IT ALL BEGAN BY ACCIDENT…
Port has thousands of years of complicated history involving wars, treaties and international shipping practices. Our history is a lot simpler—and a lot more fun.
Bill Reading always knew chocolate and wine were meant for each other. But chocolate and wine didn’t seem to think so. His attempts to marry the two into one unique after-dinner wine just didn’t work. That all changed on a night 20 years ago when he and a winemaker friend took a chance and added a dash of dark chocolate essence into a glass of port.
One sip and he knew that he’d found the perfect pairing. That’s when DECO was born—a port with essences of dark chocolate. A year later, using his creative matchmaking skills, Bill created DUET, an after-dinner sherry with essences of natural hazelnut.
With their unique composition and sleek packaging, DECO and DUET revolutionized the fortified wine world. Many port and sherry producers have tried to copy this formula.
Bill’s creativity extends to other drinkable delights. We now offer single vintage, single vineyard ports made from sustainably grown petite sirah and petit verdot grapes. We distill three distinctive grappas from the pomace left from portmaking and recently introduced DYNA, a refreshing Chardonnay-based aperitif.
From the beginning, Caryn Reading has worked alongside Bill. Her culinary skills and palate are the perfect match for Bill’s unique approach. You’ll often find her in the Portworks tasting room chatting with port lovers and first-time tasters about the pleasures of pairing port with cheese, desserts and other after-dinner creations.
