NightJar Wine
IN THE BOTTLE
Nightjar is a port-style wine with flavors of black cherry and blueberry along with notes of cocoa bean, chocolate cake, and toasted nuts. The main grapes used, Tempranillo, Touriga Nacional, Tinta Cão, Bastardo, Alvarelhão, and Souzão, are all traditionally used in Port.
CLASSIC FLAVOR PROFILES OF VARIETAL
Lusciously sweet and higher in alcohol. We fortify the base wine in the middle of fermentation by adding brandy, a distilled grape spirit. This kills the yeast, elevating the final alcohol content of the wine, and leaves significant amount of residual sugar. Wines made in this style typically have flavors of red and black fruits such as blackberries, plum, and cherries along with aromas of clove and chocolate.
VARIETAL FACTS
Port-style wines are sweet, fortified wines, but we cannot call Nightjar a Port. All Port must be made in the Duoro Valley, a region in northern Portugal, according to a strict set of rules. There are two major styles of Port wines, ruby and tawny. Ruby is more a deeper garnet color with dark berry flavors and tawny port has a lighter orange brick color with nutty flavors. We make Nightjar in the style of a ruby Port.
HISTORY
Fortified wine involves stopping fermentation with the addition of distilled alcohol. This method started in the 1700s when winemakers in the Douro Valley would enrich their wine with brandy to ensure it would survive the boat ride from Portugal to England. Not only did this help preserve the Port, but by stopping the fermentation process, the wine had elevated alcohol and a high sugar content, both of which were prized at the time. The fortification process is more expensive than producing a table wine, so we bottle Nightjar in half bottles to offer it at a more affordable price. Additionally, dessert wines traditionally are served in smaller volumes than table wine because they are very satisfying in small amounts.
DID YOU KNOW?
Nightjar was given its name by a Cooper's Hawk team member. The winning entry named the wine after the red-necked nightjar, a common bird found in Portugal's Duoro Valley.
IF YOU LIKE THIS WINE, TRY:
Romance Red, Sweet Red
1/2 bottle - 375 ml
Please note: An adult signature is required for the final delivery of any wine shipment.
