Origin
Ruby Port is the most widely distributed port wine on the market. Its origin is unknown, but these are very young, youthful bulk bottlings.
Production and post-treatment
Ruby Port is produced in a similar way to normal port wine. The main difference lies in the ageing process. Ruby Port is mostly stored in airtight tanks to prevent the oxidative maturation of the wine. This allows the wine to retain its youth and fresh, fruity character.
Most Ruby Ports are a blend of several young wines. Due to further post-treatment processes such as chill-filtration and pasteurisation, the wines cannot mature any further in the bottle.
Production and post-treatment
Ruby Port is produced in a similar way to normal port wine. The main difference lies in the ageing process. Ruby Port is mostly stored in airtight tanks to prevent the oxidative maturation of the wine. This allows the wine to retain its youth and fresh, fruity character.
Most Ruby Ports are a blend of several young wines. Due to further post-treatment processes such as chill-filtration and pasteurisation, the wines cannot mature any further in the bottle.
Effect on the taste
Ruby Port is by definition very fruity with aromas of dark fruits and berries. Because of the lack of oxidative maturation, one might assume that these flavours are very direct and present in whiskies with a Ruby Port finish. But this is not the case. The Ruby Ports that do not undergo oxidative maturation are stored in steel tanks. This means that there is no cask involved at all and our beloved whisky cannot have matured in it at all. Very few Ruby Ports are still matured in oak casks. The taste effect of such casks on the whisky is therefore that of a normal port with a short maturation period.
Effect on the colour
The colour of a Ruby Port is red like a normal wine, as the comparatively short maturation period leads to a paler colour.
Whisky examples
Due to the fact that most Ruby Port is matured in steel tanks, there are not many barrels left for the whisky industry.
