In the years following the Gold Rush, the only late-19th-century California wine of national acclaim was a fortified wine called Angelica. Brandy and the port-style wines it fortified were the mainstay of its wine industry during the late 1800s. Today, some of America's most renowned wineries produce a port-style wine, and the popularity and quality of American fortified wines is in resurgence.
This seminal handbook to US Port-style wines and winemakers not only offers the first in-depth buying guide of fortified wines but also tells this fascinating history of its rise and fall and modern comeback.
Also included are sections on how to enjoy fortified wines, their different styles, and what makes American wines unique.
Kenneth Youngis the executive director of the Sweet and Fortified Wine Association. His articles on all topics concerning wine and winemaking have appeared in numerous publications, includingd’Vine Magazine,Practical Winery and Vineyard, andWines and Vines. He lives in Auburn, California.