White Port?

[Joe Chan]

In my last visit to Martignetti here in Boston, I saw that now they stock Dow's white port. What is it like? Is it more like a white version of ruby, or is it something completely different?

[Andy Velebil]

Although the process of making it is the same White Port it is, for the most part, completely different in taste than red Ports. White Port uses white grapes instead of red and can be fermented to varying degrees of sweetness, from dry to very sweet (called Lagrima). IMO, most basic white Ports are best mixed with something else like Tonic with lemon or mint leaves, and ice to make a Port-Tonic. Although some of the more sweet ones are pleasant to sip when well chilled on a warm day.

It's been a while since I last had the Dow's but IIRC it is more along the medium sweet side. The good news is they are quite inexpensive so I'd recommend getting a bottle to try it on it's own and mixed with Tonic (I prefer a slice of Lemon in the summer or a few mint leaves in the winter).

[Moses Botbol]

Port tonics are quite popular and tasty too. I have a bottle of Alves de Sousa white port (best white port I have ever tried) that would be fun to do a tasting of different white ports if we can ever get our act together for an offline.

[Joe Chan]

Port tonics are quite popular and tasty too. I have a bottle of Alves de Sousa white port (best white port I have ever tried) that would be fun to do a tasting of different white ports if we can ever get our act together for an offline.

Too bad it didn't pan out the last time we tried an offline. My calendar is book through May, may be Memorial day weekend...