Once upon a time, far far away, the king summoned "Robert"
> who replied:

>Could someone reccomend a website explaining the difference between Ports
>and Sherries? I know that both are higher alcohol desert wines, and both
>seem to be made from adding brandy to red wine.
>
>If I understand correct, "Port" is supposed to be used only for wines of
>this nature made in the western region of Portugal. Are Sherries simply
>Ports made outside of this region, or is there another difference?
>

Port and Sherry are simply (or not so simply <g>) two types of
fortified wine. The process of making them, however, is very
different. Port is (generally) made from red wine fortified with
brandy.

Sherry, however, is made from white wine which has been fully
fermented until dry and undergoes a very sophisticated process that
includes aging in large butts, and sometimes sweetening with sun-dried

grapes of a single specific variety.

Port is made in one small region of Portugal, Sherry in a small region
of Spain.

You may like to know, that fortified wines were invented by the
English during the 17th century. Some wines had brandy added to them
so as to preserve them on the long sea journey back to England,
others, such as Madeira, were accidentally discovered to improve with
the journey. Indeed early Madeira wines after being collected were
sent on a cruise to Indonesia before returning to England! Which has
to be one of the oddest manufacturing processes of all time?

Matt

--
If your encyclopaedia doesn't list "widget glass", you're reading the wrong encyclopaedia.
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