Port and dessert
Port and dessert at T.J.'s Fine Wine and Liquor in Brandon, Mississippi: what it is, how to choose it, and the brands on our shelf.
Port and dessert wines are sweet, fortified or late-picked wines made to be poured in small glasses after dinner. One bottle lasts several evenings, which is part of the appeal.
How to choose
Port styles. Ruby is young, fruity and straightforward. Tawny is aged in wood, going nutty, caramelised and lighter in colour, with ages of 10, 20 or 30 years on the label. Late bottled vintage sits between the two and needs no decanting. Vintage port comes from one declared year, throws sediment and wants decanting.
Other fortified wines. Sherry runs from bone-dry fino to sweet cream styles. Madeira is baked, tangy and nearly indestructible once opened. Marsala is a cooking staple that also drinks well.
Late harvest and ice wine are unfortified: grapes picked late or frozen, giving honey, apricot and high acidity.
Pairing rule. The wine should be at least as sweet as the dessert, or it tastes sour. Tawny with pecan pie, ruby with chocolate, sherry or port with blue cheese.
Keeping. Tawny and ruby keep weeks in the fridge; vintage port should be finished in a day or two.
Brands on our shelf
All brands we carryRead first
spirits
Scotch for bourbon drinkers
If you like bourbon, here is how to move across to Scotch without buying something you will not finish.
bourbon
Bourbon vs whiskey: what's the difference?
Bourbon, rye, Scotch, Irish and Canadian: what the law says about each and how they taste different.
bourbon
Where to start with bourbon
What separates one bourbon from the next, and how to pick a first bottle without guessing.
gift
Whiskey gifts that look the part
How to pick a bottle that looks considered, without knowing what the person already drinks.
Common questions
- What is dessert wine?
- Dessert wine is a broad group of wines with noticeable sweetness, made through methods such as late harvesting, drying grapes, stopping fermentation or concentrating sugars. Port is a fortified wine and one member of that larger group.
- What makes Port different?
- Port is produced in Portugal's Douro region and fortified with grape spirit during fermentation, which preserves natural sweetness and raises alcohol. Ruby, tawny, vintage and white Port describe different production and ageing paths.
- How should dessert wine be served?
- Serve dessert wine in smaller pours because sweetness and alcohol can be concentrated. Match the sweetness to the food: the wine should usually be at least as sweet as the dessert, or it may taste thin and sharp.
- Does T.J.'s Fine Wine and Liquor carry port and dessert?
- Yes. T.J.'s Fine Wine and Liquor carries port and dessert at 237 Orleans Way, Suite B, Brandon, Mississippi. Browse the brand names on this page, then call (769) 348-0006 to confirm a specific bottle before you drive in.