A good article - Paul Symington

[Andy Velebil]

Your thoughts...

At the first tasting of Graham’s Single Harvest Tawny Ports in Hong Kong, Paul Symington described Port as being at a “crossroads.”

“We’ve been around since the time of the dinosaurs and we will stay in this dinosaur age until we reinvent ourselves and shake off this image of Port only being drunk at London’s city clubs with old men quaffing it by the gallon. The world is calling out for something different.”

https://www.thedrinksbusiness.com/2016/ ... osaur-age/

[Roy Hersh]

What's next, 2015 Brexit LBV or Trump Vintage Port?

In all seriousness, I have heard this from the Port trade for over two decades. That old guard image of British clubs, cigars, old men and loads of Port. Is it still really the elephant in the room today, as it was a quarter of a century ago? Probably not. When traveling, I see lots of younger people drinking Port these days. Maybe not as much in the USA, but definitely all over Europe. The quantities may not be there yet, but it is happening. Women are also loving on Port these days and that is likely an even bigger game changer. We shall see.

So, if the new wave is wood-aged vintage dated, single harvest, Colheita ... whatever name is en vogue ... glad to see that is the focus. We've all realized it was a hot category since Scion led the pack.

The switch from bottle-aged to wood-aged Port with indication of vintage is certainly a novel approach. Will it be the panacea the Port trade needs in order to transform how the marketplace sees their image?

I certainly have an opinion, as I am sure Andy does, too. However, we'd love to hear yours!

[Andy Velebil]

I was hoping some others would chime in, so guess I'll wade back in now.

Roy,
What struck me wasn't the old image comments but his thoughts about how Colheita's (or whatever name you want to call them) are making market strides and they are the new focus. IMO, this is the worst type of Port to push as ones sales leader. Simply as it takes so long to age them one ends up with a supply issue when they suddenly get popular, and they are getting more popular. As a result that supply issue is already becoming a problem. It's why TFP bought Krohn's and all those old stocks from the Casa do Douro. So what happens when they start to run low yet again? How do you keep the product to the same high quality? How to you keep up with demand? Because when you start to run out or start cheapening the product, and you will if it becomes ever more popular, your customers will stop buying and go find something else to buy from someone else.

[Roy Hersh]

I see your point Andy, but if shippers start using the law of thirds differently and start putting away more significant stocks of wood-aged Ports. Sure, it will take another generation or two to build up long term stocks, but you have to start somewhere. If things grow more scarce and supply shrinks, prices will go up. It has to be something the Port producers consider. Right? So they see their cost per liter rise and all is good with the world of Port. We shall see. I am not convinced about this being the way to change the image. Sure it is one of several ways, but other ways to approach younger and especially female consumers would have a very significant impact on both sales and image. There are no easy answers and it is worth experimenting. Of course, education is one of the greatest keys. Another thing that is somewhat new, the level of tourism the Port houses get, especially when they not only have visitor centers in Gaia, but up in the Douro too. Two decades from now, the Douro will be a very different place in terms of hotels, homes/real estate and dining establishments ... springing up everywhere to meet the new demand that will just keep growing as new markets like China, India, Hong Kong, etc. catch on to the greatness of Port wine!

From taking LOTS of people to Portugal to explore Port, I pay close attention to what my clientele appreciates and even with some novices and intermediates that go on the PHT1 and Fortification Tour, or new people who do make it on the PHT2, I am surprised at how many fall in love with the wood-aged Ports, whether that is the TWAIOA or Colheitas or the super high end Very Old Tawnies. Anyway, I do notice a higher percentage of our guests that find them easier to understand and appreciate than the bottle-aged LBV, Vintage Ports etc. Learning the nuances of Vintage Port takes a lot more time.

While I know we love both styles (and more), we are not your "typical" Port consumer. If that was the case, Port would be the most popular beverage in the world.

[Andy Velebil]

I would agree and say tawny's are far easier for people to understand. I would assume a main reason as to why they are catching on. But again, a producer would need decades from today to end up with some good sorta aged tawnys. If demand goes way up right now there is no way to offset that in a short time frame. Sure you can raise prices because things get scarce, but we've seen people aren't willing to pay tons of money for young tawny's that are just average. In relative terms it wouldn't take much for the aged tawny supply to start drying up if demand suddenly spikes for any decent time period.

