Order a Portonic instead of an Aperol Spritz and celebrate the cultural tradition and brilliance of Portugal’s wine culture. It is Portugal’s ultimate summer beverage!
Do we owe this refreshing sparkler to the Brits?
My research indicates the origins of the drink are unknown, but the centuries-old Anglo-Portuguese wine trade agreement suggests it’s quite possible that the birth of the Port & Tonic is tied to the long-standing relationship between one of the main historical consumers of Portuguese wines and Portuguese port producers and growers.
Tonic water, a quinine-based mixer noted for its medicinal purposes, comes from Britain and was invented and patented by Erasmus Bond in London in 1858 under his firm Pitt & Co. We also know that the British were responsible for transporting port up and down Portugal’s Douro River, so the theory is that, in search of a drink similar to the Gin & Tonic, but with less alcoholic strength, the creation of the Port & Tonic emerged.
However, local Portuense and Douriense legends say it was born as a casual regional custom drunk on the hot terraces of the Douro Valley and in the coastal bars of Porto. Winemakers, locals, and bar terrace regulars have sipped this beverage for over a century to combat the region’s relentless hot summer afternoons.
So, what exactly is the Portonic?
It’s your choice of white port in a two-to-one ratio with tonic water, ample amount of ice, and your chosen garnish. A simple, fast, and easy-to-throw-together long drink. I’m a fan of white port in general, especially old or aged white port. Add some tonic and wowza!
White port, aside from being made from white grapes (Moscatel Galego and Malvasia), is made a little differently than your red port wines. It starts the same as others: the grapes are pressed, with little to no skin contact and the fermentation transformation begins. Fermentation is then halted with 77% grape brandy once the desired residual sugar level is reached, resulting in a naturally sweet white wine.
The next difference is that, in general, younger white ports are only aged for three years in stainless steel rather than in barrique or large foudres. Here, with white port and equally with pink port, the integration of the spirit is key to these young, more delicate wines — in well-made examples, it’s seamless, adding fruity esters, floral aromas, and a warmth without heat, allowing us to enjoy the abundant and fresh primary fruit and floral aromas.
Young white ports lack the nutty, oxidative complexity of aged examples (Reserva or 10-year), which I would never use in a Portonic but would enjoy on its own. What they offer instead is freshness, versatility, and an almost Vinho Verde-like vivacity — especially in the drier styles. Fortification sits around 19-20% ABV but reads lighter on the palate than you’d expect.
The finished wine has no sharp alcohol aromas or flavors, just fresh, aromatic notes: green apple, white peach, apricot, citrus blossom, and lemon zest. Often, a floral lift (acacia, orange blossom). Some show a honeyed underpinning even in dry styles. However, cutting it with tonic is absolutely genius!
At bars in Lisbon or Porto, your Porto Tónico might be served over ice in a Collins glass, an oversized goblet (my favorite), a pint, or a flute. Potential garnishes include mint sprigs, a cucumber slice, a lime wedge, or a lemon wedge.
An excellent pre-dinner aperitif, summer sipper, or pool thirst-quencher with no fixed recipe and infinite regional variations, I challenge you to find the combination that makes you reach for the glass again and again.
White port styles vary quite a bit — from bone dry to sweet:
Extra Seco / Seco — perceptively dry or off-dry, more saline and textural, with good grip from the spirit. Almond, dried citrus peel, white flowers. Can feel almost Fino-esk.
Meio Seco — Lightly sweet, the classic Porto Tónico base. Rounder, peachy, with a clean sweetness that doesn’t feel heavy. Balanced acidity from the Douro’s many high-altitude vineyards.
Doce — noticeably sweet, fuller, honeyed, marmalade, dried apricot, luscious and viscous.
The ports I chose for my comparison tasting experiment:
Niepoort DRY WHITE 19.5% — A fresh, meio seco style that lends itself more toward mouth-watering mineral and saline characteristics. Think yellow citrus, zest, with a light feel on the palette, and a pleasing bitter finish.
Quinta do Vallado White Port — meio seco style and consequently my favorite! Balanced acidity, rich, and lightly floral with ripe citrus (Silves orange and juicy lemon) with a hint of bitterness that brings the whole flavor sensation together and lifts the fruit,
Ramos Pinto Vinho do Porto Branco, Lágrima — meio seco, simple, fresh, easy on the palate with fruity, lightly sweet, light green and yellow citrus and light almond flesh and skin notes.
Quinta Sta Eufemia, 10-year-old White Port — meio seco with hints of marmalade, dried orange peel, dried apricot, and lightly viscous, almost moving towards the doce style. More layered, complex, lightly funky nose; sophisticated, orangey, and dry.
If you are looking for the perfect, refreshing patio cocktail that takes under 60 seconds to make, add the Portonic to your rotation!
Pick your chosen white port from your local wine shop or market, along with your favorite tonic (mine is Schweppes Zero), and garnish as you like with slices of orange, lemon, lime, cucumber, and/or a sprig of mint. You get to be the mixologist here!
Hint: Twisting an orange peel over the drink and rubbing the peel along the lip of the glass releases the essential oils, giving you an amazing hint of bright citrus with every sip.
Candace Olsen is a sommelier, fine wine consultant, educator, and wine writer. [email protected]
Read more from Candace Olsen’s about wine: Viúva Gomes, sweet revenge wine
