White port with tonic is a common drink throughout Portugal. The light-bodied and fruity wine pairs well with the bitterness of tonic, creating a happy, easygoing drink. A 1-to-2 ratio works best here; you don’t want to use too much tonic, or the gentle flavours of the port will be overwhelmed.
Known as a Porto Tonico, a white port tonic is a refreshing wine cocktail with twice as much tonic as the white port. With the addition of a sprig of mint and an orange wedge, the two main ingredients come together to create a refreshing port drink that rivals the world’s best summer sippers.
- The classic Gin & Tonic cocktail is the perfect summer drink. This sipper is perfect for patio and dinnertime. It’s bubbly, thirst-quenching and has a bit of booze. Sometimes, however, the need for something cool and refreshing may be replaced by a desire for deeper, more complex flavour notes.
- The White Port & Tonic is gaining popularity in the United States due to its complex and elevated flavour and its versatility using seasonal ingredients. Many drinkers have never had a White Port & Tonic before, and it’s Portugal’s answer to the Aperol Spritz. Porto Tonico is an integral part of Portuguese drinking culture.
- Adrian Bridge, CEO of Taylor Fladgate (a major producer of port wine), says that it allows people to have a pre-dinner drink without switching between a spirit and a wine. It’s a versatile aperitif that is also very common in Portugal.
- You can also enjoy white port chilled alone. Tonic water can be added to white port, which has citrus and apricot flavours, making it effervescently unique. Maxime Beland is the bar director at Parole. The white port has a distinctive flavour profile. It’s light and vibrant and adds depth and sophistication to mixed drinks. He says that the beauty of mixing white port with tonic is its perfect balance between sweetness and slight bitterness from the tonic. You get a perfectly balanced drink with a low ABV.
- White Port & Tonic is not as crisp as a traditional Gin & Tonic. It combines honeyed, nutty white ports with the slight bitterness from tonic water to create a full-bodied cocktail. The white port can be paired with many different types of tonic water (think aromatic, Mediterranean-style or citrus-or cucumber-flavoured).
- Andy Seymour is a bar educator and owner of Liquid Productions.
- Seymour claims that the White Port & Tonic is virtually a blank canvas, allowing bartenders to customize its flavours with garnishes. While a lemon wheel or orange twist is the most common, Seymour suggests adding apple slices or pear slices to bring out the wine’s natural flavours. After you have the basics down, experiment with garnishes to make them more seasonal and personal to your taste preferences.
Ingredients
- Two ounces white port(such as Taylor Fladgate Chip and Fonseca Siroco).
- 4 ounces tonic water, chilled (such as Fever-Tree Mediterranean)
- Garnish with a lemon wheel and an orange twist
Steps
- In a glass of wine, add the white port.
- Add the tonic water to the bowl and stir gently.
- Garnish the dish with an orange twist or a lemon wheel.
