In the seventeenth century, a rich tradition was born in the Douro Valley of Portugal. It is a sweet wine called Port. Over 40 California wineries produce port-style wine today. But what makes this sweet dessert wine so unique is the variety of Portugal grapes used in the process.

Ficklin Vineyards in Madera uses four varieties of grapes in their wine, the Touriga, the Tinta Madera, the Souzo and the Tinta Cao. However, during the winemaking process, the fermentation is stopped with the addition of brandy, which is the traditional method from Portugal. This brandy is a distillate made from wine, which is very young, clean and neutral.

Besides sipping port wine, you can also use it for baking. Here's a decadent chocolate port wine cake that will warm your heart.

Chocolate Port Cake with chocolate sauce

4 oz. Unsalted butter
1/2 cup Ficklin Port Wine
4 oz. Unsweetened chocolate
1 cup of sugar
3 eggs, separated
3/4 cup sifted all-purpose flour
1/8 teaspoon salt
Butter and line bottom with wax paper and dust with flour one 10" cake pan. Melt wine, butter and chocolate together in metal bowl set over simmering water.

Set aside 2 tablespoons of sugar.
Combine remaining sugar and egg yolks in mixer and beat until pale yellow. Add melted chocolate (slowly) beat until smooth, then add flour and beat until smooth. Beat egg whites and sugar until soft peaks form.
When firm, fold in 1/3 of chocolate mixture.
Transfer to clean bowl and fold in remaining chocolate.
Bake for 30 minutes in 325-degree oven.
Cake best served warm, ok to reheat in microwave.
Served as a one-layer cake topped with sauce below.

Chocolate port sauce

1 cup of sugar
1/4 Ficklin Port wine
2 cups of water
8 oz. unsweetened chocolate
1 pint of cream

Boil water, sugar and port to make a syrup. Reduce heat, melt chocolate. Remove from heat and add cream. Sauce can be held at room temperature for 1 hour or reheated in double broiler or microwave.