One year I went to buy a port for a good friend who is a big port fan.

I like to think I know a little somethin' somethin' about wines. And beers. And liqueurs. And yet there I stood - stumped (mostly because I'm not a big port fan..)

Did he like ruby or tawny? How old was old enough? What did reserve mean when it came to ports? Clearly aged was better, but how much age was good enough for this friend?

No one was there to help me.

I wept.

(Not really, but it makes the story so much more dramatic, doesn't it?)

In the end, I opted for a specific price point and he seemed pretty happy. Or he acted like he was..hrrm hrrm.

And I started brushing up on ports. I am not a big port fan, which I like to blame this for my ignorance on the subject.

Port is a sweet, fortified dessert wine from Portugal and comes in two main varieties: ruby (red with berry, cherry and plum flavors) and tawny (ports aged in wood long enough to lose the ruby color and become shade of brown - with a nutty flavor.)

 If a port is called reserve, the grapes come from the best properties in the Duoro Valley - much like a meritage wine at a regular winery.

Most ports - whether tawny or ruby - are a blend of different vintages, unless indicated on the bottle.

Want to learn more about port? Try hosting your own tasting party with this month's menu.