Fortified and Sweet Wines

Fortified wines are wines strengthened with added grape spirit (typically brandy), raising alcohol to 15-22% ABV. This category includes some of the world's most historic and complex wines, essential knowledge for any hospitality professional.

Port originates from Portugal's Douro Valley and is fortified during fermentation. Adding spirit while residual sugar remains kills the yeast, creating a sweet, high-alcohol wine. Ruby Port is aged briefly in large vessels for fresh fruit character, while Tawny Port ages in smaller barrels, developing oxidative notes of caramel, nuts, and dried fruit. Vintage Port comes from exceptional years and ages in bottle, requiring decanting. The WSET Level 2 materials emphasize Port's minimum 19% ABV and protected designation of origin status.

Sherry comes exclusively from Spain's Jerez region and uses the solera system—a fractional blending method where younger wines refresh older barrels, maintaining consistency. Unlike Port, Sherry is fortified after fermentation completes. Fino and Manzanilla are pale, bone-dry styles protected by flor (a yeast layer) during aging. Oloroso is fortified to higher levels (17-18% ABV), preventing flor and developing rich, nutty oxidative character. Pedro Ximénez (PX) is intensely sweet, made from sun-dried grapes.

Other fortified wines include French Vin Doux Naturel (Muscat de Beaumes-de-Venise, Banyuls), Italian Marsala, and Madeira from Portugal's Atlantic island. Madeira is unique for its estufagem heating process, creating remarkable longevity.

Sweet wines without fortification rely on concentrated sugars. Late harvest wines use grapes left on the vine past normal picking. Botrytis cinerea (noble rot) concentrates sugars in Sauternes, Tokaji Aszú, and German Trockenbeerenauslese. Ice wine (Eiswein) is made from grapes frozen on the vine, pressed while frozen to separate concentrated juice from ice crystals. According to the OIV, these wines require specific climatic conditions and careful vineyard management.

Jancis Robinson notes that fortified and sweet wines often offer exceptional value for their age and complexity, making them profitable by-the-glass options for bars.