Creating a "new" Special Category of Port

Post by **Roy Hersh** » Sun Dec 16, 2007 2:11 am

Recently, the IVDP finally allowed the nomenclature WHITE COLHEITA PORT to appear on bottles and imo, it is about time. They might even consider on opening this category up a little bit to provide certain white Ports to qualify for this category. However, although a good segue, this is not the point of this posting.

Port offers many different styles and categories to consumers and I am sure there are some that believe that there are already too many Special Categories. So without having to add a new one, what about tweaking existing styles to create Port types that you would enjoy more. To my way of thinking, the Unfiltered/Traditional LBV does this perfectly.

So, if you could modify a specific Port style or category to drink "differently" what would you come up with? This is not a trick question, but a sincere desire to see some out of the box thoughts.

Kris Henderson · Post by **Kris Henderson** » Mon Dec 17, 2007 2:27 pm

How about modifying the Tawny category to allow more granularity (down to 5 years) in the indication of age. I would also allow indications of age over 40 years. For example, 25 year Tawny or 60 year Tawny.

Luc Gauthier · Post by **Luc Gauthier** » Mon Dec 17, 2007 6:04 pm

I think It would make sense to modify in order to simplify . ( this of course , could mean changing years of tradition . )
Instead of writting on the label , 30 yrs for a Tawny , they could writte "30 yrs blend" or something that reflects the true nature of the Tawny . This would in turn inform the uninformed . . .

Jay Powers · Post by **Jay Powers** » Mon Dec 17, 2007 11:23 pm

I would very much love to see a 60 year tawny catagory, or how about even an 80?

Jay

Paul Eddy · Post by **Paul Eddy** » Tue Dec 18, 2007 8:05 am

I haven't thought this through at all but what about a 'solera' tawny port refereshing barrels each year to produce a distinctive style and age characteristics. It could freshen up the old wine and age the young one.

Sorry lads too much wine with me lunch, I'll get my coat.

paul.

Moses Botbol · Post by **Moses Botbol** » Tue Dec 18, 2007 8:51 am

Unfiltered Tawny of 20+ years old.

Luc Gauthier · Post by **Luc Gauthier** » Wed Dec 19, 2007 2:39 pm

How about unfiltered Tawny's of any age ?

Post by **Roy Hersh** » Fri Dec 21, 2007 12:28 am

Luc,

All I can say is, "now why didn't I think of that" and at the same time, thank you.

Moses Botbol · Post by **Moses Botbol** » Fri Dec 21, 2007 5:44 am

Roy Hersh wrote:Luc,

All I can say is, "now why didn't I think of that" and at the same time, thank you.

I don't get credit for saying the same thing earlier???

Seriously, unfiltered tawny like that would be awesome, especially in a large format.

Todd Pettinger · Post by **Todd Pettinger** » Sat Dec 22, 2007 11:38 pm

Kris Henderson wrote:How about modifying the Tawny category to allow more granularity (down to 5 years) in the indication of age. I would also allow indications of age over 40 years. For example, 25 year Tawny or 60 year Tawny.

I would like to see indications of age for 50, 60, perhaps even 80 and 100 (eventually SOME producer will release some 100+ year old stocks commercially or ensure that a specific percentage of the tawny that they are laying down in the back corners of their aging lodges are marked for great grandchildren to sell as 100 Year Old Tawny.

That being said, I am not sure I would like to see granularity down to 5-year increments (sorry Kris.) My reason is purely selfish and finanically-driven as I can almost guarantee that this would be a free ticket to raise prices astronomically. There is already a 'step-up' of sorts in price of the 10 to 20 to 30 to 40 year Tawny releases when it comes to price. This could get magnified if the releases were stepped in 5-year increments. Just think.... that 100 year old tawny could be released at $900/bottle, simply because of 5-year incremental price-stepping.

Just this guy's

Todd

Luc Gauthier · Post by **Luc Gauthier** » Thu Dec 27, 2007 10:27 pm

I would not look forward to what the SAQ would do . . .

Todd Pettinger · Post by **Todd Pettinger** » Fri Dec 28, 2007 12:33 am

Luc Gauthier wrote:I would not look forward to what the SAQ would do . . .

SAQ and Alberta's wacky pricing scheme is exactly what I was thinking about... Luc, can you IMAGINE the horror of a 5-year pricing scheme in PQ or AB??? Geez, an 80 year old Tawny costs $250 everywhere else... we should likely charge $450, just to keep up.

Luc Gauthier · Post by **Luc Gauthier** » Sun Dec 30, 2007 2:36 pm

Well Todd , the truth hurts . . .
We must continue to spread the word , so that any unsuspecting Portonian will be detered from entering your country and mine . . .

Nikolaj Winther · Post by **Nikolaj Winther** » Sat Jan 12, 2008 4:30 pm

I'm with Paul Eddy on this one. I've often fantasized about "what if I were to make my own tawny" and then taking the train of thoughts to the extreme.

The Solera-principle is a favourite of mine. The bottle should then state the amount of levels on the port (3-5-10-50...whatever) to indicate the minimum age of the wine, and then the year the solera was founded.

To secure quality, only so much wine can be bottled every year - say one third.

Example - the lable would read "Solera Tawny 10/1995"; the solera having 10 levels and being establishd in 1995.

I even imagine the soleras having names - like guns of old or planes or vineyards.

See... now I'm rambling again.

Post by **Roy Hersh** » Sun Jan 13, 2008 5:15 pm

Nikolaj,

Considering that the Portuguese had a strong Naval presence way back when; combined with a fleet and "explorers" which is responsible for some of the most prolific discoveries on earth's surface guns are probably not as important. So naming these Solera's after those ships might be worthy too.

Todd et al.,

As far as suggestions about 80 and 100 year old Tawnies ... I think Colheitas fit that need quite nicely. It is one thing to be able to afford the rare batch of great old Tawny from a single vintage to age that long, but to do so regularly with blended Tawny Ports of that age (as part of their Tawny lineup) would be too expensive in carrying costs, not to mention what they have to charge for a wine of that type.

I very much enjoy reading these creative suggestions. Thanks!

Nikolaj Winther · Post by **Nikolaj Winther** » Mon Jan 14, 2008 5:14 am

Roy Hersh wrote:Nikolaj,

Considering that the Portuguese had a strong Naval presence way back when; combined with a fleet and "explorers" which is responsible for some of the most prolific discoveries on earth's surface guns are probably not as important. So naming these Solera's after those ships might be worthy too.

- Oh, you can name it anything - I just thought of the "Schwerer Gustav" gun that the germans used at the Siege of Sevastopol in 1942, the plane "Spirit of St. Louis" and the vineyard "Nacional".

I can just hear it: "I enjoyed a bottle of Santa Maria last night" and everyone would know what it meant.