Ruby Port
⏳ Drinking Window
Typically best enjoyed within 1–8 years of release.
🍽️ Food & Wine Pairings
Blue cheese, dark chocolate truffles, artisanal berry tarts
✨ Technical Specifications
JM Cellars' Ruby Port represents a passionate nod to the historic fortified wines of the Douro Valley, reimagined through the lens of Washington State's exceptional terroir. Crafted from traditional Portuguese grape varieties grown in warm, sun-drenched sites like the Snipes Mountain AVA, this wine benefits from dramatic diurnal temperature swings that preserve natural acidity while achieving optimal ripeness. The winemaking process respects tradition, utilizing neutral grape spirits to halt fermentation and preserve the natural residual sugars of the fruit. Aged in neutral oak barrels to emphasize fresh, vibrant dark berry profiles rather than heavy wood influence, this Ruby Port showcases the remarkable adaptability of Portuguese grapes in the Pacific Northwest, offering a rich, velvety texture and a warming, expressive finish.
🍾 About the Producer
Established in 1998 by John and Peggy Bigelow, JM Cellars is a benchmark family-owned artisanal winery centered at Bramble Bump, a wooded sanctuary in Woodinville, Washington. Initially mentored by prominent Washington vintners Mike Januik and Charlie Hoppes, the Bigelows evolved from basement garagistes into leading producers of small-lot, site-expressive Pacific Northwest wines. While production operations are based in Woodinville and Maltby, estate fruit originates from Margaret's Vineyard—a certified sustainable and Salmon-Safe site perched within Walla Walla's acclaimed SeVein development. Complementing their estate plantings, JM Cellars selectively sources from venerated Columbia Valley, Yakima Valley, and Red Mountain vineyards, including Boushey, Stillwater Creek, and Quintessence. Winemaking under John and his son Tommy emphasizes precision and texture, utilizing small-batch fermentations in stainless steel, concrete eggs, and French oak barrels. Benchmark cuvées include their signature Tre Fanciulli red blend, Margaret's Vineyard Bordeaux varietals, and vineyard-designated Viognier, Sauvignon Blanc, and Chardonnay, consistently distinguished by vibrant fruit purity and structured finesse.
🍇 Grapes
Touriga Nacional, Souzão, Tinta Cão