The Methuen Treaty was a military and commercial treaty between England and Portugal that was signed in 1703 as part of the War of the Spanish Succession .
59-437: The treaty stipulated that no tax higher than the tax charged for an equal amount of French wines could be charged for Portuguese wines ( but see below ) exported to England, and that English textiles would be admitted to Portugal at all times, regardless of the geopolitical situation in each of the two nations (to ensure England would still accept Portuguese wine in periods when not at war with France). The Methuen Treaty has been
118-462: A Colheita may have spent 20 or more years in wooden barrels before being bottled and sold. White Colheitas have also been produced. Unusual and rare, vintage-dated Garrafeira combines the oxidative maturation of years in wood with further reductive maturation in large glass demijohns . It is required by the IVDP that wines spend some time in wood, usually between three and six years, followed by at least
177-647: A Portuguese that has been influenced greatly by foreign ideas. He was a critic of the Inquisition and the persecution of New Christians . D. Luís da Cunha was born on 25 January 1662, in Lisbon , to D. António Álvares da Cunha, 18th Lord of Tábua, head of the House of Cunha and a member of the Forty Conspirators , and Maria Manuel de Vilhena, daughter of Cristóvão Manuel de Vilhena. He studied law at
236-399: A blend of several vintages. The target age profile, in years in wood, is stated on the label, usually 10, 20, 30, or 40 years. These ports are produced by most houses. It is also possible to produce an aged white port in this manner, with some shippers now marketing aged white ports. In some places, such as Canada and Australia, 'tawny' may also be used to describe any port-style wine that
295-541: A cask for only a short time, they retain their dark ruby color and fresh fruit flavours. Particularly fine vintage ports can continue to gain complexity for many decades after they were bottled. It is not uncommon for 19th-century bottles to still be in perfect condition for consumption. The oldest known vintage port still available as of 2018 from a shipper is the 1815 Ferreira. A tasting in 1990 described it as having an "intensely spicy aroma – cinnamon, pepper, and ginger – hints of exotic woods, iodine, and wax". Vintage port
354-408: A few days. Recent bottlings are identified by the label "unfiltered", "bottle matured", or both. Since the 2002 regulations, bottles that carry the words "bottle matured" must have enjoyed at least three years of bottle maturation before release. Before 2002 this style was often marketed as "traditional", a description that is no longer permitted. Unfiltered LBV will usually be improved by extra years in
413-411: A further eight years in glass, before bottling. In practice, the times spent in glass are much longer. The style is associated with the company Niepoort, although others do exist. Their dark green demijohns, known as bon-bons, hold approximately 11 litres (2.4 imp gal; 2.9 US gal) each. Some connoisseurs describe Garrafeira as having a slight taste of bacon, the reason being that, during
472-484: A new style of white apéritif Port, in 1934. Made from traditional white grape varieties, it is fermented for longer than usual to give it a crisp dry finish. Late bottled vintage (often referred to simply as LBV) was originally wine that had been destined for bottling as vintage port, but because of lack of demand was left in the barrel for longer than had been planned. Over time it has become two distinct styles of wine, both of them bottled between four and six years after
531-594: A popular replacement. The Kingdom of Ireland imported Portuguese wine at the low Methuen tariffs, but was banned under the Navigation Acts from exporting. In 1779, Ireland was granted "free trade", but Portugal imposed higher tariffs on Irish textile imports than on English ones, arguing it was outside the terms of the Methuen treaty. This was a tactic in Portugal's broader attempt to make Britain renegotiate
590-652: A result of this oxidation, they mellow to a golden-brown color. The exposure to oxygen imparts "nutty" flavours to the wine, which is blended to match the house style. They are sweet or medium dry and typically consumed as a dessert wine, but can also pair with a main course. When a port is described as tawny, without an indication of age, it is a basic blend of wood-aged port that has spent time in wooden barrels, typically at least three years. Reserve tawny port (produced by Borges, Calem, Croft, Cruz, Graham , Kopke, and other houses) has been aged about seven years. Above this are tawny with an indication of age, which represent
649-405: A single estate, unlike the standard bottlings of the port wine houses which can be sourced from a number of quintas. Single quinta bottlings are used in two ways by producers. Most of the large port wine houses have a single quinta bottling which is only produced in some years when the regular vintage port of the house is not declared. In those years, wine from their best quinta is still bottled under
