Port is fortied wine, i.e. wine where the fermentation is stopped by adding so much brandy that the yeast is killed.
Vintage port is the most expensive, and is only made in singularly succesful years (the declared vintage years). It develops in oak barrels for a maximum of two years, and will normally need several years in bottle before they are ripe. The longer they are kept on bottle, the more crust they will grow - so older vintage ports have to be decanted very carefully before serving.
Other port varieties are Tawny, which is made as a blend of port matured in wood barrels. Some of these Tawnies are labelled 10, 20 or even 40 years, meaning that the average age of the constituents are say 10 years.
White Port is made from white grapes, and is often not considered real port by Port lovers...
Sherry is another fortified wine, where the fermentation is stopped by adding brandy, but only to the extent that yeast can survive. After this a second fermentation starts with a special yeast called 'flor'. The flor may exist as a layer on top of the wine in a container. Some varieties are made by allowing oxidation. You may find sherries with an enormous span of sweetness: from the dry Fino over the sophistictaed Amontilado to the black and viscous Pedro Ximenez.
You are not asking about Madeira, which is also a fortied wine. The process is very special, as the wine is subjected to heating at temperatures around 40 degrees celcius for several months. Madeira comes in various degrees of sweetness, and the best often have a nutty smell and taste. This wine is very robust, and is said to be the only wine fit for cigar smokers!

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