As for the tourism. Fear of terrorism in mainland Europe is driving lots of tourism to Portugal, as it hasn't had any issues, so far. However, one bad event and that could be disastrous for Porto, the Douro, and other regions of the country. And not to be Debbie Downer, but if you look at most regions/countries that had similar spikes in tourism like what Porto and the Douro are experiencing history has generally shown that doesn't last. And when it crashes it's a big hit on the locals. I do hope they are enjoying the feast, they deserve it, but should prepare for the famine as well. Better to be safe than sorry later.

[John M.]

Not to be lost here but as a consumer if you buy an old tawny that was bottled last year, you know you are getting something without bottle issues and a consistent product. VP, with provenance such a large factor and bottle variation, is tougher and not consistent.

[Moses Botbol]

What's next, 2015 Brexit LBV or Trump Vintage Port?

In all seriousness, I have heard this from the Port trade for over two decades. That old guard image of British clubs, cigars, old men and loads of Port. Is it still really the elephant in the room today, as it was a quarter of a century ago? Probably not.

Why not also promote that image of port as being something cool? "Britishness" is quite hot in the world of fashion, culture, entertainment, etc... They've been on the upswing of hip for a while; use it to your advantage!

[Andy Velebil]

Not to be lost here but as a consumer if you buy an old tawny that was bottled last year, you know you are getting something without bottle issues and a consistent product. VP, with provenance such a large factor and bottle variation, is tougher and not consistent.

No doubt that is a huge plus side to old tawny's.

[Glenn E.]

I agree with Andy. While I love old tawnies and am happy to see so many producers putting them out now, I'm very concerned about it becoming the latest "trend" and destroying itself. You simply can't make good tawnies quickly. It takes decades, and that means you really can't react to changing demand.

What happens if Colheita starts to become popular, so the producers start laying down pipes and pipes and pipes of it for the future, but then it turns out to be just the most recent drinks fad? They'll have huge stocks that they don't need... though that would at least have the pleasant side effect of surplus decades-old Port for future generations.

Even worse is what happens now... if demand spikes, prices will go through the roof (the ever-present law of supply and demand), and those prices would likely never recover. Businesses don't often bring prices back down after a surge... they try to maintain the prices instead, and in the case of Port that might cause demand to dry up. People are used to Port being affordable.

Would you buy Colheita at Bordeaux prices (a 10x or more increase)? Yeah, I thought not.

[Eric Menchen]

Encompassing the years of 1982, 1972, 1969, 1961 and 1952 plus a 90-year-old and the extremely rare Ne Oublie 1882, the tasting highlighted the potential of undeclared years which would normally have been set aside for blending into Vintage Ports.

As for the world calling out for something different, those years aren't calling to most of the world. What percentage of the world is going to pay $114 for a bottle of wine? That's the cheapest I could find the 1982 Graham colheita for. You can find a few other 1982s for a fair bit less, but still beyond what most are willing to pay.

And what is that statement about undeclared year product being blended into VP? The author is mixed up too.

[Andy Velebil]

Encompassing the years of 1982, 1972, 1969, 1961 and 1952 plus a 90-year-old and the extremely rare Ne Oublie 1882, the tasting highlighted the potential of undeclared years which would normally have been set aside for blending into Vintage Ports.

As for the world calling out for something different, those years aren't calling to most of the world. What percentage of the world is going to pay $114 for a bottle of wine? That's the cheapest I could find the 1982 Graham colheita for. You can find a few other 1982s for a fair bit less, but still beyond what most are willing to pay.

And what is that statement about undeclared year product being blended into VP? The author is mixed up too.

Considering the average price of wine sold in the USA is something like less than $18 (IIRC), you are correct. You're average non-wine person isn't going to spend $100+ for any bottle of wine, except as a gift on a rare occasion.

[Luc Gauthier]

These colheita's , if they find there way to montréal aren't gonna be cheap. Lbv and 10yr old tawny have been the bread and butter for many restaurants in montréal. Why , the consumer will pay under 30 bucks for good and cheap
Just saying ...

[Scheiny S]

heh, i don't know anyone who thinks of Port as only being quaffed in leatherbound English gentleman's clubs. when i mention it, all people think of is for cooking or they ask "Isn't that stuff syrupy sweet?"

in the rare instance that someone i know who isn't already into Port wants to get a bottle for a special occasion, they're looking in the $20-$30 range. my impression for the most part, is that for colheita to become the hot new thing, they mostly won't draw new customers. they'll just change buying habits of current Port drinkers, moving the same money to one style from others, and it's a style that takes longer so is harder to produce.

[Eric Ifune]

One other factor is that Portugal is now "fashionable." All the travel sites and magazines are talking about it. With it, the hope would be that Port could become "fashionable" again. And hopefully not just for the short term.