Switching gears this week, I decided to review a different kind of alcohol: port. It’s not something you’d usually find college students drinking, but with graduation coming up, maybe try ordering one for or with dessert at a big dinner.

For those who don’t know, port is a fortified, dessert wine, meaning it’s sweeter and has a much higher alcohol content than regular wines. The bottle I reviewed — Sheffield Cellars Tawny Port — is 18 percent alcohol by volume.

Port is served in a small glass. Its deep, dark red color and viscous consistency is similar to blood, but don’t worry, it doesn’t taste anything like it.

Smelling the Sheffield Cellars Tawny Port is a fun experience. I smelled raspberries, strawberries and a strong French vanilla aroma. Together, those three scents combine like a delicious smelling dessert. One of my roommates described the smell as “like an early spring day.”

When finally tasting the port, newcomers to dessert wine will be surprised for sure. The whole tasting experience is starkly different from drinking a typical Pinot Noir from start to finish. It’s extremely sweet, and has almost a spicy finish. It feels like someone threw a pinch of pepper in halfway through the taste, making for an unparalleled experience. The Sheffield Cellars Tawny Port tastes like a sugary, berry-focused dessert, almost like the glazed strawberries on strawberry shortcake.

As for the texture, it has a bite and a thick consistency. The consistency was predictable due to its look and viscosity. The bite comes with the peppery finish, which actually tasted pretty great.

This port would go great with a scoop of French vanilla ice cream — the flavors would complement each other perfectly. Just thinking about the pair makes me want to go try a glass with some ice cream.

For the price, just around $8, it is a great bottle of port. So whether it’s a bottle of Sheffield Cellars or another glass of port at dinner, give it a try come graduation weekend at dinner with the family.

Published on April 28, 2016 at 12:01 am