The Actual Difference Between Port And Sherry

If you've ever had a glass of port or sherry, you've likely tasted just how rich, complex, and layered these wines are. But have you ever wondered what exactly port wine is, and what sets it apart from sherry? In reality, while these two fortified wines — which have had a distilled spirit such as brandy added to them — might seem similar, they're actually worlds apart.

Port is predominantly a full-bodied, sweet wine that hails from the Douro region in northern Portugal. It's made from traditional red grape varieties fortified during the fermentation process to keep residual sugar levels and alcohol content high. It has a color ranging from deep ruby to golden-brownish and primarily comes in two styles: ruby and tawny (which both have at least 17 grams of residual sugar). It's mostly enjoyed as a dessert wine and typically boasts rich notes of caramel, dried berries, dark chocolate, and roasted nuts. This makes it one of the only types of wine you should reach for to pair with crème brûlée.

While geographically close, sherry comes from southwestern Spain's Andalusia region, which is popularly known as the sherry triangle. It represents a broader wine category that's made up of more unique styles. Out of those, moscatel and Pedro Ximénez are classified as sweet sherries, while fino, oloroso, amontillado, and manzanilla are considered dry. Unlike port, sherry is made exclusively from white grape varieties that are fortified once fermentation is complete, which leads to much drier wine styles overall. The palomino grape cultivar is the most commonly used. Syrupy and raisin-like with hues that span from pale yellow to chestnut brown, sherry wines can contain as little as 5 grams and up to 140 grams of sugar per liter.

Given their differences, it comes as no surprise that these two wines pair well with very different types of food. Ports pair beautifully with strong blue cheeses, such as Stilton or Roquefort, and even better with homemade chocolate truffles (just avoid one mistake in particular when making chocolate truffles: adding salt). Berry desserts, such as a delicious, perfectly moist sour cherry cake, are also combinable with Port.

Sherries, in comparison, are a bit more versatile. This makes sense if you consider that sherries contain more than 300 aromatic compounds. This is why they pair amazingly with appetizers, such as jamón (a type of Spanish dry-cured ham), cheese, anchovies, and almonds. Dry sherries work fantastically with fish and seafood, such as oysters and shrimp, but are also a great match with a range of white and red meats, from poultry and pork to beef and lamb. What are you waiting for? The perfect bite is only a glass of port or sherry away.