PRODUCER SPOTLIGHT: A "NEW" BI-WEEKLY FOCUS

[Roy Hersh]

This is a new feature of the FORUM, not quite worthy of creating a seperate Forum area ... at least yet.

Every two weeks, I will select a specific Port Producer and will keep this centered at the top of the Port Forum. Everything is fair game in this specific area, from TNs you have on a Port or two that you have tried from this particular shipper to just providing the specific Ports you like, love or don't ... that they've made. You can bring up a memory about the time you visited the property, what stood out, etc. comments on the availability of their Port, even their Douro wines. Any historical perspective will make for a fun read as well. I may ask the winemaker or owner to jump in OR if they are reluctant to do so ... they can email their rsponse for me to include here.

Let's take it slowly and see how it progresses.

So staring today and going for the next two weeks, the 1st producer in the spotlight will be:

QUINTA DO PORTAL

[Alan C.]

I went on the Website, and saw the options. I'll look forward to any of you experts telling me the difference between the 2003VP and the 2003+VP. I'm not up to that standard, but the 20year old Tawny interests me. It is descibed on site as:

The grapes are crushed by foot, and we then age the wine in 550 litre barrels for at least 20 years. After bottling, this wine is ready to be enjoyed. Once poured into a glass, you will find an immense complexity of aromas with dry fruits and figs dominating. In the mouth is a pleasure for the senses! Enjoy with fruit pies or with your favourite cigar.

Are they really crushed by foot? I presume they cant say that if it isn't true. They also recommend a accompanying cigar. I love that idea but had been told it reduces your tasting abilities, but hey, if the producers are happy, so am I! I'm on the hunt....

Alan.

[Roy Hersh]

Alan,

You need to join us on one of our excursions to Portugal. We actually got our entire group into the lagars to crush grapes with our feet, albeit not at Quinta do Portal.

Lucy is not the only one to get this opPORTunity.

Truth be told, lots of producers have returned to the traditional method of foot crushing their grapes to gently extract the deep color compound of anthocyanins as well as adding density to the "mosto" and delivering tannins to the mix, all of which are integral to great Port.

[Alan C.]

Roy,
I do! (Need to join you guys). But surely while you were all dancing round with your trousers around your knees, someone took a photograph? I want to see the one who was taking it seriously, and NOT smiling!
Alan

[Guest]

A picture with us not smiling? Good luck - we'd just finished a phenomenal vertical at just prior to stomping!!

:)

Seriously, getting back to Portal. He's the view from the back of the guest house:

[Andy Velebil]

Here is a cool pic of their old Lagars with a tile mosaic


What an absolutly beautiful place. I wanted to move in, permantly 8) Some great conversations occured into the wee hours of the night while drinking left over Ports (and 1 corked Nacional) in the common area.

Alan,
IIRC, The "+" is designed to be a more approachable wine earlier in its life (think along the lines of, say, Noval's Silval bottling). Don't let that fool though, it is very good and not too far behind their regular VP.