Fortified wines are certainly among the most underrated and least understood wines produced by enology. Nevertheless their greatness is a fundamental part of the enological history of the past centuries, when these wines were capable of keeping alive a flourishing trading and their importance and prestige was much higher than it is today. Indeed the extraordinary greatness of these wines did not change in the course of time, the techniques used for their production are basically the same, they are still based on the same events capable of giving them particular and complex qualities. It should be noted the category of fortified wine includes a pretty vast number of wines having qualities and typicalities pretty different one from each other and it should be remembered fortification is just a wine making technique with the main purpose of stabilizing a wines.

 Before discussing the organoleptic qualities of these wines, it is necessary to understand the process of fortification and its meaning. Fortification is a wine making technique which consists in adding a specific amount of alcohol to a wine during a determined stage of the productive process. The most evident effect of this technique is the increase of alcohol by volume in the final product, a value that can also be as high as 20%, however fortification is mainly used for stabilizing a wine in order to prevent any possible degradation. Sometimes alcohol is added while the wine is fermenting, in order to stop the activity of yeasts, therefore stopping the process of transformation of sugar into alcohol while leaving some sweetness to the wine. Alcohol can also be added to the end of the production, such as in Jerez Fino (Sherry) or Marsala Vergine, therefore obtaining an extra dry product where alcohol, besides increasing its percentage by volume, will also contribute to balance.

	The color of a 20 years old Port Tawny

 Fortified wines include a pretty vast number of products, even very different one from each other, from sweet wines to dry ones, as well as special wines which undergo to particular and special processes that give them extraordinary characteristics, such as Jerez (Sherry), Marsala or Madeira. Among fortified wines these probably are the most underrated and least understood ones, nevertheless their complexity, elegance and magnificence is nothing less than any other wine style, their unique qualities constitutes, as a matter of fact, one of the most complex and amazing exercises for sensorial tasting, in particular for the evaluation of aromas. It should also be remembered the prestige of these noble wines was largely compromised by disputable commercial strategies, in particular during the last century, releasing on the market “disputable” interpretations as well as abusing of the fame of their names which probably ensured an easy commercial success. The result is still evident today, no matter the efforts of producers in order to safeguard their products and the glorious names and supported by very strict quality procedures, their fame faced a dramatic decline and they are still considered by many as minor wines. Nevertheless the extraordinary complexity and richness of a Marsala, of a Jerez, of a Madeira or a Port, are pleasures that still few are capable to enjoy and to understand, first of all, there are many who are still convinced about the scarce quality that characterized the majority of these products since few years ago and therefore they are not even considered.

 The fortification process is mainly done by adding some alcohol, however for certain wines, brandy is used as well and, besides increasing the value of alcohol by volume, it also adds its organoleptic qualities to the wine. As previously mentioned, the fortification process mainly has a role of stabilization in wine, as bacteria, as well as yeasts, cannot survive to higher quantities of alcohol and therefore their action is blocked as well as neutralized. For this reason, fortification is generally used during the fermentation process in the purpose of stopping the action of yeasts and therefore stopping the process of fermentation. Adding alcohol during the fermentation process also means to keep a high quantity of sugar in the wine and, as a consequence, the final product will be characterized by an evident sweetness. The quality and the origin of alcohol used for fortification plays a fundamental role because, as well as increasing the alcohol by volume of the final product, it will also give the wine its organoleptic qualities and, in case of low quality alcohol, it could also compromise the quality of the final product, in particular the quality of aromas.

 The practice of fortification does not alter the color of a wine because alcohol is crystalline and colorless. The only exception is represented by the use of brandy in wines having a pale color, a pretty rare practice, because fortification by using brandy is generally done on dark colored wines or wines produced with red berried grapes. Giving general indications about the color of fortified wines is therefore difficult and not useful: their color exclusively depend on the one of the base wine, on the varieties of grapes used for its production as well as on processes and enological techniques done during the production, such as oxidation, frequent in many types of fortified wines. The color of fortified wines is theoretically representable by every color which is typical in any wine, from the pale straw yellow of Jerez Fino, up to dark and impenetrable purplish red of young vintage Ports.

