As we begin to see the pandemic receding in our rearview mirrors, I thought it would be good to revisit this article (which appeared in the FTLOP Newsletter) as a reminder that if there is a will, there is always a way... to drink Port with friends. - Roy Hersh. Article and photos by Glenn [...]
Port has a long, proud history that dates back to the early 18th century. Many credit the hostilities between England and France for its creation. Essentially, the English blockaded the French ports, preventing them from exporting wines. The Methuen Treaty of 1703, granted “most favored nation” status to Portugal, keeping their wine much less expensive [...]
Two half centuries of Port a 2-part series and the first half was filled with oldies, the 1920’s through 1960’s. Part 1 can be found here. It is known that over the course of recent centuries, there have been on average three Vintage Port declarations per decade. If you could afford a bottle from the [...]
Two half centuries of Port is a 2-part series and the first half is filled with oldies. It is well known that over the course of history, from the time that Port was fortified, there has been an average of 3 Vintage Port declarations per decade. But in those decades what are the gems to [...]
It is easy for Port Wine lovers to miss some of the rich cultural and historical gems that Portugal has to offer when focused only on the wines. My first trip to Portugal was in 2006 on the For The Love Of Port Harvest Tour. The tour focused mainly on the two important wine-related areas [...]
The old, rustic train pulled into the Pinhão train station, with its Portuguese-tiled exterior walls reflecting the bright afternoon sun. It is a tiny station tucked in between the terraced hillside vineyards and the Douro River, and it pulses with activity and tourists for a few brief moments with each arriving train until surrendering back [...]
Photo Source: Upsplash.com Article by Rebecca Siggers © June 2020 Portugal’s drinking culture is known for its etiquette, as there is never any real impetus to get drunk. The drinks are savored with each sip; no wonder some of the best cocktail recipes come from the Portuguese. The individual wines and Ports are [...]
The Douro Valley, the birthplace of Port, is one of the oldest wine regions in the world, and the only place legally able to produce “Port wine” — it was officially demarcated by the Marques de Pombal, an important Portuguese Prime Minister, in 1756. But, before the advent of roads and railways, the Douro wine region could only be [...]
Article and photos by Rebecca Siggers © February 22nd 2020 Portugal is among the most ranked countries in Europe in terms of scenic views and beautiful landscapes. The place is also famous for its elegant hotels and delicious food and wines. If you are planning to take a trip to the country, you need to [...]
By The Fireside: A Modern Twist on Port and Coffee The first recorded use of the term ‘cocktail’ was in a 1798 British newspaper, but the cocktail as we know it today wasn’t defined until the publication of The Balance and Columbian Repository in 1806. Since then, cocktails have had a firm place on many drinks menus. [...]
