Fortified Wine: Port, Tawny, Rutherglen Muscat & Rich, Sweet Sippers

How Is Fortified Wine Made?

It starts like any wine, with grapes crushed and fermenting into a base wine. The magic is all in the timing.

A neutral grape spirit is added partway through fermentation, which stops the yeast and halts the process. This locks in sweetness and lifts the strength.

From there, style is everything. Some fortifieds are bottled young and fruity, while others spend years in barrel, slowly turning golden, nutty and richly caramelised.

Popular Fortified Wine Styles

Port is the most famous of all, a sweet, red fortified wine from Portugal's Douro Valley. Ruby and Late Bottled Vintage are young and fruity, while Tawny Port is barrel aged to a mellow, nutty richness. Rare Vintage Port is the pinnacle.

Australia has its own proud tradition, above all in Rutherglen, home to the world's greatest Muscat and Topaque, and in the Barossa, where houses like Seppeltsfield craft magnificent aged tawny.

You will also find Apera, Australia's answer to sherry, in styles from crisp and dry to rich and nutty.

How to Serve Fortified Wine

Serve fortified wine in a small glass, as a little goes a long way. Tawny, Muscat and vintage Port are lovely at cool room temperature, while dry, sherry style Apera shines lightly chilled.

Most are made to sip slowly after dinner, and thanks to their strength, an opened bottle will keep happily for weeks.

Food Pairing Ideas

Fortified wine is a classic with cheese and chocolate. Tawny and Port love blue cheese, nuts and dark chocolate, while sweet Muscat is heavenly with sticky date pudding.

Dry Apera makes a wonderful aperitif, delicious with olives, almonds and salty snacks.

What Is Rutherglen Muscat?

Rutherglen Muscat is Australia's greatest gift to the wine world, a lusciously sweet fortified wine from the warm north east of Victoria. Few wines anywhere are quite so decadent.

Made from the Muscat à Petits Grains grape and aged for years in old barrels, it is dark, unctuous and bursting with raisin, toffee and orange peel. The oldest blends are almost impossibly rich.

Producers like Chambers Rosewood have made it for generations. One sip, and you will understand why it is treasured around the globe.

Fortified Wine Questions, Answered

What is the difference between Port and fortified wine?

Port is a type of fortified wine, not a separate thing. Strictly, only fortified wine from Portugal's Douro Valley can be called Port, so similar Australian styles are labelled tawny or vintage fortified.

Is fortified wine the same as dessert wine?

Not quite. Most fortified wine is sweet and served with dessert, but some, like dry Apera, are not. And many dessert wines, such as late harvest whites, are not fortified at all.

How strong is fortified wine?

Fortified wine is stronger than table wine, usually around 17 to 20 percent alcohol, thanks to the added grape spirit. That is why a small glass is plenty.

How long does fortified wine last once opened?

Much longer than table wine. Its higher strength keeps it fresh for weeks, and richer tawny and Muscat styles can stay lovely for a month or more.

What is tawny?

Tawny is a fortified wine aged for years in barrel, which turns it amber and gives it mellow flavours of caramel, nuts and dried fruit. It is smooth, warming and made to sip.

What is Topaque?

Topaque is Rutherglen's other great sticky, once known as Tokay. Made from the Muscadelle grape, it offers flavours of cold tea, honey, butterscotch and dried fig, a touch less exotic than Muscat.

Why Buy Fortified Wine at YourWines?

Every fortified wine in our collection is handpicked by our team, from historic Douro Port houses to legendary Rutherglen and Barossa names, all chosen for quality and character. Whatever the occasion, there is a bottle here to savour.

Browse more richly sweet styles in our sweet wine range, or explore the wines of Portugal and Australia, the two homes of our fortified collection.

For something rare and special, our Fine & Rare single bottles include some of the finest aged fortifieds of all. Cheers!