The Wine Knows

It's kind of difficult to think about Ports when temperatures are still in the '90s. I tend to enjoy the sweet, alcoholic red dessert wines when temperatures drop. There's nothing like sipping on a glass of Port on a cold, rainy evening.

But I'm working on an article about Ports for the November issue of Seattle Homes & Lifestyles.

When I think about Northwest Ports, two wineries immediately come to mind: Hinzerling in Prosser and Knipprath in Spokane. Both focus a lot of effort on Ports (red and white styles).

But several other wineries throughout the Northwest make Ports, including Powers in Kennewick and Barnard Griffin in Richland (both about three minutes from my house). Abacela Winery in Roseburg, Ore., makes a gorgeous Port from traditional grapes. And I've enjoyed many Ports from Laurel Ridge in Oregon's Yamhill County. In B.C., it's against the rules to call a Port a Port, so you have more fanciful names, such as Pipe (from Sumac Ridge) and "Black Brandt" (a Foch Port from Wild Goose).

My favorite food pairings with Port are blue cheeses, biscotti or table grapes. Most of the time, I just like to sit and sip.

The two greatest wines in my life have been Ports. One was a 1963 Cockburn, and the other was an 1896 Royal Oporto. Is there anything in the world like aged Ports? I cannot imagine.

Do you have some favorite Northwest Ports?