credit: Jon Sullivan / pdphoto.org

A glass of port

As the season of chocolate is upon us, what better to serve to your Valentine along with that sweet box of cocoa deliciousness (or to enjoy on your own) than some Oregon-made Port-style wine?

Though true Port is made in Portugal's Douro Valley (hence the name, Port) from a wide variety of grapes with tongue-twisting names such as Tinta Cao, Tinta Roriz (aka Tempranillo) and Touriga Nacional, many Oregon winemakers are coming out with their own brands of Port-style wines.

For Dave Coelho, owner and winemaker of Coelho Winery in Amity, Oregon, making Port-style wines was a natural choice: He and his wife Deolinda are both of Portuguese ancestry. Their Serenidade is made from the Marechal Foch grape, grown in the Willamette Valley.

Port is a fortified wine, meaning a grape-based spirit called "aguardente" is added to the wine before fermentation is complete. This not only keeps the wine sweet but also bumps up the total alcohol content, making the wine stronger or fortifying it. In addition to growing their own grapes, Coelho makes the spirit they use to fortify their Port. "We actually use our grapes to make the wine that is then distilled and barrel aged for two years before we fortify. Quite a process, but worth the time and effort," says Coelho.

Port pairs elegantly with a bevy of after dinner sweets (Did I mention chocolate?) as well as a range of cheese, especially the blue variety. Aside from chocolates, Coelho also loves to pair his ports with soft cheeses and dried fruit like figs, dates "and of course fine cigars."

The Coelho family are not the only Oregon winemakers working their way into the fortified wine market. Herb Quady, owner and winemaker of Troon Vineyard in Southern Oregon's Applegate Valley, makes one called Insomnia from estate-grown Tempranillo (Tinta Roriz). McMenamins's Edgefield Winery produces several, including Fireside, made with old-vine Zinfandel grown in the The Dalles. Other Oregon wineries like Remy, Abacela, REX HILL and Van Duzer are crafting chocolate-pairing perfections from Pinot Noir, Zinfandel and Cabernet, along with traditional Portuguese varieties sourced from not only Oregon but also California and Washington.

So many wines, so little time. Well, as they say in Portugal — Curta que a vida e curta — enjoy every moment because life is short. We better start tasting:

Tasting Notes:

2010 Coelho Winery, Serenidade, Marechal Foch, Willamette Valley ($34, 500ml): Complex and interesting with bright berry fruit characters, hints of overripe Bing cherry, plum and prune mingle with aromas of cocoa, fresh ground coffee beans, black pepper, and slight notes of blood orange

2009 Troon Vineyards, Insomnia Port, Tempranillo, Applegate Valley ($23, 375ml): Black cherry, chocolate-covered blueberries, ripe blackberries, fig, violets baking spices and notes of sweet coffee

2007 Edgefield Winery, Fireside, Sangiovese, Oregon ($21, 375ml): Candied cherries, black raspberries, boysenberry, cedar, cinnamon, licorice, clove, vanilla and brown sugar roasted pecans

Jennifer Cossey works as the wine director for Veritable Quandary in Portland. She is a Certified Sommelier through the Court of Master Sommeliers and a Certified Specialist of Wine through the Society of Wine Educators.