When thoughts turn to sheepskin slippers, cosy firesides and hearty casseroles, it’s a good time to fortify oneself against winter’s chills with a glass of rich, fruity port which delivers that warm inner glow of assurance that all is well with the world.
We visit Calitzdorp in the Klein Karoo this week to explore the multiple styles of the multi-awarded ports of De Krans, one of SA’s pioneering and still leading producers of fortified wines from Portuguese grapes.
Let’s get some technicalities out of the way first.
In SA, and around the world, port is now referred to “port-style” or fortified wine, due to international trade agreements and EU-protected designation of origin (PDO) rules.
These limit the use of names including Port, Champagne, Roquefort cheese and even SA rooibos to products from their traditional homes; the Douro Valley in Portugal in the case of port.
For economy of words, I’m sticking with “port” here.
Port gets its rich, sweet, spicy and nutty character from fermentation of the wine grapes being stopped early by adding distilled grape spirit.
This halts the action of yeasts, retaining higher sugar levels and slightly higher alcohol (±19% in De Krans ports, vs ±13% in a typical red wine), and the result is then matured in oak barrels for two years or more to develop its rich flavours, aromas and full body.
Along with the blend of different Portugues grapes, the type of wood, size of the barrels and length of maturation influence the eventual style, be it vintage, ruby or tawny.
Vintage ports, made from a single harvest year, can age for anything up to 50 years in bottle, while a tawny port like De Krans Cape Tawny blends multiple vintages which have already been aged in barrel for between five and 15 years, and then further matures the blend in oak.
It may be sweeter than a standard red wine, but port isn’t sticky-sweet and can often taste quite dry, with the sweetness of intense ripe and dried fruit, along with nuttiness and warm spices, threaded through with firm tannins and fresh acidity which mellow with age.
It’s also incredibly versatile, definitely not only for after-dinner with coffee, dessert or cheese — though that is a great idea, as is a platter of smoked meats, mature cheese, nuts and dried fruit.
Port is increasingly seen as akin to a liqueur, used in cocktails or served as a pre-dinner drink, and it’s also great with food.
De Krans Cape Tawny (R240) with its deep golden-orange colour and aromas and flavours of caramel, toffee, orange peel, roasted nuts and fruitcake calls for baked winter puddings like malva, but also works really well with brown onion soup, pork stuffed with dried fruit, and even chilled with prawns in a light Malay-style curry.
Apart from fireside enjoyment, the robust full body and complex flavours of De Krans Cape Vintage (R145) and the 5* flagship Cape Vintage Reserve (R380) are delicious partners with venison, game birds, a Karoo lamb potjie, oxtail and other hearty stews.
Port is also certainly not only for winter.
The De Krans Cape Pink (R115), quite dry with soft red berries and plums, is best served chilled and works brilliantly over crushed ice or with a mixer like lemonade or soda water.
Their Premium Cape Ruby (R115) meanwhile bridges the seasons, its rich flavours of cherries, ripe plums, dark chocolate and cinnamon working either as a winter warmer which is also great with chocolate desserts, or in summer over crushed ice with a splash of lemonade.
Cape Ruby is a great starting point to explore port — the price tag is reasonable, it’s soft and fruity, versatile, and lasts well in the bottle after opening.
Seems to me it’s time to dust off my oxtail recipe, which came from the popular Bistro at De Krans, and involves an overnight marinade in a full-bodied dry red wine, and then has a healthy cupful of De Krans Vintage or Cape Ruby splashed into the cooking pot
It’s decadently delicious, trust me.
The Herald
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