Port tasting?

Jay Powers · Post by **Jay Powers** » Wed May 17, 2006 10:56 pm

The bay area appears to be far removed from Portugal...I have been searching for any local port tasting for the past three months and have not found anything. I have been enjoying this site for a while as a guest and find myself wondering what I'm missing...surely there must be some tastings down here, but I cannot find any. Does anybody have any suggestions on how to find these events? Thanks,

Jay

Post by **Roy Hersh** » Wed May 17, 2006 11:42 pm

Jay,

Welcome "officially" to the Forum. We're glad you are no longer a lurker. I could help you more if you were in the trade, but then, you wouldn't need our assistance.

Otherwise, get involved with some tasting groups, get in touch with some of the many top wine shops in your area and find out when they are doing tastings. Heck, start up your own tasting group!

I look forward to more of your posts and hope one day to share some Port with you.

randomguy · Post by **randomguy** » Thu May 18, 2006 1:49 am

I haven't found many port tastings here either. Maybe if we all team up and start suggesting to a store (like Beltramos), then they might have one. I know that bevmo had one a few months back, but I wasn't into booze back then.

Post by **Roy Hersh** » Thu May 18, 2006 1:58 am

What type of Port tasting would you like to see in SF? How many people would you want to attend?

Marco D. · Post by **Marco D.** » Thu May 18, 2006 12:43 pm

K&L Wine Merchants usually has a port tasting sometime around December/January timeframe... but that's a long time to wait.

randomguy · Post by **randomguy** » Thu May 18, 2006 10:43 pm

Hmmm, I've never attended a port nor wine tasting. I guess I expected it to be a store that has a counter open most of the day, and you could just come any time, pay a (small) fee, and taste some stuff. Preferably, most of the stuff would be under $30.

Jay Powers · Post by **Jay Powers** » Thu May 18, 2006 10:53 pm

Roy Hersh wrote:What type of Port tasting would you like to see in SF? How many people would you want to attend?

That's a good question as I have never been to a wine or port tasting of any kind. I would like to extend my knowledge of "whats good", and what do I personally like enough to invest significantly in. I like most every tawny I have had (Noval 10 year, Grahams 10 and 20 year, Niepoort 10 year, Ramos Pinto 10 year, etc.) and the LBVs, and Vintage. The oldest Vintage I have tried is a 1966 Grahams which was fantastic, and the youngest I have tried was a 2000 Grahams the same night, which was also very good although very different.

Trying the 1966 and the 2000 on the same night was a real eye opener for me, and I have been trying to recapture that kind of comparing experience every since. I would like to try a tasting of many years of the same house, or many houses in the same year (or both!), or a wider variety. I would be willing to pay a host or wine shop, or contribute bottle(s) of port presuming I have it or can get it. I have a few friends locally who would be interested.

I would love to do the same for Madeira, although that may be a topic for another post. I have only ever tried one Madeira.

Locally I shop at K&L, Premier Cru, the Wine Club, and Weimax in Burlingame. I regularly check their web sites, stores, and newsletters, as well as the Chronicle's wine section, and have yet to find a port tasting in the past ~3-4 months.

Post by **Roy Hersh** » Fri May 19, 2006 1:22 am

Maybe this autumn, if you can put together a group of 12-14 folks in the Bay area (easy to reach from the Oakland Airport by BART) I'd come down and provide your friends with a most memorable Port tasting. You can always email me if interested.

Marc J. · Post by **Marc J.** » Sat May 20, 2006 12:39 pm

Count me in! Of course I'll have a couple of bottles of older VP in tow...:)

Alex R · Post by **Alex R** » Sat May 20, 2006 4:42 pm

Count me in too! i don't mind goning on a road trip up to the bay area.

Post by **Andy Velebil** » Sat May 20, 2006 8:25 pm

I'd be interested too, besides it would give me a great excuse to visit some old friends up that way.

Jay Powers · Post by **Jay Powers** » Sun May 21, 2006 2:52 pm

Sounds like we are on to something! With the SoCal contingent, and if Randomguy is in, that brings it up to 5 with myself. Surely we can get another 7-9 people. I know at least three more people who, although not port fanatics, would join!

I was at the Wine Club here in SF this weekend and they thought they might have one next fall/winter (when the fireplaces start going on I guess), but no commitment. And thats a long time to wait.......

Jay

randomguy · Post by **randomguy** » Sun May 21, 2006 11:37 pm

Even though I am a wine newb, I have two other friends that are pretty good at this stuff. So I might be able to bring them too.

Al B. · Post by **Al B.** » Mon May 22, 2006 2:32 am

Keep the thread going on the list please guys.

(1) you might find that visitors from other parts of the world who happen to be in the area at the time get in touch; and

(2) we all love to hear and read about these events

Thanks,

Alex

David Spriggs · Post by **David Spriggs** » Tue May 23, 2006 12:24 am

Count me in too! I can also help by supplying some middle aged ports.

-Dave-

Jay Powers · Post by **Jay Powers** » Thu May 25, 2006 11:24 pm

looks like we may be up to the right kind of numbers, or at least getting close!

Lets keep this going, maybe we can get enough for two tastings

?

Any tastings going on up in Seattle or nearby at the end of June? I will be up on buisness then.

Jay

Post by **Roy Hersh** » Fri May 26, 2006 12:23 am

Email me right before you come up this way. I am considering a brief trip to Portugal in late June to taste some Port and also to lock in some special harvest events/restaurants/tastings/surprises ... for the upcoming 3 trips in Sept./Oct. Read David's report and you will realize the behind the scenes work that goes into making these trips unique for our guests. I hope to see more of you gents from the UK, sign up for the 3 day trip and those from the US, for the longer ones!

Back to what is quickly becoming the SFFTLOP offline: believe it or not, the ONLY time that I can do this in 2006 would be in July ... unless you guys want to come up here to Seattle at another time of the year. I organize various tastings with non-fortified wines for local winelovers. I'd be happy to arrange an entire weekend, up here ... which would make my life and wife, much happier. Thanks for considering this.

Eric Ifune · Post by **Eric Ifune** » Fri May 26, 2006 9:51 am

If I'm available, I'd be interested as well with a few bottles in tow. Starting the end of July, I'll be in the Tahoe area which is close enough for a port tasting!

Jay Powers · Post by **Jay Powers** » Fri May 26, 2006 11:41 pm

Roy Hersh wrote:Back to what is quickly becoming the SFFTLOP offline: believe it or not, the ONLY time that I can do this in 2006 would be in July ... unless you guys want to come up here to Seattle at another time of the year. I organize various tastings with non-fortified wines for local winelovers. I'd be happy to arrange an entire weekend, up here ... which would make my life and wife, much happier. Thanks for considering this.

Roy

July in the bay area would work for me

! How about everybody else?

I would also happily consider traveling to WA at some time, as in addittion to a potential port tasting I have quite a few friends who live in Seattle. It's only a 2 hour flight or 12 hour drive. I will certainly e-mail you before I come up there in June as well, in case something pops up.

Jay

David Sweet · Post by **David Sweet** » Sun May 28, 2006 1:13 am

Oh, to be in California to enjoy a Port tasting with this group and Roy!!!
Now THAT would be both an education and a major treat!!

Only tasting this newbie has had an opportunity to attend was one put on by Taylor at Binnys last year--very enjoyable. If anyone in Chicago/Madison/Milwaukee area knows of a tasting in future please post.