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#1732764733103708-617: A single variety of grapes, all Ports commercially available are from a blend of different grapes. Since the Phylloxera crisis , most vines are grown on grafted rootstock, with the notable exception of the Nacional area of Quinta do Noval , which, since being planted in 1925, has produced some of the most expensive vintage ports. Grapes grown for port are generally characterized by their small, dense fruit which produces concentrated and long-lasting flavours, suitable for long aging. While
767-634: A single vintage (usually being a blend of several vintages of the ruby) nor the typical character of vintage port. Rose port is a very recent variation on the market, first released in 2008 by Poças and by Croft, part of the Taylor Fladgate Partnership . It is technically a ruby port, but fermented in a similar manner to a rosé wine , with limited exposure to the grape skins, thus creating the rose color. Tawny ports are wines usually made from red grapes that are aged in wooden barrels exposing them to gradual oxidation and evaporation. As
826-601: A value of €364 million. Declining sales are attributed by some to increasing prices, due to the increased cost of alcohol used in the production process. Declining sales have also been attributed to the global rise in alcohol levels of table wines. As of 2014, the leading brand in Portugal is Cálem, which sells 2.6 million bottles annually. Port is produced from grapes grown in the Douro valley. Until 1986 it could only be exported from Portugal from Vila Nova de Gaia near Porto , Portugal's second-largest city. Traditionally,
885-409: A vintage designation, rather than being used for simpler port qualities. The term vintage has a distinct meaning in the context of vintage port. While vintage is simply the year in which a wine is made, most producers of vintage port restrict their production of year-labelled bottlings to only the best years, a few per decade. Contrast with second wines , where (primarily) Bordeaux producers release
944-418: A vintage is made by each individual port house often referred to as a "shipper". Much of the complex character of aged vintage port comes from the continued slow decomposition of grape solids in each bottle. These solids are undesirable when the port is consumed, and thus vintage port typically requires a period of settling before decanting and pouring. Single quinta vintage ports are wines that originate from
1003-481: A wine that is slightly more viscous. The IVDP ( Instituto dos Vinhos do Douro e Porto ) further divides ports into two categories: normal ports (standard ruby, three-year-old tawny, and white) and Categorias Especiais , special categories, which include everything else. The most common type, ruby port is stored in tanks of concrete or stainless steel after fermentation, to prevent oxidative aging and preserve its bright red color and full-bodied fruitiness. The wine
1062-438: A year-labelled top wine almost every year, but also lesser quality wines in some years. If a port house decides that its wine is of a quality sufficient for a vintage, samples are sent to the IVDP for approval and the house declares the vintage. In very good years, almost all the port houses will declare their wines. In intermediate years, the producers of blended vintage ports will not declare their flagship port but may declare
1121-773: Is caused by the addition of distilled grape spirits that fortify the wine, but also halt fermentation before all the sugar is converted to alcohol, and results in a wine that is usually 19% to 20% alcohol. Port is commonly served after meals as a dessert wine in English-speaking countries, often with cheese, nuts, or chocolate; white and tawny ports are often served as an apéritif . In continental Europe, all types of ports are frequently consumed as apéritifs. Port from Portugal comes in several styles, which can be divided into two broad categories: wines matured in sealed glass bottles, and wines that have matured in wooden barrels. The former, without exposure to air, experience what
1180-496: Is considered to be the centre of port production, and is known for its picturesque quintas – estates clinging on to almost vertical slopes dropping down to the river. The demarcation of the Douro River Valley includes a broad swath of land of pre- Cambrian schist and granite . Beginning around the village of Barqueiros (about 70 km (43 mi) upstream from Porto), the valley extends eastward almost to
1239-431: Is known as "reductive" ageing. This process leads to the wine losing its color very slowly and produces a wine that is smoother on the palate and less tannic. The latter, being matured in wooden barrels, whose permeability allows a small amount of exposure to oxygen, experience what is known as "oxidative" aging. They too lose color, but at a faster pace. They also lose volume to evaporation ( angel's share ), leaving behind
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#17327647331031298-402: Is made entirely from the grapes of a declared vintage year. While it is by far the most renowned type of port, from a volume and revenue standpoint, vintage port accounts for only about two percent of overall port production. Not every year is declared a vintage in the Douro. The decision on whether to declare a vintage is made early in the second year following the harvest. The decision to declare
1357-456: Is not produced in Portugal, in accordance with an agreement with the EU. Colheita port is a single-vintage tawny port aged for at least seven years, with the vintage year on the bottle instead of a category of age (10, 20, etc.). Colheita port should not be confused with a vintage port: a vintage port will spend only about 18 months in barrels after harvest and will continue to mature in bottles, but
