has been converted to alcohol. Finished fortified wines typically contain between 15 and 22 percent alcohol by volume.[3] The use of oxidative ageing, long cask maturation, or systems such as the solera method further shapes style and complexity.
Styles and expressions
Fortified wine encompasses a broad spectrum of styles. Port, produced in northern Portugal, is noted for rich, sweet red wines that may be aged in bottle or wood. Sherry from Andalusia offers a wide stylistic range, from bone-dry fino to sweet cream styles, shaped by biological and oxidative ageing. Madeira from the Atlantic island of the same name is distinguished by its remarkable stability and longevity, achieved through heating and extended maturation. Marsala, from Sicily, was historically exported across Europe and remains an emblematic fortified style of the Mediterranean.[4]
Cultural and economic significance
The rise of fortified wines had lasting cultural and economic impacts. They became central to the identity of their regions of origin, supporting viticultural economies and establishing some of Europe’s earliest systems of appellation and regulation. On a broader scale, fortified wines were key commodities in colonial trade, circulating through Europe, Africa, and the Americas. Today, while consumption has declined compared to their historical peak, these wines remain important in both traditional markets and modern gastronomy.[5]
See also
References
- ↑ Robinson (ed.), The Oxford Companion to Wine, Oxford University Press, 2015, ISBN 978-0198705383.
- ↑ Johnson, The Story of Wine, Mitchell Beazley, 2021, ISBN 978-1784727680.
- ↑ Stevenson, The Sotheby’s Wine Encyclopedia, 5th ed., DK, 2011, ISBN 978-0756686840.
- ↑ Harding, A Wine Lover’s Guide to Fortified Wines: Sherry, Port, Madeira, Marsala and More, Mitchell Beazley, 2012, ISBN 978-1845336967.
- ↑ Robinson (ed.), The Oxford Companion to Wine, Oxford University Press, 2015, ISBN 978-0198705383.