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Before or after a meal, a glass of fortified wine is a lovely treat. Because of the higher alcohol concentration, you can unwind with only one drink, and both dry and sweet types are available to please all flavour palates. A wine with a distilled spirit added to it during the winemaking process to increase its alcohol content is known as fortified wine. There are various sorts of fortified wines, each with its own laws. These restrictions cover the type of base wine, the type of base spirit, the range of alcohol by volume (ABV), the amount of sugar, and the time of age.
The fundamental method for producing fortified wine is to ferment a base wine and then add distilled spirits. By adding the distilled spirits at different phases of the process, winemakers may control how dry or sweet the fortified wine is. When the spirit is added before fermentation is complete, a sweet fortified wine is produced; when the spirit is added after fermentation is completed, a dry fortified wine is produced. To understand why this occurs, you must first understand the fermentation process. Wine fermentation occurs when yeast degrades sugar molecules in grapes, producing ethyl alcohol. Adding a spirit during the fermentation process kills the yeast and produces a sweeter fortified wine due to the higher amount of residual sugar left behind.
Varieties of fortified wines
1. Marsala
Marsala is an Italian speciality from the country's southernmost area. It is divided into two categories: colour and age, with sweet and dry variants available.
2. Sherry
Sherry is a popular fortified wine made in Southwest Spain. It is available in fino (dry and light-bodied) and oloroso (dry but fuller) varieties.
3. Madeira
Madeira is a white fortified wine from the same-named Portuguese island. It is divided into several categories, including grape and age.
4. Port wine
The most well-known fortified wine is port wine. Though Portugal is recognised for producing ports, they are currently manufactured all over the world. Tawny, ruby, vintage, and white ports are available for this wine.
5. Vermouth
Vermouth is arguably best recognised as the "other" ingredient in a martini, but it's also delicious as an aperitif on its own. It is typically available in two varieties: dry and sweet. Vermouth is manufactured all over the world, and the taste and quality vary depending on the producer.
How to use fortified wines?
Food pairings are determined by the type of fortified wine being consumed. Both as a dessert wine and an aperitif, fortified wines are frequently consumed. Fortified wine is an excellent partnering companion with many types of cheese, almonds, fruit tarts, and cream-based or chocolate desserts. Experiment on your own or look for pairing suggestions when researching specific wines.
