WINE STYLE: "port" That Doesn't Come From Portugal

[Roy Hersh]

Port wine comes from Portugal, it is that simple. Other dessert fortified wines from other countries are still using the name "port" even if these wines are not what we purists view as real Port. Here is a brief list of some of my favorites from other areas of the world.

These are my 3 favorite producers of port-style wine in the USA:

Hermannhof Winery (Hermann, Missouri) - The best domestic port I have tasted came from this historic winery that dates back to ca. 1850. By the end of the 19th century this small wine producing area was 2nd only to California. Hermannhof's port comes from a vintage blend of estate-grown Chambourcin and Norton grapes, It has been since the early 1990s that I have tried their wines and will admit I have never been to Missouri to see the vineyards and especially this very special place. It is one of the most historic wineries in America and the cellars are legendary.

Ficklin Vineyards (Madera, California) Without question, the best 10 year Tawny port made in the USA ... this has won "Best of New World port" at a judging I took part in during 2000. It is made using native Portuguese grape varietals and I would drink it anyday! They've made vintage dated port since 1948 and their 1991 is the current release if my info is correct. Peter Ficklin took over the winemaking duties after his father passed away some six years ago. CA lost one of its truly legendary winemakers. On a brighter note, the Ficklin name can be found on restaurant wine lists around the USA and their Ficklin NV "Tinta" port @ $10 is one of the best bargains in dessert wine anywhere, and it is easily found in supermarkets and retail shops across the nation.

Mount Pleasant Winery (Augusta, Missouri) 1986 and 1990 vintage ports were the first two I was lucky enough to try. Both were excellent versions of domestic port. Their current vintage port is 1998 and for a sub-$10 dessert wine, it is not only delicious but one heck of a bargain. Something about the limestone in the hills. NOTE: Due to the current owners of this 125 year old winery, in 1980, Augusta, Missouri became the first recognized American Viticultural Area (AVA). This remains my favorite wine trivia question and one of my favorite ports made outside of Portugal.

Others U.S.A. port producers that I have visited and/or tasted and enjoyed:

* Horton (Orange County, Virginia) - Denis Horton makes a variety of ports and is a Virginia Rhone Ranger too. They sometimes do a nice job with their ports, but avoid the Pear port!

* St. Amant (Lodi, CA) - Set up against the Sierra Foothills, one would expect Zin port from here, but that is not the case. They use true Portuguese varietals and I had a vintage port from 1990 that was pretty darn nice. The 1995 gets awards and good press but I have not tasted it yet. A great family owned place to visit.

* Stone Hill (Hermann, Missouri) before I get to the port, I must say that a bottle of 1985 Norton that I tasted in 1999 was one of the biggest surprises in my wine tasting career. The experience struck me for weeks as the wine was fantastic and was a gift to show how little I knew about wine. It proved it's point and I know even less today. In 1910 this was the 2nd largest winery in the USA, having produced 1.25 million gallons of wine per year. Their port is vintage in style and aged amazingly well. I would love to try another bottle as this was really delicious.

* Sonora Winery and port Works (Plymouth, CA) - their specialty is Zinfandel but they make 3 types of Port and I have only had one bottle of their vintage port that I purchased from the late Jerry Mead's cellar and shared with friends at his wine judging down in So. CA.

* Thurston Wolfe (Columbia Valley, WA) Certainly the best port made in Washington State and I have had a number of others. Wade Wolfe consults at Hogue Winery too, but makes his own wine too. This is a well made Zin-based port and the best of which I have tasted was the 1997 from the Burgess Vineyard. Nice wine and priced right too!

Hinzerling makes a bunch of dessert wines you can try at the winery and Yakima River Winery is another producer of port in WA and the latter makes John's Port (named after the owner/winemaker himself).

* Praeger's Winery & port Works (Napa, CA) hidden behind Sutter Home sits this unique if not bizarre garage which is Praegar. Worth the visit when in Napa although their port is merely good and in my opinion, overpriced ($45 for a 10 year old tawny ca. 1999. They also etch cool looking large format bottles for gifts.

* Goose Watch Winery (Finger Lakes, NY) - Possibly the only white port I can remember drinking from the USA... was the Goose Watch Finale White port -made from a blend of grapes: Vingnoles, Riesling, Vidal, Muscat and Vognier.

* Pindar Vineyards - (Long Island, NY) - this is a Cabernet based port, from one of the few LI wineries to date back into the '70s. It is LI's largest producing winery. Decent port at best.

* Duckwalk Vineyards - (Long Island, NY) - I don't understand why they bring in the blueberries from the state of Maine to make their blueberry port, but they do to make this wine ... which may work as a pancake syrup too.

* Quady (Madera, CA) best known for their play on words brand named "Starboard" but it tastes good. The've been making vintage port since 1975. I had a bottle of their 1990 vintage Starboard and it was a winner and was already at a decade of bottle age at the time. It was a blend of Zinfandel, and 3 Portuguese cultivars as well.

[Eric Ifune]

There's also a Ficklin Old Vine which is a few dollars more per bottle but also a bit more depth.

[Al B.]

Roy,

An interesting post. I don't recall ever seeing an American "port" offered for retail in the UK, but I will look out for one when I'm next in the US.

Do you have any intention of offering similar thoughts on other parts of the world such as South Africa or Australia? (Or if you've already posted your thoughts on these countries on other forums then perhaps you could post a link for us.)

