Following the name Europe, we come across Europa, a figure from Greek and Roman mythology.
Europa was a princess of Phoenicia, and it is said that Zeus, the king of the gods, took Europa to the Greek island of Crete, where European civilization began to flourish. The Greek name Europa is read as 'Europa' in Latin, which is believed to have become 'Europe' in English.
However, the history of Europe has seldom been smooth. Even in the relatively recent modern era, there has not been a time when war ceased across Europe since the 17th century. The 1600s began with the Third Ottoman-Habsburg War, followed by a string of conflicts including the Thirty Years' War, the Portuguese War of Independence, and the Anglo-Dutch Wars. The 18th century saw Napoleon sweep through all of Europe, and from the 19th century onward, Europe was tumultuous with the Crimean War and the Franco-Prussian War.
War is a tragedy in human history, but at times it brings unexpected results. Some wine experts consider Port wine to be a product of war. The origin of Port wine dates back to the Hundred Years' War, which lasted from 1337 to 1453. As a result of their defeat in the Hundred Years' War, England lost territories in France that they had held for centuries, including the region of Gascony, famous for its wine production.
In search of an alternative place to procure wine, England turned to Porto, a northern city in Portugal close to London. In this region, wines were made from over 30 indigenous Portuguese grape varieties, and even into the 20th century, traditional methods involved people stepping on grapes in large wooden fermentation tanks.
The terraced vineyards along the riverside were bathed in warm sunlight during the day, and when the sun set, the chill coming from the river helped ripen the grapes.
However, even with such good grapes produced by hand, the method of transporting them to England proved problematic. The distance from Porto to London is over 2,000 kilometers (km), and even moving inland would take more than a day.
In the 1500s, it took at least ten times longer to transport wine using sea routes. In contrast, the distance from Bordeaux, France, to London is close since it only requires crossing the English Channel from Paris.
In the 1500s, the English had no stable refrigeration technology to withstand long sea voyages. The wines loaded onto ships in warm Porto often turned into vinegar by the time the bottles were opened in England. It took the English over 200 years to find an alternative by the 17th century.
At that time, the English developed a solution called fortified wine to prevent spoilage. After crushing and fermenting the grapes, mixing high-proof distilled liquor such as brandy into the winemaking process caused the yeast to stop fermenting and vanish.
This way, even ordinary red wine, when mixed with strong brandy, increases its alcohol content, transforming it into a wine that could endure long voyages and rough sea conditions.
Croft, established in England in 1588, is the oldest existing Port wine brand that moved to Portugal in the 17th century. True to its roots in the Douro Valley, the premier production area for Port wine, Croft uses grapes grown in the Quinta da Roêda vineyard, renowned for quality.
Over the more than 400 years since Croft's founding, Europe has not had a moment's peace. In the early 1700s, there was the War of Spanish Succession, and in the late 1700s, the American Revolutionary War, in which England was involved, led to conflicts starting from 1790 with the French Revolutionary Wars.
The early 19th century was marked by the Napoleonic Wars, and as the Napoleonic Wars showed signs of waning in 1812, England and America entered the War of 1812. During this period, many wineries in the Porto region closed their doors. Croft managed to maintain its brand throughout these challenges.
In 1914, World War I broke out, shaking Europe to its core. At that time, Portugal sided with England, France, and the Russian Empire against Germany and Austria-Hungary. The British government temporarily restricted the import of Port wine during the war. Once the war ended, the English, thirsty for Port wine, went wild for the Croft brand. Croft's popularity soared, and sales reached historic highs.
Subsequently, Croft's management changed hands several times. After being part of the global alcoholic beverage group Diageo, it joined the Taylor Fladgate Group in 2001, which had acquired several major Port wine brands in Portugal. The Taylor Fladgate Group has since rebranded itself as the Fladgate Partnership.
Amid a history marked by wars, Croft firmly holds its place among several Port wine brands. It is commonly known that Port wine requires aging to reach its full flavor. In particular, vintage Ports, made exclusively from selected harvested grapes, are renowned for their high satisfaction levels.
Croft's Croft Pink Port is a reinterpretation of Port wine with a light and fresh feel. Port wine typically has an alcohol content about 5% higher than ordinary wine, making it challenging to drink in the summer. However, Pink Port boasts a refreshing taste and aroma, perfect for spring picnics or summer resorts. Croft recommends serving this Port wine with soda or a slice of lemon or lime.
This wine received the institutional sector award in the fortified wine category at the 2024 Korea Alcohol Awards. The importer is CSR Wine.