The Cultured Girl

Following Portugal’s World Cup loss to France, The San Francisco Chronicle offers a lesson on one of Portugal’s strengths: its wines, specifically the variety known as the tawny aged Port. These are a good alternative to fine vintage Ports, which are probably out of most cultured girls’ price ranges; tawny ports are also less intimidating than vintages, which have to be opened at precisely the right moment.

Aged tawny Ports, however, are an affordable but still impressive option. Best paired with desserts, fruits, and cheeses, these wines are aged in casks for 10 to 20 years, so they are ready to drink when you purchase them. Better yet, you can find bottles, such as the Taylor Fladgate 10-Year-Old Tawny, for as low as $30, making the wine a great, unexpected gift. For more everyday Port drinking, try a “common” tawny port, such as Penfolds NV Club Port from Australia, which is mass-produced and cheap (about $9) but also quite tasty.