Early this year, while teaching children full time, I made a brazen attempt at committing to reading a half-dozen Iberian wine books by the end of the summer. And as much as my heart was in the right place, I was hardly successful. In hind site, our recent Sherry adventure taught me an invaluable lesson: I am a hand’s on girl. When we went to Jerez, I had the rare opportunity to combine theory with practice. For me, when learning about a new subject, I want to touch it, breathe it and taste it. To merely read a book without having the physical connection, quite frankly, bores me. I can’t connect. In Jerez, however, I dove into Sherry wine for five days feverishly learning about the Solera system and coming out of the seminar more interested in the topic than when I first walked in the door. I even went so far as to carry the stupidly heavy hardcover book provided by the DO in my carry-on bag just so I could review the information on our way back to Barcelona. That’s passion!

Now, dedicating November to Port, I have decided to, once again, merge theory with practice by reading Richard Mayson’s book, “Port and the Douro”. Mayson retells the story of Port over the centuries, poetically intertwining his personal experience of interacting with the region and the people to the vines themselves.

“It is easy to be possessive about the Douro. Deep valleys, tiny villages and remote quintas engender a strong sense of place among those who live and work there. Ask someone where they come from and they will tell you, with great pride, the …

Yesterday, Ryan and I took a leisurely walk through our little town of Terrassa. As the light casted a golden tone across the plaza, children rambunctiously played while donned in bulky sweaters to keep the chill far from their little bodies. Billowy steam wafted from hot coffees and teas scattered among the patio tables with bare hands gripping their cups for warmth. It was a stunning fall day, only made more magical by the smell of chestnuts and yams being roasted over big pits of coals. But yesterday also announced a changing of the guard in my wine selection. No longer can I reach for crisp and refreshing Vinho Verde or a Vermouth on ice. Now is the season for Port wine!

Port wine is a Portuguese fortified wine produced in the Demarcated region of the Douro. Employing traditional winemaking techniques, Port wine has been considered for decades the emblematic wine of Portugal.

Did you know that Port wine can also be dry? Have you ever seen a white port? Did you know that Port can range in in sweetness, color, level of alcohol and flavor?

What makes Port so incredible is its sheer diversity. Port can vary in color from a deep inky purple to a light brilliant gold, including an array of intermediary hues such as tawny, golden tawny, golden and light gold. White Port, on the other hand, can be pale yellow, straw and white gold. What changes the color, the depth of hue, is based solely on the winemaking technique employed. Through oxidation, a white wine can acquire a a rich golden hue when aged in cask over many years. Port can also dramatically range in its level of sweetness. It can be unctuously sweet, sweet, semi-dry or extra dry.

Throughout the month …