1416-407: Is produced from grapes grown and processed in the demarcated Douro region. The wine produced is then fortified by the addition of a neutral grape spirit known as aguardente to stop the fermentation , leaving residual sugar in the wine, and to boost the alcohol content . The fortification spirit is sometimes referred to as brandy , but it bears little resemblance to commercial brandies. The wine
1475-515: Is produced was defined and established as a protected region, and the name Douro thus an official appellation , in 1756, making it the third oldest wine after Chianti (1716) and Tokaj (1730). The reaches of the valley of the Douro River in northern Portugal have a microclimate that is optimal for cultivation of olives , almonds , and especially grapes important for making port wine. The region around Pinhão and São João da Pesqueira
1534-581: Is then stored and aged , often in barrels stored in a lodge (meaning "cellar") as is the case in Vila Nova de Gaia , before being bottled. The wine received its name, "port", in the latter half of the 17th century from the seaport city of Porto at the mouth of the Douro River , where much of the product was brought to market or for export to other countries in Europe. The Douro valley where port wine
1593-686: Is typically a sweet red wine , often served with dessert , although it also comes in dry, semi-dry, and white varieties. Other port-style fortified wines are produced outside Portugal – in Argentina, Australia, Canada, France, India, Italy, South Africa, Spain, and the United States ;– but under the European Union Protected Designation of Origin guidelines, only wines from Portugal are allowed to be labelled "port". Port
1652-499: Is usually blended to match the style of the brand to which it is to be sold. The wine is fined and cold filtered before bottling and does not generally improve with age, although premium rubies are aged in wood from four to six years. Reserve ruby is a premium ruby port approved by the IVDP's tasting panel, the Câmara de Provadores . In 2002 the IVDP prohibited the use of the term "vintage character", as reserve ruby port had neither
1711-425: Is widely considered the most desirable port grape but the difficulty in growing it, and the small yields cause Touriga Francesa to be the most widely planted grape. White ports are produced the same way as red ports, except that they use white grapes – Donzelinho Branco , Esgana-Cão , Folgasão , Gouveio , Malvasia Fina , Rabigato and Viosinho . While a few shippers have experimented with Ports produced from
1770-660: The Congress of Utrecht . After the signing of the Treaty of Utrecht, 1715, he returned to London as envoy extraordinary, by request of the newly crowned King George I of Great Britain . Then he was sent to Madrid , then ruled by Giulio Alberoni , with whom he had several disputes. Subsequently, he was appointed Minister Plenipotentiary to the Congress of Cambray, which ended up not taking place. Cunha remained in Paris, where he
1829-641: The Grand Alliance about switching sides. There were actually two Methuen Treaties. Both were negotiated for England in Lisbon by John Methuen ( c. 1650–1706), who served as a member of Parliament, Lord Chancellor of Ireland , Privy Counsellor , envoy and then ambassador extraordinary to Portugal. The first, signed in May, was a military alliance that cemented allegiances in the War of Spanish Succession, and
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1888-793: The University of Coimbra , after which he was appointed as Judge to the Relation of Porto , and later to Royal Household the Lisbon . In 1696, he was appointed envoy extraordinary to London, where he participated in important negotiations related to the Portuguese intervention in the War of the Spanish Succession , the most complex political event of the time. In 1712, along with the Count of Tarouca, he represented Portuguese interests in
1947-499: The "Port Wine Treaty") helped to establish trading relations between England and Portugal. The terms of it allowed English woollen cloth to be admitted into Portugal free of duty; in return, Portuguese wines imported into England would be subject to a third less duty than wines imported from France. This was particularly important in helping the development of the port industry. As England was at war with France, it became increasingly difficult to acquire wine, and so port started to become
2006-461: The 1962 vintage, LBV was being produced in Portugal and bottled as LBV. LBV is intended to provide some of the experience of drinking a vintage port but without the need for lengthy bottle ageing. To a limited extent, it succeeds, as the extra years of oxidative ageing in the barrel does mature the wine more quickly. Unfiltered LBVs are mostly bottled with conventional driven corks and need to be decanted. After decanting they should be consumed within
2065-530: The Methuen Treaties. The first was the establishment of the war aims of the Grand Alliance. Secondly, the agreement meant that Spain would become a new theatre of war. Finally, it regulated the establishment of trade relations, especially between England and Portugal. Until 1703 the Grand Alliance had never established any formal war aims. The Methuen Treaties changed this as it confirmed that
