Fortified wine

Fortified wine is a special kind of wine that has had a strong spirit added to it. Usually, this spirit is brandy. Over many years, winemakers have created many different types of fortified wine. Some popular kinds include port, sherry, madeira, Marsala, Commandaria wine, and vermouth. These wines are enjoyed all around the world for their unique flavors and histories.

Production

One reason for adding extra alcohol to wine is to help keep it fresh. Even though there are other ways to keep wine fresh now, people still add this extra alcohol because it gives the wine special flavors.

The most common type of alcohol added to wine is made from grapes, but it can also come from grains, sugar beets, or sugarcane. Rules in different places can decide what kinds of alcohol are allowed. The type of alcohol used and how it is made can change the taste of the wine.

When extra alcohol is added before the wine is fully made, it stops the tiny organisms called yeast from working. This leaves extra sugar in the wine, making it sweeter and stronger, usually about 20% alcohol. This process helps create different styles of fortified wines, like sherry.

Varieties

Commandaria wine

Main article: Commandaria

Commandaria is a special wine from Cyprus. It is made from special grapes called Mavro and Xynisteri, grown in high places. The grapes are dried in the sun and aged in wooden barrels. Some newer styles of Commandaria are not fortified with extra alcohol.

Madeira wine

Main article: Madeira wine

Madeira is a sweet wine from the Madeira Islands. It is made in many different ways, from dry wines you can drink by themselves to sweet wines you enjoy with dessert. To make Madeira, the wine is heated and aged in a special way, giving it unique flavors and a long shelf life.

Marsala wine

Main article: Marsala wine

Marsala wine comes from Sicily. It was first made in 1772 by an English merchant named John Woodhouse. Marsala can be made with or without added alcohol. When alcohol is added, it is mixed with a type of strong wine called brandy. There are two main types: Fine, which is younger and less strong, and Superiore, which is older and stronger.

Mistelle

Mistelle is a mix of grape juice and alcohol. It is used to make some fortified wines like Vermouth, Marsala, and Sherry. Adding alcohol stops the fermentation process, making the wine sweeter than regular wine.

Moscatel de Setúbal

Main article: Setúbal DOC

Moscatel de Setúbal is a sweet Portuguese wine from the area around Setúbal Municipality. It is made mostly from a special grape called Muscat of Alexandria and is usually mixed with a strong alcohol called aguardente.

Port wine

Main article: Port wine

Port wine is a sweet red wine from the Douro Valley in Portugal. It also comes in dry, semi-dry, white, and rosé styles.

Sherry

Main article: Sherry

Sherry is a white wine made near the town of Jerez in Spain. After the wine is made, strong alcohol called brandy is added to stop the fermentation. Sherry comes in many styles, from dry and light to dark and sweet. A sweet type called cream sherry is always sweet.

Vermouth

Main article: Vermouth

Vermouth is a wine mixed with special herbs and spices, giving it a unique flavor. Some common herbs used are cardamom, cinnamon, marjoram, and chamomile. Vermouth can be sweet or dry. The name comes from an herb called wormwood, which was used in old recipes.

Vins doux naturels

Main article: Vin doux naturel

Vins doux naturels are sweet wines from the south of France. They are made from white Muscat grapes or red Grenache grapes. To make these wines, strong alcohol is added to stop the fermentation process. This keeps the wine sweet and fresh.

Vins de liqueur

Main article: Vin de liqueur

Vins de liqueur are sweet French wines made by adding brandy to unfermented grape juice. This makes the wine sweeter and gives it strong flavors. Examples include Floc de Gascogne, made from armagnac and grape juice, and Pineau des Charentes, made from apple juice and apple brandy.

Gwaha-ju

Main article: Gwaha-ju

Gwaha-ju is a special kind of rice wine from Korea. Though not made from grapes, it is strengthened with a distilled spirit called soju and other ingredients like ginseng, jujubes, and ginger, similar to some fortified wines.

Terminology

Fortified wines are sometimes called dessert wines in the United States, as this name makes them sound less strong. In France, they are known as vins de liqueur.

According to rules set by the European Union, a liqueur wine is a type of fortified wine. It must have between 15–22% alcohol by volume (abv) and meet several other specific requirements. Some special high-quality liqueur wines have their own exceptions to these rules.