For The Love Of Port

I am posting this request here in the knowledge the FTLOP is well represented across the US and members better placed than I to advice on buying port in the states. A friend of mine, based in North Carolina, has asked for some advice. The original question was: "Ben. My wife is a port gal now. ...

Al B. wrote:A bottle of Churchill 1985

And lovely it was too! Thank you.

In a similar vein, Al. B and I drank a Ramos Pinto 1995 LBV and a Martinez 1985 at Lord's yesterday. Very civilised but not your ordinary port drinking location or time - we started at 11am!

Despite my child induced tiredness, it does occur to me that Andy may have a point regarding the two V's. If I remember correctly, Vinha Velha means 'old grapes' (or old vines?) so WWW could be 'very old grapes' perhaps?

Al B wrote:Don't necessarily dismiss the Cruz '89. At $35 a bottle it might just be worth a try.

I would echo this. When i started to get into port more, this was readily available locally at around GBP15. At that price, as Alex says, it is well worth trying. I went back for more!

On the basis of my consistently good experience with the Graham's Malvedos from 1987, that would get my vote. Although a very different wine, the Delafore Quinta da Corte from 1987 is also very good, albeit probably one to drink now. The Malvedos on the other hand probably has further upside for man...

Having had the privilege of attending, I can only echo what has been said, that the wines showed a generally great consistency. My wine of the night was the 1986 Malvedos, with all of the Malvedos from the 1980's showing extremely well. As a child of 1970, I was also pleased to find the 1970 Graham'...

Is there a way you could automate links to other TN's out on the web? A bit like the BBC do with their news website, showing links to other news sites stories on the same subject?

In answer to the original question, yes. 12 bottles of Dow 1960, imported by J W Holt & Son of Liverpool (my grandfather's company, for whom he was "the man in West Africa", buying coffee, cocoa etc). Unfortunately my father knew of these before I did, so I have only had 6 of them, of ...

This was my wine of the night from a "Vargellathon" held in London this week. A line up that consisted of: 1964 1965 1967 (Corney & Barrow bottled, 1969) 1967 (Oporto bottled, 1970) 1972 1978 1982 1987 1991 1996 Having declared the line up, I will mention the fact it started as a plan ...

I have just acquired a few bottles of Graham's Quinta dos Malvedos 1987 and it is one of the nicest ports I have tried in a while. Looks, smells and tastes like a wine at least 10 years younger than it is. I am just wondering how long i can resist the others! I have also really enjoyed a couple of o...

Alex,

Interesting to read yor thoughts. I bought a bottle of this from Asda but for £12.99 so you did do well on price. Not yet tried it but keen to do so as like you I have never had crusted as a style.

I do have one other bottle - a Grahams 2001 from Sainsbury's at £14.

Cheers,

Ben

Having become a dad for the first time in 2008 (and having been the grateful recipient of Dow 1960 from my grandfather) I am a very serious advocate of this practice. Interesting to hear the suggestion it is a British tradition not generally practised elsewhere. My own take on it is thus: Edward, bo...

I have only tried on Royal Oporto - the 1970. It is my birth year so I have a bias to the vintage anyway. It was very enjoyable. I would certainly buy another bottle given the chance!

I do not have the records to fulfill a "Top 10" with any degree of accuracy, so this is simply my most memorable recorded Ports. I have been fortunate to try a number of great Ports over the years, but never really thought about keeping notes until recently. However, the top 1 sticks in th...