2124-517: The Methuen treaty. As the dispute dragged on, Ireland imposed higher tariffs on Portuguese goods, and the Irish Volunteers ' 1782 Dungannon resolutions included calls for a boycott of its wines. The 1786 Eden Agreement between Britain and France caused Portugal to relent in 1787 and allow Ireland low tariffs. Lu%C3%ADs da Cunha D. Luís da Cunha ( pronounced [luˈiʒ ðɐ ˈkuɲɐ] ; 25 January 1662 – 9 October 1749)
2183-841: The Spanish border. The region is protected from the influences of the Atlantic Ocean by the Serra do Marão mountains. The area is subdivided into three official zones: the Baixo (lower) Corgo, the Cima (higher) Corgo, and the Douro Superior. Over a hundred varieties of grapes ( castas ) are sanctioned for port production, although only five ( Tinta Barroca , Tinto Cão , Tinta Roriz ( Tempranillo ), Touriga Francesa , and Touriga Nacional ) are widely cultivated and used. Touriga Nacional
2242-643: The War of Spanish Succession, in Flanders , had been rather fruitless. The Tory Party in England was concerned about the cost of the war, and felt that naval warfare was a much cheaper option, with greater potential for success. Portugal offered the advantage of deep-water ports near the Mediterranean which could be used to counter the French Naval base at Toulon . There were three major elements to
2301-588: The alliance would try to secure the entire Spanish Empire for Charles of Austria , the Habsburg claimant to the Spanish thrones. The first treaty also established the numbers of troops the various countries would provide to fight the campaign in Spain. The Portuguese also insisted that Archduke Charles would come to Portugal to lead the forces in order to ensure full allied commitment to the war in Spain. The second treaty, signed on 27 December 1703 (popularly known as
2360-429: The bottle. It can age as long as vintage ports and are very difficult to identify as LBVs when inserted into blind tastings of vintage ports. The filtered wine has the advantage of being ready to drink without decanting and is usually bottled in a stoppered bottle that can be easily resealed. However, many wine experts feel that this convenience comes at a price and believe that the filtration process strips out much of
2419-632: The capital of the Portuguese monarchy from metropolitan Portugal to Brazil. By establishing himself in the "immense continent of Brazil", the King of Portugal would take the title of "Emperor of the Occident". This idea was already presented by Father António Vieira , during the emergency period of the Portuguese Restoration War , but was reiterated by D. Luís da Cunha when no imminent threat hung over Portuguese sovereignty. The idea
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2478-410: The character of the wine. Typically ready to drink when released, filtered LBV ports tend to be lighter-bodied than vintage ports. Filtered LBVs can improve with age, but only to a limited degree. Crusted port is usually a blend of several vintages. Unlike vintage port, which has to be sourced from grapes from a single vintage, crusted port affords the port blender the opportunity to make best use of
2537-523: The grapes used to produce port made in Portugal are strictly regulated by the Instituto do Vinho do Porto , wines from outside this region that describe themselves as port may be made from other varieties. In 2013, there were 8.7 million cases of port sold, 3.6% less than the previous year, at a value of $ 499 million. Port sales have been declining since 2005 and in 2014 were down 16% from that year. In 2023 about 7.2 million cases were sold, with
2596-399: The nation away from its path towards industrialization. In defense of the treaty, it's been asserted that Portugal lacked the necessary resources for substantial manufacturing endeavors, and its industries were already grappling with stagnation. Furthermore, some believed that the treaty did not confine Portugal's trade; instead, it played a pivotal role in augmenting the overall prosperity of
2655-532: The nation through increased commerce and stronger ties with England. At the start of the War of Spanish Succession Portugal was allied with France. As part of this treaty, the French had guaranteed the Portuguese naval protection. In 1702, the English navy sailed close to Lisbon on the way to and from Cadiz , proving to the Portuguese that the French could not keep their promise. They soon began negotiations with
2714-483: The product that they purchased the abbot's entire lot and shipped it home. Port became very popular in England after the Methuen Treaty of 1703, when merchants were permitted to import it at a low duty, while war with France deprived English wine drinkers of French wine . British importers could be credited for recognising that a smooth, already fortified wine that would appeal to English palates would survive
2773-468: The protected geographic indication. In 1678, a Liverpool wine merchant sent two new representatives to Viana do Castelo , north of Oporto, to learn the wine trade. While on a vacation in the Douro, the two gentlemen visited the Abbot of Lamego, who treated them to a "very agreeable, sweetish and extremely smooth" wine, which had been fortified with a distilled spirit. The two Englishmen were so pleased with
