Fortified wine is wine to which grape spirit has been added, a technique that produces an extraordinarily diverse range of styles.
Fortification may occur during fermentation to retain natural grape sweetness or after fermentation when a dry style is desired. Subsequent maturation can take place in barrel, bottle or through fractional blending systems depending on the wine and regional tradition.
The collection spans Australia's historic Rutherglen Muscat and Topaque, aged Tawny and vintage fortified reds, alongside Portuguese Port and Spanish Sherry.
Rutherglen Muscat
Rutherglen Muscat is one of Australia's most distinctive fortified-wine traditions.
Produced from Muscat à Petits Grains Rouge, historically known locally as Brown Muscat, the wines combine naturally intense grape flavour with fortification and maturation to develop remarkable richness and complexity.
With age, the profile can move from fresh raisined and floral fruit towards darker dried fruit, spice, toffee and deeply concentrated savoury characters.
The collection includes Chambers Rosewood Vineyards, Morris and Campbells, spanning different levels of age and concentration.
Rutherglen Topaque
Topaque is another historic fortified style associated particularly with Rutherglen.
Traditionally produced from Muscadelle, it was historically known in Australia as Tokay before the terminology changed to Topaque.
Its profile differs from Muscat, often showing notes of honey, malt, tea, caramel, dried fruit and spice as the wine develops through maturation.
The collection includes Topaque from Morris and Campbells.
Australian Tawny
Australia has a long history of producing fortified red wines matured oxidatively in barrel.
Today these wines are labelled Tawny, rather than Port, reflecting the protected status of the Portuguese term.
Extended barrel maturation gradually changes the wine from youthful red and dark fruit towards dried fruit, nuts, caramel, spice and more complex oxidative characters.
The collection includes Penfolds Grandfather 20 Year Old, Penfolds Great Grandfather 30 Year Old, Rockford P. S. Marion Tawny and Galway Pipe 12 Year Old Grand Tawny.
Portuguese Port
Authentic Port comes from Portugal's Douro region and encompasses several distinct styles.
Tawny Port undergoes extended maturation in wood, allowing gradual oxidation and producing increasingly developed dried-fruit, nut and spice characteristics.
The collection includes Quinta do Noval Tawny Port, alongside 10 and 20 Year Old expressions.
Age statements on Tawny Port indicate the style and character of the blend rather than the precise age of every component wine.
Vintage Fortified Reds
Vintage fortified reds follow a different ageing path from Tawny.
Rather than spending extended periods maturing oxidatively in barrel, they are typically bottled earlier and designed to develop gradually in bottle.
The collection has particular strength in Rockford Shiraz VP, with multiple vintages represented, alongside other Australian vintage fortified reds.
These wines can offer considerable cellaring potential and are closer in structure to Vintage Port than aged Tawny.
Sherry, Oloroso & Pedro Ximénez
Sherry comes from the Jerez region of southern Spain and encompasses a wide spectrum from very dry to intensely sweet fortified wine.
Oloroso undergoes oxidative ageing, producing a fuller-bodied, nutty and savoury style.
Pedro Ximénez, often shortened to PX, can produce exceptionally sweet wines from dried Pedro Ximénez grapes, with concentrated dried-fruit, molasses and spice characteristics.
The range includes wines from Toro Albalá and Barbadillo, alongside Australian wines historically labelled Sherry.
Other Australian Fortified Styles
Australian fortified wine extends beyond Muscat, Topaque and Tawny.
Rockford Shiraz VP demonstrates the country's tradition of vintage fortified Shiraz, while Frogmore Creek Fortified Ruby Pinot Noir applies the style to Pinot Noir.
Rieslingfreak No.7 Clare Valley Fortified Riesling provides an even less conventional example, showing that fortification is a technique rather than a style restricted to red grapes.
Choosing a Fortified Wine
For richness, dried fruit and extraordinary concentration, Rutherglen Muscat is a natural starting point, while Topaque offers a related but distinct maltier and more savoury expression.
For mature, nutty and oxidative character, explore Australian Tawny or Portuguese Tawny Port.
Those looking for a wine to cellar can consider vintage fortified reds, while Sherry provides the broadest stylistic spectrum, from dry oxidative Oloroso to intensely sweet Pedro Ximénez.
Shop Fortified Wine at Kent Street Cellars
Explore fortified wines from Australia, Portugal and Spain, including Rutherglen Muscat and Topaque, aged Tawny, Port, Sherry and vintage fortified reds from Chambers Rosewood, Penfolds, Rockford, Quinta do Noval and more.
Delivery is available Australia-wide, with same-day delivery also available across eligible Sydney metropolitan areas.
