but have the major houses ever considered producing single variety ports? Why or why not?
The trend towards single varietals in red table wines seems to have been spurred by the desire of ordinary consumers to be able to make some sort of informed choice, that goes beyond the price tag.
To my mind it is a negative trend, that rarely produces well balanced wines. The skill of the blender is not dispensable!
With many of the old mixed vineyards now replanted with varietal blocks that are often harvested separately, it is perfectly possible for the producers to market a single varietal port.
However, I don't think we should encourage them to do so!
I agree that there has been bloc planting of single varietal vineyards in recent times (actually over the past three decades) but today, the vast majority of all vineyards used for Port, continue to be field blends to this day. Nobody has ever been able to give me a percentage, but my comment is not only from personal observation, but two of the Douro's most highly respected consulting viticulturists for a number of properties. If you have any numbers, I'd love to hear 'em.
Here is a suggestion for a non-technical question that could perhaps be quite fun:
"Excluding your own products and those produced by sister companies in the same group, what are your personal favorite top 5 vintage ports produced in the last 40 years?"
It is tough to top last month's AQFTPT segment, but this month's topic was also pretty provocative. I liked the responses and hope you found it interesting too.
We'll be taking a brief hiatus until the fall when the producers are all finished with the harvest as I don't want to distract them from the task at hand. Look for the next great question in the November issue. If you would like to add a question for December's year end FTLOP newsletter, please feel free to add your suggestions here!
my question would be:
Where do you see the Port Trade, the Port Market and your brand(s) in 50 years?
Basically, looking for thoughts on new port styles, innovation, less styles, consolidation or more small independants,
move to high end(low volume, niche) or move to low end(high volume), emerging markets, typical/average port drinker of the future etc...
I like this idea. Please do expand on your questions and make it a little easier for us all to understand the SPECIFICS that you are looking to have answered.
Although I already have A Question for the Port Trade written for December, would anyone like to present a question to be used to lead off the 1st newsletter of 2009?
I'd like to put forward Richard Henderson's question from a different thread:
What is the ideal minimum age (of the Port) to open a vintage Port?
We understand that VP can be opened and enjoyed at any age, and we also understand that VPs will mature at different rates. What we're really looking for is an approximation of how long a VP should normally be left in cellar in order to reach its peak.
:hello: 
:wall:
