Non-Portuguese port-styles - Growing market? Or diluted by truly dessert style wines

[Andrew E]

That said, very few taste similar to REAL Port from Portugal. But if that's what I'm looking to drink ... then I do. I don't ever seek out these other "wannabes" for a cheap fix. Instead, I open them because I expect something different and want to see what they have to offer.

I really wish I had more 30 & 40 year tawny experience so I could comment on this, lol. I'll make sure to do so the second I do, which might be soon as my new nephew might be born within the next few hours and I'll need something to have with my cigar.

[Victor D.]

Getting back on the topic of laws, is there not an international trademark law that states only product from Portugal can legally be called Port? I thought I read that somewhere when I first was researching California Ports. I did read this article at the onset of my research. http://www.internationallawoffice.com/N ... aa691304d4

If that is true, there is still a whole bunch of other American companies calling their wines a port so I guess there is no enforcement of this.

Edit, this linky above not working when I hot link but you can google, Intellectual Property - Portugal
Port Wine and the Protection of Traditional Terms or this link as well, http://sweetandfortifiedwine.org/?page_id=62

[Andy Velebil]

Getting back on the topic of laws, is there not an international trademark law that states only product from Portugal can legally be called Port? I thought I read that somewhere when I first was researching California Ports. I did read this article at the onset of my research. http://www.internationallawoffice.com/N ... aa691304d4

If that is true, there is still a whole bunch of other American companies calling their wines a port so I guess there is no enforcement of this.

Edit, this linky above not working when I hot link but you can google, Intellectual Property - Portugal
Port Wine and the Protection of Traditional Terms or this link as well, http://sweetandfortifiedwine.org/?page_id=62

If I recall most of the older ones were "grandfathered in" and could still keep their original names. I believe the law covers new products being released.

[Eric Ifune]

Using generic terms like "Port," "Madeira," even "Champagne," "Burgundy," and "Claret" were common throughout the world in the early 20th century. When labeling treaties were written to protect these names, the US was in the grip of prohibition so they never signed the treaty. Of course when prohibition ended, US firms were not bound to these labeling rules since the US never signed the treaty. Lately, the US has come on board but the US laws made the provision that some firms may grandfather their labels in if they've been using them long enough. Hence, some firms may still use these generic terms.

[Andrew E]

I guess I just find it silly that legalities over specific lines of latitude and longitude have to determine the flavor/name of a wine. I'm probably not making an original argument here, but I guarantee there are local vineyards that could produce the same quality champagne-style, but simply can't call it that because it's too far over the line.

[Al B.]

As a consumer, I want two things from the label on the bottle I am considering drinking. I want a label that tells me what is in the bottle and which is easy to understand.

I also don't have too many problems with trade names becoming used as generic names. "Sellotape" instead of "self adhesive thin plastic tape", "Hoover" instead of "electrically powered vacuum cleaner". I would actually welcome the rules being changed slightly so that producers were able to put together a label which said something along the lines of "2006 Cape Vintage, wine from South Africa made in the style of vintage port".

That would tell me quickly and simply what to expect inside the bottle - fortified wine made by adding grape brandy to the 2-3 day fermented must, but with a different terroir and style to it.

And speaking of South African fortified wines made by Douro winemakers from the same varieties of grapes as recognised by the IVDP for production of Port in the demarcated region of Northern Portugal and fortified during fermentation through the addition of neutral grape brandy...**intake of breath**...they are well worth trying. Certainly they are not Port, but they are very good. South African Fortified producers have even agreed their own standard nomenclature - Cape Fortified, Cape Vintage, Cape Vintage Reserve, Cape Late Bottled Vintage, Cape Tawny etc.

[Roy Hersh]

The regulations were clearly spelled out in the article/interview of the head of The Center for Wine Origins, which appeared in a recent FTLOP newsletter.

[Joerg M]

Massandra. Vineyard established for the last Tsar Nicholas II
They tried to "copy" western styles like Porto, Madeira, Malaga etc. ... with remarkable results.

Try the Massandra Bastardo, Massandra Port, and the really notable Massandra Madeira Style (wine ages 5 years in barrels UNDER THE SUN next to the coast!), all made from vines brought from Portugal and Madeira. (The wines have different names in the EU for legal reasons).
Fortified wines from Massandra are incredible wellpriced, compared to what they offer. I found the Bastardo on the winelist in a south-german gourmet restaurant.

[Joerg M]

Port is Port ... to try something Non-Portuguese you should try the "Black Doctor" from Massandra. Although, they produced Port-like fortified wines from vines brought from Portugal, on the Crimea peninsula. There exists a wide range of Massandra white and red Port wines (with the Livadia Red Port being the most outstanding one), but the real gem of Massandra is the Black Doctor: a blend of local grape varieties like Ekim-Kara, Kethessia, Dzawat-Kara, Capita-n-Kara, Lapa-Kara and Metin-Kara, residual sugar 160 g/l. Try it, the bottle shouldn´t cost more than 30 EUR ...