These are red wines, generally young, that after grape fermentation are stored in large tanks, made of cement or stainless steel to prevent oxidation and preserve its original color. One type of Ruby Port is the Vintage variety, considered by many as the jewel of the crown among these types of wines. These are wines that come from a vintage declared “exceptional” by its tasters from the Port Wine Institute of Porto.
These are Port wines that, unlike the previous ones, have been ageing in barrels for a period of time of no less than two years and that can reach up to 20 years, so they evolve to a more golden color, losing the red characteristic of the previous ones and acquiring aromas such as nuts and fruits or walnuts. They are also less sweet than the Ports of the Ruby variety. All of them are produced with a mix of grape varieties such as Tinta Roriz, Tinta Borroca, Touriga and Tinta Cāo. There are also Porto Blancos (white Ports), made from Malvasia Dourada, Malvasia Fina, Gouveio and Rabigato grapes, fermented in enormous oak barrels.