2832-663: The rule of the Marquis of Pombal , the Companhia Geral da Agricultura das Vinhas do Alto Douro (C.G.A.V.A.D., also known as the General Company of Viticulture of the Upper Douro or Douro Wine Company ), was founded to guarantee the quality of the product and fair pricing to the end consumer. The C.G.A.V.A.D. was also in charge of regulating which port wine would be for export or internal consumption and managing
2891-402: The second phase of maturation, certain oils may precipitate, causing a film to form across the surface of the glass. Confusingly, the word Garrafeira may also be found on some very old tawny labels, where the contents of the bottle are of exceptional age. White port is made from white grapes, such as Malvasia Fina , Donzelinho , Gouveio , Codega and Rabigato , Taylor introduced Chip Dry,
2950-436: The subject of diverse interpretations. Detractors, including Luís da Cunha , argued that the influx of English woollens led to the decline of the Portuguese wool industry. Additionally, emphasis on wine production, while bringing prosperity to certain regions, left Portugal heavily reliant on England as its primary wine buyer. Critics contended that the focus on wine came at the expense of other agricultural sectors and redirected
3009-454: The varying characteristics of different vintages. Crusted port is bottled unfiltered and sealed with a driven cork. Like vintage port, it needs to be decanted before drinking. Vintage ports may be aged in barrels or stainless steel for a maximum of two and a half years before bottling, and generally require another 10 to 40 years of aging in the bottle before reaching what is considered a proper drinking age. Since they are potentially aged in
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#17327647331033068-535: The vintage of a single quinta, e.g., the 1996 Dow's Quinta do Bomfim and Taylor's Quinta de Vargellas. Some houses declare their wines in all but the worst years: Quinta do Vesuvio has declared a vintage every year with the exceptions of 1993, 2002, and 2014. Improved wine-making technologies and better weather forecasts during the harvest have increased the number of years in which a vintage can be declared. Although there have been years when only one or two wines have been declared, it has been over thirty years since there
3127-533: The vintage, but one style is fined and filtered before bottling, while the other is not. The accidental origin of late bottled vintage has led to more than one company claiming its invention. The earliest known reference to a style of port with this name in a merchant's list is to be found in The Wine Society's catalogue from 1964, which includes Fonseca's Quinta Milieu 1958, bottled in the UK, also in 1964. By
3186-482: The wine was taken downriver in flat-bottom boats called ' barcos rabelos ', to be processed and stored. In the 1950s and 1960s, several hydroelectric power dams were built along the river, ending this traditional conveyance. Currently, the wine is transported from the vineyards by tanker trucks and the barcos rabelos are only used for racing and other displays. Port wine is typically richer, sweeter, heavier, and higher in alcohol content than unfortified wines. This
3245-574: Was a 4-party treaty negotiated by Karl Ernst, Graf von Waldstein for the emperor, Francisco van Schonenberg (AKA Jacob Abraham Belmonte, c.q. Francesco Belmonte) for the United Provinces, and King Pedro II for Portugal, with Methuen's son Sir Paul Methuen (1672–1757) aiding him. The second one, the more well-known trade treaty, was a 2-party treaty signed on 27 December for England by Methuen and for Portugal by Manuel Teles da Silva, 3rd Marquis of Alegrete (1682–1736). The early years of
3304-555: Was a Portuguese diplomat who served under King John V of Portugal as part of His Most Faithful Majesty's Council . He was also Judge of the Royal Household, Envoy Extraordinary of Portuguese Cortes to London , Madrid and Paris , and Minister Plenipotentiary to the Congress of Utrecht , as well as part of the Portuguese Royal Academy of History. D. Luis da Cunha was considered an estrangeirado ,
3363-431: Was a year with no declarations at all. 2016 was declared a vintage year by most producers, as was 2011. The quality of the grape harvest was attributed to ideal rainfall and temperature. Other recent widely declared vintage years were 2007, 2003, 2000, 1997 and 1994. The wine-producing Douro region is the third oldest protected wine region in the world after Chianti , in 1716, and Tokaj , in 1730. In 1756, during
3422-468: Was forced to retire due to a disagreement with Ambassador Livry, envoy of France to Lisbon. Cunha went to Brussels , where he reached an agreement with the Marquis of Fenelon, French minister to The Hague , and returned to Paris, where he remained as envoy extraordinary of Portugal to the French court, until his death. D. Luís da Cunha had early ideas of pluricontinentalism , proposing the idea of moving
3481-542: Was proposed as a means of affirmation and advancement of the Kingdom of Portugal , while at the same time guaranteeing its security from European powers. Port wine Port wine ( Portuguese : vinho do Porto , Portuguese: [ˈviɲu ðu ˈpoɾtu] ; lit. ' wine of Porto ' ), or simply port , is a Portuguese fortified wine produced in the Douro Valley of northern Portugal . It
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