 Thanks to the presence of alcohol and to its preservative effects, fortified wines are particularly suited for long aging in bottle. Despite alcohol has a good preservative action for wine's organoleptic qualities, color tend to change with time and it usually changes like in other wines. In fortified wines produced with white berried grapes, the color tends to darken with time, from straw or golden yellow color to amber yellow with more or less intense hues. In wines produced with red berried grapes, such as Port, the color which is in youth pretty dark and impenetrable, tends to get lighter and to assume garnet red colors and, after a long aging, orange or brick red with evident sediments, just like in red wines. In some fortified wines, produced with particular techniques, it is possible to see pretty dark and deep colors which could appear as impenetrable mahogany, such as in the case of Jerez Pedro Ximénez.

 The nature of fortified wines' aromas mainly depend on the type of base wine and on the enological processes done during its production. However it should be observed there is a common characteristic in every wine belonging to this category and that could also represent a fault. The practice of fortification, when it is done by using a low quality alcohol, could also compromise the overall aroma of the wine, in particular when its aroma becomes intrusive and prevails over the rest. This condition may also happen in case a base wine has light and delicate aromas that would be covered by the one of alcohol. In order to understand this concept it is necessary to recognize the aroma of plain alcohol; something that can easily be learnt by means of a simple experiment.

 Buy a little bottle of plain ethyl alcohol at 95% by volume, generally used for pastry and for home made liquors. Smell the alcohol, with caution and keeping the bottle at a distance: pungency and “ethereal” sensation, typical of alcohol, should be clearly perceivable. The aroma of alcohol is pretty strong and intense, therefore it is advisable to keep the bottle away from nose as the impact could violently attack the olfactory apparatus, with an effect that can also be painful and shocking and not all individuals could stand to such a strong stimulus. Also take a bottle of fortified wine, pour a little quantity in an ISO tasting glass and try to detect the aroma of alcohol in wine. In case the aroma of alcohol is pretty evident and its pungent impact prevails over the other ones, in an evident and clear way, this should be considered as a fault. This fault could be because of the usage of a low quality alcohol as well as because of a base wine lacking in aromas. In a quality fortified wine the aroma of alcohol should never be clearly perceivable, despite the fact it contributes to the overall aromas of the wine, alcohol is an agent which promotes the development of aromas, its pungent and “ethereal” aroma must never be perceived in an evident way.

The color of a Marsala Superiore Ambra

 By considering the number of wines produced with the fortification technique, aromas that can be found are virtually endless. The practice of fortification is also used in some ”unsuspicious” wines and no one would think its alcohol by volume is because of this technique. Among the most renowned fortified wines there are Jerez (Sherry), Marsala, Madeira, Porto and Málaga. These wines represents, as a matter of fact, a pretty exacting exercise for the evaluation of aromas, in particular because of the production technique used, apparently negative, such as oxidization and the development of beneficial yeasts, called “flor” by Spaniards, which greatly contribute to the aromatic complexity of these extraordinary wines. Describing with words, or by means of analogy, the enchanting and complex aroma of these wines is probably difficult, however, as they are perceived for the first time it is nearly impossible not to recognize them in subsequent tastings. This particular character, defined by Spaniards as “rancio”, is typical for Jerez, Marsala and Vernaccia di Oristano (an extraordinary non fortified wine, unfortunately not particularly known and that would certainly deserve a higher appreciation) and it basically is the result of oxidization. The same aroma, although slightly different, is also found in Madeira. When a wine has a strong hint of oxidization it is usually defined as maderized, just because it resemble the aroma of the renowned wine produced in the enchanting Portuguese island.

 Generally speaking, the typical aromas of fortified wines are pretty complex, strongly depending on the style of base wine, however are pretty common aromas of dried fruit, such as almond, hazelnut and fig, of jams, such as figs, apricot, orange, peach, black cherry, strawberry, blueberry and black currant. Fortified wines can also be produced with aromatic grapes, such as vin doux naturel from Languedoc-Roussillon, in this specific case muscat blanc à petits grains, therefore the charming aroma of the grape will be a primary characteristic of the wine. After a long time of aging in bottle, even of tens of years, fortified wines develop extremely complex and elegant aromas, such as leather, tar and balsamic aromas, such as Vintage Ports aged for more than 20 years as well as Marsala Vergine and Soleras.

