Port: Worthy of a revival

“Anyone who has capped a fine meal with a bottle of Portuguese ‘Porto’ and a wedge of cheese” knows that this fortified wine can be the perfect end to an evening, said Bill Daley in the Chicago Tribune. In recent years, though, Port has “lost the limelight.” It once stood out for its 20 percent alcohol content; diners would split a lighter bottle of wine and then finish up with Port. As table wines have grown more boozy, however, tipplers tend to skip the second step.

Their loss. Here are three excellent 2007 vintage Ports now hitting the market. All will go particularly well with anything chocolate, from cake to a Mr. Goodbar.

2007 Croft Vintage ($35)

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The “smoothest, most integrated” Port of the three, it has a plummy and peppery scent with a sweetness that is “woven into notes of berry and oak.”

2007 Taylor Fladgate Vintage ($47)

This Port is “sugary-sweet,” with scents of plum, tobacco, and spice. Deeper down are hints of berries with a “touch of licorice.”

2007 Fonseca Vintage ($46)

Earthier than the others, this Port has a deep purple hue and a flavor studded with “cherry, berry, and a spicy spritz on the finish.”