Tawny port, so named for its brown color (the result of precipitation of the red pigments), is typically barrel-aged for 10 years before being filtered and bottled It is much more oxidized than vintage port of the same age, and can be kept in an opened bottle or decanter for weeks Ruby port is an intermediate product, aged for three years in barrels before filtration and bottling Port The name port was originally the English term for any Portuguese wine The addition of brandy was introduced in the 18th century as a way of guaranteeing that the wines would get to England in drinkable condition, and it resulted in the development of an unusual group of sweet red wines Port is made by stopping the fermentation of the base red wine while about half the grape sugar is left, and fortifying it with distilled spirits to give an alcohol content around 20% The wine is then aged in barrel and finally in bottle for anywhere from two to 50 years Older ports are characterized by the maple-like compound sotolon and other sweetly aromatic compounds, likely products of browning reactions, which are also found in botrytized wines and sherries Sherry Sherry is a fortified, oxidized white wine that was developed in the Spanish port city Jerez de la Frontera, whose name was Anglicized to “sherry” around 1600 True sherry gets its distinctive flavor from the solera system of maturing wine, which was developed early in the 19th century The solera is a series of casks, each initially containing the fortified new wine of a particular year, but not completely filled, so a significant area of wine surface is in direct contact with the air The wine therefore develops a characteristic intense, oxidized flavor As the cask contents evaporate and ... distinctive flavor from the solera system of maturing wine, which was developed early in the 19th century The solera is a series of casks, each initially containing the fortified new wine of a particular year, but not completely filled, so a... particular year, but not completely filled, so a significant area of wine surface is in direct contact with the air The wine therefore develops a characteristic intense, oxidized flavor As the cask contents evaporate and ...aged in barrel and finally in bottle for anywhere from two to 50 years Older ports are characterized by the maple-like compound sotolon and other sweetly aromatic compounds, likely products of browning