 In fortified wines the presence of alcohol is evident from the very moment they enter the mouth and the tactile pseudo-caloric sensation could also appear as dominant in regard to the other gustatory perceptions. Despite the high alcohol by volume is a peculiarity for these wines, just like for the evaluation of aromas, the taste of alcohol must not be clearly perceivable; the flavors of the aromas perceived by the nose should be the dominant characteristics. Alcohol also plays a fundamental role in balance, a role that can vary according to the type of wine. Fortified wines, saved few exceptions, also have a pretty high quantity of sugar and its sweetness is clearly perceivable: in this specific case alcohol, thanks to its caustic effect on taste buds, will lower the perception of sweetness therefore avoiding the wine to taste sickly.

 Alcohol also has a balancing function for acidity, present in many white wines, and for astringency, virtually present in every red wine, such as Port. The quantity of alcohol represents, as a matter of fact, a critical choice because its contribute must never prevail over the other elements of the wine. It will play a balancing role while keeping the overall harmony of wine, despite the quantity of alcohol in these wine is pretty high, the sensation perceived in the mouth should be a pleasing “warm” sensation instead of “burning”. A characteristic of these wines is represented by their intense flavors that pervade the mouth from the beginning and, generally speaking, it is also characterized by an excellent taste-olfactory persistence. Fortified wines just like sweet and botrytised wines, are among the most persistent ones, often they go beyond 15 seconds and it is not rare to find wines lasting more than one minute.

 For the practical application about fortified wines we will examine three renowned and representative wines for this category: Jerez Fino, Tawny Port and Marsala Superiore Riserva Ambra. The temperature at which the three wines are served will be different for each one of them: Jerez Fino will be served at a temperature of 12° C (53° F), Marsala at 16° C (60° F) and Port at 18° C (65° F). The color of the three wines will clearly be different and they will all show different characteristics. Jerez will show a pale straw yellow color, Marsala will show a pretty intense amber yellow color, whereas Port will show an intense ruby red color with little transparency.

 At the nose the three wines will have very different aromas, however the aroma of oxidization will be pretty evident in Jerez and pretty appreciable in Marsala, a characteristic not found in Port. We will begin by evaluating Jerez and it will be the evident aroma of rancio to be clearly perceived, an aroma which is hardly definable and, as always, the best way to recognize it is just to perceive it. Jerez will also be characterized by aromas of dried fruit, in particular almond, hazelnut and dried fig, it will probably be perceived an aroma of very ripe banana, as well as of caramel. Even in Marsala the aroma of rancio will be clearly perceivable, followed by intense aromas of caramel, dried fig, fig jam, apricot jam, hazelnut, almond and date, as well as aromas of citrus fruit peel and leather. The aroma of Port is very different from the other two. In this wine will be the aromas of red and black skinned fruits, mostly of jams, to be perceived, such as black cherry, strawberry, cherry, blueberry and blackberry as well as an intense hint of violet.

 In the mouth Jerez will be very dry, with very intense flavors, in particular the one of hazelnut will be clearly perceivable and alcohol will play an important role in balancing acidity. The taste of Marsala will be pretty different: sweetness will be evident and the caustic sensation of alcohol will be more evident, Marsala usually has an alcohol by volume of 18%, and the combination of the two elements will avoid the wine to taste sickly. Also in this case flavors are very intense and will be the ones of caramel and fig jam to prevail. Even in Port the burning sensation of alcohol will be pretty evident, in this wine it can also be 20%, and alcohol will play a good role in the balance. Port's flavors will be characterized by black cherry jam and blueberry jam, very intense. All the three wines will have a long taste-olfactory persistence and it will probably be more than 15 seconds, a pretty common characteristic for this style of wines.