January 27 is Port Day! As a recent a fan of white ports, I’m celebrating with a bottle of Krohn Lagrima Fine White Port. It retails around $18 a bottle and has an alcohol content of 20%. Though  this wine pairs well with chocolate and fruity desserts,  I’m going to pair it with a strong blue cheese. I like the contrast of the sweetness of the wine and the saltiness of the blue  cheese.

I prefer white ports chilled but they can be served at room temperature are excellent as an aperitif or dessert wine.

How good is life when you can drink wine and win an iPad2? Here’s your chance to get in on the #PortDay fun with a contest from
the CENTER FOR WINE ORIGINS    

Press Release:  CENTER FOR WINE ORIGINS ANNOUNCES JANUARY 27th AS #PORTDAY AND LAUNCHES PHOTO CONTEST
Celebrate Port and Win an iPad 2!
WASHINGTON – The Center for Wine Origins is proud to announce that January 27 will be “Port Day.” The inaugural celebration of Port Day encourages the celebration of this truly unique wine that only comes from Portugal. Consumers from around the world are encouraged to participate in the celebration of this authentic wine and raise awareness about the need to protect the Port name.

Participating is easy.  Consumers can join Port Day online by blogging, tweeting, posting and sharing their thoughts about this exceptional wine by using the #PortDay hashtag. Or, they can host or join one of the numerous retail and restaurant tastings that are being planned in locations across the United States. To stay up-to-date on the most current news regarding Port Day or to register an event, visit http://bit.ly/vUenZr.

As part of this celebration, the Center is hosting a contest to encourage U.S. consumers to photograph their favorite authentic Port wines. To enter the contest to win an iPad 2, contest entrants should send a picture of an authentic Port label to wineorigins@clsdc.com with the subject line as “Port Day 2012 Photo Contest Entry” or post the picture to your Facebook profile and tag yourself and the Center for Wine Origins in the picture. One Grand Prize winner will be selected randomly on January 25 and receive an iPad 2.  Complete contest rules are available at www.wineorigins.com/?p=1501.  

There are many quality fortified and dessert wines, but true Port only comes from the Port appellation in Portugal, one of the world’s oldest regulated and demarcated wine regions. Port grapes are grown in the Douro Valley, located approximately 60 miles from the city of Porto, where Port gets its name. The Douro Valley is surrounded by rugged mountain ranges that produce a hot, dry climate. While the flaky, arid soil presents unique challenges for the winemakers who build row upon row of terraces, it’s the combination of the climate and soil that makes Port unlike any other wine. That’s why its name can only be used on a label if the grapes and the wine are produced, under strict controls, in the Port appellation.

Unfortunately, today the Port name is misused on wine bottles across the world and particularly in the United States. Wines produced not from the grapes grown in the Douro Valley are misleading consumers to believe it is Port by improperly putting the name on its label. When shopping for Port and entering the contest, make sure to look for the seal of the approval and confirm that the wine comes from Portugal (see photo).

Remember to join in #PortDay either online or offline at your local wine bar or restaurant with friends. For more information about #PortDay visit: http://bit.ly/vUenZr. For more information on the photo contest and the Center visit www.wineorigins.com.