Fortified and Oxidative
Fortified Wines: Port, Sherry, Madeira
Port, Sherry, and Madeira share one trick: brandy is added to them during or after fermentation. This station explains how this single step produces three completely different wine styles, each capable of aging for decades.
Fortification: A Splash of Brandy with a Big Effect
Fortified wine is also called fortified or strengthened wine. It's made by adding neutral brandy to the base wine, typically raising it to around seventeen to twenty-two percent alcohol by volume. If this happens in the middle of fermentation, the added alcohol kills off the yeast before it has processed all the sugar. The wine therefore remains naturally sweet. This brandy is produced specifically for fortification and usually has a very neutral, unobtrusive flavor of its own, so it doesn't mask the character of the base wine.