One of my most influential university professors taught me “You can’t manage it, if you can’t measure it.” Here is a list of our more important measurable achievements from the prior year, which I’m pleased to be able to share with you. YOU give US a “reason” to work harder:

  • Facebook page launched on St. Patrick’s Day 2010, often exceeding 2,000 views per day.
  • Nine issues of For The Love of Port newsletters published with 620 total pages of content. My sincere thanks to ALL the friends who’ve donated Guest Corner articles!
  • The Tasting Notes Data Base (TNDB) expanded by over 50%, going from nearly 5,000 tasting notes to over 7,500. Additionally, we integrated the TNDB with CellarTracker and WineSearcher.
  • “My Tasting Notes” feature was added to our TNDB, providing direct access to individual user’s own notes.
  • FTLOP went mobile with Tapatalk, enabling people to access our Forum on nearly any cell phone.
  • The SAQ in the Eastern Provinces of Canada began using Roy Hersh’s tasting notes for all Port in their stores and catalogues; joining Rare Wine Co., Flickinger’s, The Spanish Table, Zachy’s along with many other prominent retailers in North America in the past 12 months.
  • FTLOP introduced Quevedo Ports in the USA through one of our Subscribers-Only Buying Opportunity.
  • Roy Hersh was the first wine critic worldwide to taste the Noval Black and provided a detailed tasting note initially used by Noval during their US roll out of this new product.
  • FTLOP was quoted in the New York Times, Harpers Wine & Spirits magazine (UK), and SLATE magazine.
  • For the second consecutive year, FTLOP held four exclusive “subscriber’s only buying ops” including a very rare bottling of 1890 Burmester Colheita; magnums of Taylor and Fonseca Vintage Ports offered in the USA and UK respectively; Quevedo Ports & Douro Wine; plus Douro wine by Quinta do Crasto and Broadbent Ports & Madeiras.
  • The FTLOP Forum had its 2,500th member sign up in December and the forum is steadily approaching 65,000 posts since its inception.
  • PORTraits remains the #1 resource for Port, Madeira & Douro wine photographs, growing the number of guest views by 25%.
  • The FTLOP Newsletter now reaches recipients in over 70 countries around the world.
  • 2010 saw the sixth anniversary of the newsletter In February, the 50th issue of the newsletter in March, and the fifth anniversary of the website and forum in July.
  • FTLOP created a new logo for the newsletter and redesigned our home page to make it more user-friendly.
  • We introduced categories for the FTLOP Video Gallery, and the video content continues to grow in our gallery.
  • With fully booked tours in 2010; FTLOP will expand our Portuguese wine tours to three trips this year.
  • For Google rankings we’ve “naturally” ascended to a Top 5 position when typing Vintage Port and second overall for Port Wine Travel.

 

Special thanks to Stewart Todd and David Spriggs for their tireless work above, and to Andy Velebil who does a ton behind the scenes in gently moderating the Forum, and lots of “stuff” that goes unnoticed by the masses. Without these 3 individuals, FTLOP would never be an innovator. Thanks also to all of you who use the Forum (lurk or post), Video Gallery, TNDB, PORTraits, Facebook page and subscribe/read the newsletters!