Port is confusing. Frustratingly enough for the novice drinker, this often has more to do with marketing than what’s actually inside the bottle. But that doesn’t mean there aren’t differences among the many types of port. It just means you need the help of someone really knowledgeable to help decode the labels and show you what’s worth trying and buying. Enter Twin Cities sommelier, wine consultant and instructor Leslee Miller. Miller says she loves how port “can be your dessert or can add dimension to your dessert.” And, she adds, port is as endearing today as it was the day Portuguese monks started throwing in brandy to stop grapes from fermenting (and then drinking it)—or so the most credible story goes. And now, with vineyards around the globe batching port, you don’t even have to buy the wine from Portugal, purists be damned. Here are six great ports Miller recommends for fireside sipping.

Leslee Miller 612.655.4839;
amuseewine.com

BANK
88 S. 6th St., Mpls.; 612.656.3255

South Lyndale Liquors
5300 Lyndale Ave. S., Mpls.; 612.827.5811

Heredias Honor Porto Ruby
Ruby ports are usually fresh, vibrant and fleshy—with a bold pink-red hue—and this ruby, from a small new vineyard in Douro, Portugal, is no exception. Since it has fig undertones to it, Miller recommends pairing it with figs and blue cheese. South Lyndale Liquors sells it for $22.

Late-Bottle Vintage Taylor Fladgate Porto 2000
Late-bottle vintage (LBV) is made from a single year’s harvest but was bottled longer than a vintage port, resulting in a lighter body. This LBV has a lot more structure than a ruby and is not as barrel-y as a tawny, Miller says; it has more direction and finesse. Try it with a roast duck breast with cherry sauce or the classic pairing of blue cheese. BANK—home to one of the Twin Cities’ largest port collections—sells it by the glass for $8.

Dow’s 10 Year Tawny Porto
This one comes from a highly regarded port house in Portugal’s celebrated Upper Douro Valley. Tawny port is produced with more brandy, so it is more golden in color than a ruby. Dow’s port has a toasty, caramel-y flavor and would go perfectly with a warm pecan pie. South Lyndale Liquors sells it for $35.

Fonseca Porto Bin No. 27
Here’s a “finest reserve,” which is to say that the port is mimicking a vintage without having to be a true vintage. Pesky details aside, it’s more rich than earthy. “It has some bedroom eyes to it,” Miller laughs, adding that it’d be great with dark-chocolate fondue and blackberries. BANK sells it by the glass for $8; South Lyndale Liquors sells it for $20.99.

Chateau Reynella
From one of Australia’s oldest vineyards comes a tawny-like port built on shiraz and Grenache grapes. A student in one of Miller’s wine classes said it “tastes like breakfast”—all maple syrupy and complex. Try it with crème brulee or a gourmet bacon-flecked chocolate bar. BANK sells it by the glass for $14.

Marietta California Port Lot No. Two
This Sonoma County family-owned and -operated vineyard happens to peddle the best-selling red wine in the country (Old Vine Red) and started making this warm Zinfandel-based port as a labor of love. It’s not meant to be an aperitif, Miller warns: “You drink this when you can’t sleep or when you’re freezing your ass off in the middle of a Minnesota winter.” BANK sells it by the glass for $12. +