Possible Naive Question

[David Sweet]

We all know that our host Roy is THE authority on port, and it is very possible that I am simply not reading/following the right sources, but why do we not see retailers that sell port, or other discussion forums quote Roy/FTLOP ratings or tasting notes?

Business issues?
Copyright issues?
Other reasons?

Is anyone aware of of such examples?

Just a thought.
David

[Derek T.]

I may be entering dangerous ground here but my view is that we do not see these things because Roy is not part of the establishment - when it comes to tasting notes he tells it how he sees it and makes no allowance for fame or history.

In short, Roy's honesty precludes the possibility that his thoughts would be universally accepted by the trade.

Derek

[Alan C.]

Couldn't another aspect be the lack of an established Book on the subject? I think they refer to Parker,Mayson,etc, and when they do its often accompnied by where they can be referenced, as in their books.
Just a thought.

[Tom Archer]

We all know that our host Roy is THE authority on port

To save Roy's blushes, there are many who are well informed on this subject.

Of those who have put their work into print, Michael Broadbent probably has the widest experience of tasting these wines, while Richard Mayson's all-round study of the subject is without equal. There are several other distinguished authors.

Roy can rightly claim to be the pioneer of Port on the web, and has been active in this media for many years now.

but why do we not see retailers that sell port

It intrigues me that I do not know of a single merchant (outside of Portugal) that sells nothing but Port - but then, the wine trade has always moved in mysterious ways..

Tom

[Derek T.]

I will not save Roy's blushes - he is not THE authority on port, he is AN authority on port.

The tasting of VP (or any port) is an extremely subjective subjuect, to put the authority of right and wrong in one palate would be great folly, regardless of who it is.

Think of Roy as someone who has forgotten more about port than you will ever know and you will not be far from the truth. Whoever you are

Derek

[Mike McCune]

I have seen Roy's tasting notes/scores in the Fred Meyer in Bothell, WA (Mill Creek).

[Andy Velebil]

- when it comes to tasting notes he tells it how he sees it and makes no allowance for fame or history.

Derek

I agree, Roy has never been afraid to give an honest review of a wine (even if the review is bad and he knows the producer).

[Eric Ifune]

At the Taylor's gift shop in Vila Nova de Gaia, Roy's notes were quoted in their catalog.

[Jay Powers]

I have seen Roy's notes recently on some retailers sites when looking up wines on Winesearcher. Word is getting out.

Broadbent is my other primary source on Port, outside of the participants on this site. Sometime's I think Parker is right on, after all he likes big, over the top wines. Sometimes he is off. And it's rare that he would pronounce on anything but the major houses.

Good paper sources are Mayson's Port and the Douro, and Broadbent's Vintage Wine.

Now Roy just needs to write a book

Why do we not see retailers that just sell Port? Because the audience is small, and you can make more money on Bordeaux and high end CA wines.

I would love to have a shop that specialized in Port, Sautern, Tokaji, and the sweeter German wines. But how much costume would I get? Enough to make a living?

Jay

[Roy Hersh]

Interesting topic, although I feel like a dead person listening from the coffin. Very weird.

My own view is quite simple.

James Suckling, Parker (past tense as far as critiquing Port), Broadbent, Mayson, Jefford, Jancis and a couple of others ... all have been published in the print media. Not only in articles in magazines, but books. That provides huge credibility, regardless of how many copies are sold. I am not out to compete with them as I have never been published in print media although some of the above have either written about me or mentioned me in their Port works. Someday, I may actually sit down to write a book (friends, family and online acquaintences have been at me for years) but finding the right topic which has not already been done ad infinitum, has become my stumbling block. One Forumite suggested, "just take all your online articles and put them into a book." I replied, "I have a feeling that originality counts when approaching a publisher."

I did once approach a certain Port winemaker as I had longed to do a biography of his father's life, but he kindly mentioned that he wanted to do the same thing and had already been in touch with an author. There went my "angle." I've always said, I needed more trips to Portugal under my belt and wouldn't consider it before I turned 50. A decade later, I am running out of time for those 2 "excuses" to remain valid.

Last June, Mario and I walked into Croft's Lodge in Gaia and they had a number of "sell sheets" spread along their tasting room counter. There was the FTLOP header and my review of their 2003, alongside Suckling, Parker and one Portuguese writer. It was the first time I had seen my TNs used in a Port tasting room. Vinologia, Taylor, Quinta do Portal and a few others do so as well.

In my own medium, web site journalism ... well over a dozen producers websites' carry my TNs. They've also appeared in NY wine shops, many times here in WA supermarkets and wine shops and in one shop in CO that was a nice surpise. In the scheme of life, this is not my purpose in writing TNs. As Derek mentioned quite accurately, my opinions on a specific bottle of Port, is just one persons opinion and that is not looked at as being anywhere near as influential as Suckling, for example.

Experienced yes, but certainly not without flaws. This year I'll easily taste over 500 Ports and probably closer to 600 now that there is going to be a 3rd Port trip. But Derek and Tom are both right and as I have written in every single vintage review, 'taste as many Ports as you can on your own and read as many critiques as possible and find someone's palate that aligns with yours and only then you can make informed buying decisions.' Buying any wine, based on ONLY one person's opinion ... no matter who that is ... is going to lead to an occasional disappointment.

It might seem gratifying when you see your TN in a Port producers shop for the 1st time, but honestly, it is more important to me, what the readers of the FTLOP newsletter and Forum think about my writing. Paraphrasing what Mr. Turnbull aptly said, I am not out to win friends and influence people with my TNs (consumers or trade members) and I rarely do, but my integrity is still intact.

Last but not least, locking my TN in the "PP vault" certainly does not make them conducive to mass marketing, or use by the vast majority of producers that don't have access.

[Al B.]

One Forumite suggested, "just take all your online articles and put them into a book." I replied, "I have a feeling that originality counts when approaching a publisher."

At least here in the UK I can think of several examples of where individuals have successfully published books which are simply anthologies of articles that have previously appeared in newspapers. When my son was a newborn - nearly a decade ago now - I used to read him bedtime stories that were one or two articles from John Arlott's writings on wine. Other examples I can think of include Jeremy Clarkson (of Top Gear fame), who is now on his third collection, and Paul Heiney. In the US the Darwin Awards are simply a collection of articles previously published on the web and that sells pretty well.

As just one individual, I can say that if there was a new book published on the Port trade that had a section on new producers and recent changes in ownership plus a second section that was a collection of articles plus a third section that was a collection of tasting notes then I would buy the book as a more convenient reference than the web for those times when I can't be bothered to switch on the PC.

Alex