What do Gorgonzola, panna cotta, roasted nuts and chocolate have in common?

They’re great on their own.  But they’re even greater when enjoyed with port. 

Richer, sweeter, heavier and higher in alcohol than wine,

port is a perfect complement to the special treats that top off your special holiday meals. 

Is a glass of port with a sugary/buttery/nutty dessert the definition of decadence? 

We sure hope so. 

In the world of wine, port is an outlier. 

The port-producing process is unique. 

In addition, port is made in just one geographic region.

(While fortified wine is made elsewhere, true port

comes only from the Douro region in Portugal.)

And adding to port’s unique nature…in some cases,

production still includes the ancient grape-crushing ritual known as…

grape stomping aka grape treading. 

Not to worry. 

Grape stomping is perfectly sanitary thanks to the balance

of acid, sugar and alcohol that prohibits human pathogens

from surviving in wine.   

It’s Wine Thursday!, our weekly good-wine-at-a-good-price-

that-you-can-find recommendation, just in time for your weekend. 

In this case, our recommendation is just in time for your holiday celebrations.

Exactly 200 years ago, Graham’s produced their first batch of port.   

Now 200 years later, Graham’s Six Grapes Reserve port is acknowledged

as one of the world’s top port buys.   

It’s full of rich fruit flavors, such as cherry and plum,

along with notes of nutmeg and chocolate. 

For a sub-$30 port, it is remarkably complex and well-balanced.   

Graham’s Six Grapes…easy to drink and easy to find.   

As usual, if our featured wine is available at Costco,

they’ll have it at the lowest price. 

Costco does have Six Grapes… at $16.69.   Total Wine comes in second at $18.47. 

You can order it online from Wine.com for $21.99. 

It’s on the shelf at Fred Meyer for $23.49.  QFC has it for $23.99. 

And Safeway’s price is $24.49.