What Port can you still find in Porto?

[Eric Menchen]

My parents will by in Porto this Saturday, the 25th. They may not have much time, as they are on a cruise, but I told them to go to Vinologia if they were on the Porto side, or say hello to Gonçalo at the C. da Silva tasting room if they are on the V.N.d.G. side. They asked me if there was something they could get for me, and I mentioned the S. Leonardo 30 year old and any Dalva Golden White. So now I'm wondering ... are these still available, and if so, where? I didn't see the S. Leonardo listed on the Vinologia web site. Can you still get it there? What about the Dalva? Is all the 1952 gone now? Can you still get later vintages? If these can't be found, what would you recommend?

[David Spriggs]

I would get the S. Leonardo at AVEPOD, which is just down river from the Porto Pestana.

There are a lot of great Colheitas at the Kopke tasting room. I liked the 1978 a lot. I also like the 1963 Dalava Golden White, much prefer the 1952, but the 1963 is no slouch. Also the 1970 or 1990 Quinta da Romaneira Colheita is great. Any of the "new" Romaneira Tawnies (10, 20, and especially the 40 year old) are really nice.

[Eric Menchen]

I would get the S. Leonardo at AVEPOD, which is just down river from the Porto Pestana.

That's the obscure place, not well marked as I recall, one block off of and on the narrow street parallel to the river, Rua da Fonte Taurina, correct?

[Glenn E.]

I would get the S. Leonardo at AVEPOD, which is just down river from the Porto Pestana.

That's the obscure place, not well marked as I recall, one block off of and on the narrow street parallel to the river, Rua da Fonte Taurina, correct?

Correct, and I second the recommendation. Maria Theresa may not have it in stock, though, and if your folks are on a cruise she wouldn't have time to get it for them without some warning. The easiest way to find it (at least to me) is to start at the Tourist Information shop on the corner of Rua do Infante Dom Henrique and Rua de Ferreira Borges. Walk down the short block toward the water on Rua de Ferreira Borges, turn left on Rua da Fonte Taurina which looks more like an alley than a street, and then watch carefully for the entrance to AVEPOD on your right (water side). It should be about the 4th door, but I wouldn't swear to it. Somewhere between 3rd and 7th though. Also remember that the sign doesn't say "AVEPOD" - it says "Associação de Viticultores Engarrafadores dos Vinhos do Porto e Douro" which is a little harder to process.

The Dalvas would probably best be purchased from Goncalo at the new Dalva Port bar. The '52 is only "gone" from 750s... they're still bottling it in 500ml bottles, which is also the only size you can get the '63 in. The '52 is getting rather pricey, though, as the supply dwindles. I believe that Goncalo told me the new 500ml bottles are now listed for the same price as the old 750ml bottles.

Something else that you can only get in Portugal is the Casa de Sta. Eufemia Special Reserve White. This is the 1973 White Colheita that cannot be labeled as such because they didn't get the paperwork completed correctly. It's not quite as good as either of the Dalva Golden Whites, but it's excellent in its own right and I think worth it for the unique story. Last time I saw prices it was also significantly less expensive than either of the Dalva Golden Whites, too. Quinta de Santa Eufemia also makes a 30-year old Tawny that's supposed to be very good. I have a bottle that I got from Goncalo but have never tasted it.

Also, unless I'm mis-remembering a bottle there's a '63 Romaniera Colheita that's also out of this world. I believe it's one that I had by the glass at the Pestana Porto on a night when the bartender didn't have a 40-yr old bottle open and I was trying to introduce my parents to a "100-year flight" to show them the differences.

[Glenn E.]

My directions are messed up... Rua de Ferreira Borges runs by the Palacio de Bolsa and NOT past the Tourist Information shop. So I'm not sure about the name of that little street that you need to walk down from the Tourist Information shop to get to Rua da Fonte Taurina. But if you google it, I'm sure you'll be able to see what I'm talking about.

[David Spriggs]

The liitle alley that AVEPOD is on is Rua da Fonte Taurina.

[Glenn E.]

The liitle alley that AVEPOD is on is Rua da Fonte Taurina.

Yeah, the one I can't remember is the street that runs perpendicular to the river between Rua da Fonte Taurina and Rua do Infante Dom Henrique on the west end of R.d.Fonte Taurina. The street on the east (Pestana) end is Rua de Sao Joao Nova.

[Glenn E.]

The liitle alley that AVEPOD is on is Rua da Fonte Taurina.

Yeah, the one I can't remember is the street that runs perpendicular to the river between Rua da Fonte Taurina and Rua do Infante Dom Henrique on the west end of R.d.Fonte Taurina. The street on the east (Pestana) end is Rua de Sao Joao Nova.

Haha... I cheated. Google Maps doesn't display the street name, but it does display that the Casa do Infante is on that street so I googled that instead. The Casa do Infante is on Rua da Alfandega, which I now recognize as the correct street name.