Thanks,

Alex

[Roy Hersh]

I have had solid experiences with Australian dessert wines, but moreso the gorgeous Muscat based wines of the Rutherglen area. I've also had my share of tawny-style port from Australia from the most basic cheap bottles to their version of vintage port and even Para-port going back to 1898.

But if I were to buy port styled wine from anywhere it would be from my second favorite country in the world, (at least for wine touring) South Africa. There are many producers of Cape port and slightly more than a handful of top notch portmakers there, utilizing the Portuguese cultivars and in some cases, smuggled-in root stock. I've even tasted a good number from the 1920s and 1930s and supposedly the best young ones and was way impressed with the quality improvements taking place in the Western Cape's efforts to emulate what is being made in Portugal. Their best vintage and tawny efforts would dominate the finest made in the USA, imho.

[dave leach]

roy,
i agree with you on australian dessert wines. i too love the muscats and tokays of r.l. buller and campbells from rutherglen, and they are terfific values, usually in the $15.00 range. they also make some very fine tawnys. dutschke makes a killer 22 year tawny, and yalumba has a 50 year tawny(i think the only 50 year made that i'm aware of) thats a little hot and spirity, but loaded with oak and nut flavors. the friends i've turned onto it have loved it, but its made in very small quantities and hard to find.
roy, you mention south african ports but don't specifically mention any houses that you recommend. care to elaborate?

[Andy Velebil]

Dave,

Here a link to a couple of SA fortified wines I have tried.

http://fortheloveofport.com/index.php?o ... &Itemid=47

http://fortheloveofport.com/index.php?o ... &Itemid=47

if you use the search funtion, type in "South African" and you will get some good results.

There are some good ones out there, and the couple I've had have been rather good.

[McSlick]

As good a place as any for my first post...

Actually, an Australian fortified Muscat (R.L. Buller) and a Ukranian fortified Bastardo (Glac' ?) are what led me to try Port in the first place.

I have only recently discovered Port and my limited experience is mostly with tawnies. That said, I have found Hardy's 'Whiskers Blake' to be an outstanding Australian tawny. It is marketed as an 8-year, but I think it is equal or superior to the 10-year tawnies that are my regulars.

I have also tried Trevor Jones 'Jonesy' which I found interesting but far less enjoyable. It is marketed as a '46-year' which is, admittedly, well beyond my experience...

At around $15 and $12/bottle, respectively, I think they're both worth trying.

Regards,
Ryan.

[Andy Velebil]

Ryan,

Let me be the first to welcome you to FTLOP, it is great to have you here posting. This is a great group of lovers off all things Portuguese. And just to warn you, you may get some good natured ribbing about those "port imposters." Don't worry about it, this is the friendliest wine forum I know of. That being said, there are some decent Australian fortified wines out there that I've had. And truth be told, I drank the same ones early in my Port drinking career too. So, please post about what you've tried (what ever that may be) and let us know how you liked or disliked it and what ever questions you may have, as none are too small, will elicit some very helpful answers.

[Roy Hersh]

Ryan,

Experimentation is the beginning of "discovery" and if it is inexpensive quality oriented Australian stickies that get you to try the real McCoy from Portugal at some point ... the more power to you!

Welcome aboard and thanks for your post. Please DO feel free to ask ANY and all questions you may have about fortified wines, obviously this is a Port, Madeira and even Douro wine-centric Forum ... but we occasionally make exceptions and if you post any "questionable" topics in the OTHER DISCUSSIONS FORUM, I'll move it to the right spot if need be.

Regardless, thanks for joining us here at the FTLOP and I hope you will be learning along with the rest of us!

[Peter W. Meek]

The one I liked best (because it tastes a lot like Nimrod, at half the price; maybe a little more fruit) is Clocktower Tawny from Australia. It comes in short, roundish bottles (sort of like a stubby decanter).

[goncalo devesas]

Interesting... I always wonder how do these "Port style" tasted

[Andy Velebil]

While I've had many "ports" from California, most never seem to gain the complexity that their Portuguese counterparts do, even if made from the same traditional grape varietals. I don't know why that is, as these California ones are made by some talented wine makers who have a lot of experience.

I've often wondered if this lack of complexity in California "ports" made with traditional varieties was related to the different soil types, as the vines are the same as those being used in Portugal. Generally speaking California has a similar climate to the Douro, hot summers and moderate nights. Yet we don't have the shist soil where the vines roots dig really deep to get water. Or maybe it's the over abundance of ground water here that doesn't stress the vines enough.

Just thinking out loud here, so please feel free to chime in with your thoughts.

[Glenn E.]

It's entirely possible that it is the water itself, whether it is ground water or rain. Or at the very least the water is probably part of it - I'm sure that soil composition is a much bigger factor.

Food Detectives on the Food Network recently did a show trying to determine whether or not New York City's water has anything to do with the perception that NYC pizza is better than any other, and every single one of the judges was able to pick out the 1 pizza (out of 4 identical ones all made by the same chef who didn't know which water was which while cooking) that was made with NYC tap water.

So the chemical composition of the water could very easily play a role in the complexity of Port.

[Eric Menchen]

The water is incredibly important in making beer, and historically dictated which styles came from which part of the world. With modern chemistry you can adjust the water for brewing, but that isn't so feasible for winemaking. I can see that being one of the factors.

[Andy Velebil]

Hmm, interesting points. I'll have to keep this question in mind when I speak to some winemakers. I am quite interested in it.

[Roy Hersh]

I understand the basics of beer making but admittedly it is not my strong point. However, I do not really see the importance of water as it relates to wine and possibly less so with Port. Port is not NY pizza.