What could be a more fitting complement to holiday meals, cheese plates or sweets and treats than the delicious Ports from Napa Valley’s Prager Winery & Port Works? Port doesn’t have the foothold in the United States that it does in the Iberian Peninsula, but a taste through the Ports at Prager will make you a believer!

Jim Prager has been a believer since 1979, when he and wife, Imogene, moved to Napa Valley and opened the winery after Jim’s successful career as an insurance broker in Southern California. The winery’s first vintage included Cabernet Sauvignon, Chardonnay and Zinfandel, plus a Cabernet Port, which gave the winery something unique that its Napa Valley neighbors weren’t producing.  

For more than 30 years Prager has been a true family-run winery, with Jim and Imogene’s five grown children now running everything from the books to the bottling line. Son, Jeff, is the winery’s general manager; Peter is the winemaker; John handles wine sales and distribution; daughter, Katie is the chief financial officer, and Mary handles the wine club and special events.  

You don’t see dad, Jim, around the winery much anymore since he retired.  According to Jeff Prager, “Once we got a computer in here and then started playing Led Zeppelin, Dad said, ‘that’s it, I’m done!’” Mom, Imogene, stays busy in the kitchen, making the sweet and savory nuts that go famously with any Prager Port. Still, on most days you’ll get at least a couple of Pragers to entertain you in the tasting room.  

That would be the infamous Prager tasting room, where since the late 1980s customers have been leaving dollar bills tacked to the walls and ceiling.  In fact, good luck finding a piece of wall to fit your dollar bill – you may just have to tack it over someone else’s. This great Napa Valley tradition got started after Jim Prager received a survey in the mail that included a $1 bill as enticement to complete and return the survey. Prager tossed the survey and tacked the dollar to the wall of the tasting room. Customers soon followed suit.

Currently the Prager Port-folio includes a total of five Ports, all of which are distinctly balanced and downright delicious. The flagship Port at Prager is the Royal Escort, a big boy made from 100% Petite Sirah grown right in St. Helena. The current release vintage 2006 is an intense wine that can be laid down for a long time or enjoyed in its youth paired with rich dark chocolate, dried fruit or strongly flavored cheeses.

The 10-year-old Tawny Port, dubbed “Noble Companion,” was produced from Cabernet Sauvignon from the 2000 vintage.  The wine was left in French Oak barrels to oxidize as a good tawny does – never topped up, never racked. The result is an amber beauty with nutty, caramel and vanilla notes, great acidity and just enough sweetness to pop its luscious flavors.

In their Tomás Port, the Pragers use the traditional Portuguese Port varietals Touriga, Tinta Cao and Tinta Roriz grown just up the road in Calistoga.  Tomás is an elegant, softer style Port that will pair nicely with holiday fruit and cheese plates. The Aria White Port is quite similar to the Portuguese version of white Ports, which are often paired with lunch fare such as soups, bisques and seafood.  Who says you can only have Port after a meal?  The Aria White Port makes a great apertif to sit around the fireplace before the holiday meal.

While Prager may be best known for its Ports, there’s a Petite Sirah in the house that will impress folks who love a big red wine. The Prager’s is an old school Petite Sirah, aged for two and a half years in American oak barrels, which gives this wine a great spicy character and plenty of backbone. Drink it now with a juicy steak or sock it away as it’s sure to improve for many years.

Beyond their great selection of wines, Prager has lots of other fun gifts for the holidays. You’ll fall in love with Imogene’s Sweet and Savory Caramelized Walnuts and Sweet and Savory Caramelized Pecans, available in 6- and 4-oz. packages. These delicious nuts, made by Imogene Prager, make a great accompaniment to holiday fruit and cheese plates alongside a Prager Port.

For the chocolate fanatic, Prager now also offers a Chocolate Port Drizzle ($17.95) to pour over fruit or ice cream (or, shhhh, drink straight out of the bottle!) and Chocolate Port Truffles ($13.50 for a box of 12).  Both of these confections are made with Prager Port.  

For a more savory gift, try the Prager 12-year-old Port Balsamic Vinegar, made from Prager Port and aged in cherry and oak wood.

Visit Prager Winery and Port Works at 1281 Lewelling Lane in St. Helena. The winery offers tastings from 10:30 a.m. until 4:30 p.m. daily. For more information, call (707) 963-7678 or go to www.pragerport.com.