What is fortified wine?
This article reviews the types, benefits, and downsides of
fortified wine.
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What is fortified wine?
Before modern refrigeration, fortified wine was produced in an
attempt to prevent wine spoilage by increasing its alcohol content (1).
Wine undergoes a process called fermentation, which
occurs when yeast converts the sugar from the grapes into alcohol and carbon
dioxide (2Trusted Source).
Distilled spirits like brandy are added at varying times during
the fermentation process, which boosts the alcohol content and alters the
flavor of the final product.
If the spirits are added before the fermentation process is
complete, the fortified wine acquires a sweeter taste. Conversely, the wine
tends to be more dry if the spirits are added later.
Both sweet and dry varieties are often served as aperitifs or
digestifs before or after meals to help stimulate appetite and digestion.
Some types are also used in cooking to add a delicious twist to
your favorite recipes.
Several types of fortified wine are available, each differing in
flavor and production method.
Here are the most common types of fortified wine:
- Port wine. This type
originates in Portugal but is now produced worldwide. Brandy is added to
the wine before it has finished fermenting, resulting in a sweeter flavor.
- Sherry. Sherry is
available in several varieties based on the type of grapes used. Though
it’s traditionally dry, it’s sometimes sweetened and served as a dessert
wine.
- Madeira. Originating
in the Portuguese Madeira Islands, this type is heated and oxidized by
exposing it to air. Brandy is added at different times during
fermentation, causing variations in flavors.
- Marsala. Marsala is a
common cooking wine that’s fortified after fermentation, giving it a
distinct dry flavor. It’s also sometimes sweetened, making it a great
addition to dessert recipes.
- Vermouth. Available both dry
and sweet, vermouth is a fortified white wine that’s often flavored with
herbs and spices like cloves and cinnamon. It’s also used
to make cocktails like martinis, Manhattans, and Negronis.
Like regular wine, fortified wine may offer several health
benefits.
Rich in antioxidants
Fortified wine is high in antioxidants, which
are powerful compounds that help neutralize free radicals to protect against
cell damage and chronic disease (3Trusted Source).
In particular, wine contains antioxidants like catechin,
epicatechin, and proanthocyanidins (4Trusted Source).
Red wine is also rich in resveratrol, an antioxidant thought to
aid conditions like heart disease, stroke, high blood pressure, diabetes, and
certain types of cancer (5Trusted Source, 6Trusted Source, 7Trusted Source).
Note that red wine may
be higher in antioxidants, as it’s made using the skin of grapes, which are
especially high in these beneficial compounds (8Trusted Source).
Additionally, research shows that your body may not absorb the
antioxidants in fortified wine well, so it’s best to focus on getting the
majority of your intake from nutritious foods like fruits and vegetables (9Trusted Source).
Supports heart health
Some research suggests that moderate wine intake may
benefit heart health (10Trusted Source, 11Trusted Source).
In fact, studies indicate that light to moderate drinking is
associated with a lower risk of heart disease, stroke, and diabetes, as well as
a 30% reduced risk of dying from heart disease (12Trusted Source).
What’s more, one 4-week study in 69 people found that drinking
red wine increased levels of HDL (good) cholesterol by up to 16% (13Trusted Source).
HDL cholesterol helps clear fatty plaque build-up from your
arteries, which may reduce heart disease risk (14Trusted Source).
Keep in mind that heavy drinking can
harm your heart and contribute to alcoholic cardiomyopathy, which is a disease
that impairs your heart’s ability to pump blood efficiently (15Trusted Source).
May protect against chronic disease
Some studies note that fortified wine may help prevent several
chronic conditions.
For example, one large study showed that long-term, moderate
wine intake was associated with a lower risk of type 2 diabetes in women
with excess weight (16Trusted Source).
Other research suggests that drinking wine may improve mental
and brain health by lowering your risk of depression and dementia (17Trusted Source, 18Trusted Source, 19Trusted Source, 20Trusted Source).
Moderate wine intake has also been tied to a reduced risk of
several types of cancer, including colon, ovarian, and prostate cancers (21Trusted Source, 22Trusted Source, 23Trusted Source).
Drinking fortified wine in excess may be associated with several
adverse health effects.
High in calories
Compared with regular wine, fortified wine is often higher in calories.
Ounce for ounce, dessert wines like sherry can pack nearly
double the calories of red wine (24, 25).
Though fortified wine is typically drunk in smaller servings
than regular wine, going overboard can cause calories to stack up quickly,
increasing your risk of weight gain.
Therefore, it’s important to moderate your intake and stick to
one to two servings per day.
The serving size can vary based on the wine type and alcohol
content, but one serving of fortified wine is usually about 3 ounces (88 ml).
Contains more alcohol
Fortified wine has a much higher alcohol content than regular
varieties.
Due to the addition of distilled spirits, such as brandy,
fortified wines can contain 17–20% alcohol, compared with 10–15% for traditional
wine.
Regularly consuming high amounts of alcohol can cause alcohol
dependence, which can trigger withdrawal symptoms when use is discontinued (26Trusted Source).
What’s more, excessive alcohol intake can
contribute to liver disease, weight gain, brain damage, and heart failure (27Trusted Source, 28Trusted Source, 29Trusted Source, 30Trusted Source).
Limiting your daily alcohol intake is the best way to prevent
adverse effects.
Moderate drinking is defined as one alcoholic beverage per day
for women and two for men in the most recent Dietary Guidelines for Americans (31Trusted Source).
High in sugar
Compared with many other types of alcohol, wine is naturally
higher in sugar, as it’s made from grapes.
Fortified wine packs even more sugar, as many varieties are made
by adding spirits to the wine during the fermentation process before the sugars
have been converted into alcohol.
Other types are sweetened after fermentation, boosting their
sugar content further.
Sweet dessert wines like port wines harbor approximately 7 grams
of sugar per 3-ounce (88-ml) serving (24).
Consuming high amounts of sugar has
been linked to a host of health conditions, including diabetes, obesity, liver
problems, and heart disease (32Trusted Source).
For this reason, the 2015–2020 Dietary Guidelines for Americans
recommend limiting your added sugar intake to less than 10% of your daily
calories, which translates to about 50 grams on a standard 2,000-calorie diet (31Trusted Source).
This means that just one glass of fortified wine can knock out
about 14% of your daily limit for added sugar, which is why it’s important to
enjoy this sweet treat in moderation as part of a healthy diet.
The bottom line
Fortified wine is wine that contains a distilled spirit like
brandy.
Common varieties include port wine, sherry, and vermouth. They
differ in flavor based on their ingredients and degree of fermentation.
Though moderate intake of fortified wine may offer health
benefits, drinking it in excess may harm your health.
Therefore, it’s best to limit your intake and enjoy fortified
wine as an occasional treat as part of a well-rounded, healthy diet.
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