Wine Enthusiast Magazine
SubscribeI’ve been worrying about the producers of Port-type wines in the U.S. The new ones, that is. Any winery just starting out to make a sweet, high-alcohol dessert wine of the type that’s been called Port for several centuries is in trouble. They’re going to have to come up with a new name. But what will it be? Can someone coin a term that might be widely adopted, like Meritage for Bordeaux-style blends made in the U.S.?
The terminology ban is part of a deal between the U.S. government and the European Union that semi-resolves an issue that’s been a burr under the saddle of the English and Portuguese companies that make sweet, high-alcohol dessert wines in the Douro Valley of Portugal. They traditionally sent the wines down the river in small boats to the port city of Oporto before they were shipped to London. So it’s no surprise that those wines were and still are called Port.
The problem is that American winemakers have been calling their sweet fortified wines port for probably a couple of hundred years and they haven’t wanted to give it up (just as domestic champagne makers don’t). The law does require them to put an American place name on the label with the word port, so you see California Port, New York Port, maybe American Port.
That’s not enough to please the Portuguese, however, and I don’t blame them. The issue really came home here when Napa Valley vintners started getting ticked off at winemakers in Europe who were putting the word Napa on some of their wines. The tit for tat seemed to get their attention, and the Napa group joined the Center for Wine Origins, an international organization dedicated to preserving authentic place names
An agreement last summer between the EU and the US allows for “grandfathering” of American brands that were already using the term port, which didn’t totally satisfy the EU or the CWO, but they were glad to see some progress. In the meantime, at least a couple of US port makers have voluntarily started using other names for their port-like products.
I think Quady winery in California was first. Andy Quady has a great imagination as a winemaker and wine namer. Several years ago he recognized that it was intellectually dishonest to call his wine port, so he named it Starboard. But that’s his brand name and I doubt if he’s willing to offer it to the industry in general to use.
I was thinking about this issue last night and thought I had come up with a great name myself. I thought: Port. Fortified. Fort? Forte! But then I did some research. I went to WineSearcher.com and entered US Port. Among the dozens of entries was a port-style wine from Scott Harvey Wines of Amador County and Napa Valley called Forte. So he beat me to it.
I’ll think of some more, but in the meantime, I’m taking nominations from the floor. Please give me your suggestions for a generic name for US Port-style wines. I’ll work on a prize for the best entry, and we’ll donate the intellectual property to any interested wineries or associations.
Filed under: Industry Issues
7 Comments
7 Responses to “A Wine That Dare Not Speak Its Name”
Please Wait
October 16th, 2007 at 7:47:20 PM
We call Champagne-style wines “sparkling wine”. So instead of a cutesy name for Port-style wines, why don’t they just say what it is. “fortified dessert wine” or simply, “dessert wine.”
October 17th, 2007 at 7:19:24 PM
Dee Dee: Thanks for the comment. To me, it it sounds kind of geeky to walk into a store and ask, “Where are the fortified dessert wines, please?” Or to confide in a friend, “Don’t you love chocolate with fortified dessert wines?” Asking for dessert wine is better, but that includes a lot of things that aren’t port-style. Plus, I find that a lot of people don’t get what “sparkling wine” means, so I’m not sure that’s a good example.
October 18th, 2007 at 11:48:44 AM
The Australians have some very nice ports as well, is Portugal addressing their issue as well? Has Portugal copywrited their wine, like Champagne? I almost feel is has become a synonomous name for the wine, like xerox when referring to making a copy was. In keeping in mind that the name should replace universally the renaming of Port, what about “Bolstered Wine” or “New World Ports” to distinguish a difference. Of course the process might as well determine the name: Tawny, Solara, etc.
October 18th, 2007 at 5:08:49 PM
This question illustrates very well why calling a wine by its regional name has such a limited degree of success in (1) describing the wine, and (2) describing similarly crafted wines from other regions. It’s arrogant (because it doesn’t lend itself to anyone learning the names). It’s arcane. It’s pompous. So in that spirit, let me (with tongue firmly in cheek) offer “Colport” (in honor of Stephen, next president of the USA) – that way the “t” is silent (say “Cole-pore”), and technically a different word!
October 20th, 2007 at 12:51:40 PM
Just an fyi regarding your reference to the term Meritage. Meritage is not restricted to Bordeaux style blends made in the U.S.; it is an internationally used trademark. The Association now has nearly 200 members representing 18 states as well as Canada, Israel, Argentina and Australia.Incidentally, the Assocation will celebrate its 20th anniversary in 2008. Speaking to the port issue, I have yet so come up with an appropriate solution for the next bottling of Adobe Road Winery’s zinfandel port…it’s a challenge.
Julie Weinstock
Chair, Meritage Association
October 22nd, 2007 at 2:39:36 PM
How about “Fort Wine?”
November 1st, 2007 at 4:04:08 PM
Remembering the less-than-positive reception Meritage was greeted with that has since faded away with usage and familiarity, how about just continuing with the theme and declaring US ports as “Deseritage”? That would be “de-zer-e-tege” just like “mer-e-tege” and “heritage”, not rhyming like “taj” as in “garage”.