"port" from other places

Post by **Andy Velebil** » Wed Sep 21, 2011 8:29 pm

As I sit here and sip a glass of "port" I've never had before, a 2009 Sineann "CJ" from Oregon, that's pretty tasty for a 20% ABV 100% Zinfandel "port". I was wondering what other non-Portuguese "ports" others here have had recently which they liked?

Paul Fountain · Post by **Paul Fountain** » Thu Sep 22, 2011 1:49 am

Somewhat unsuprisingly, l have had a few Australian ones - a Morris 79 from Rutherglen, a Yalumba 76 and a Para 78 both from the Barossa. All good but the Para in particular was pretty amazing

Luke W · Post by **Luke W** » Thu Sep 22, 2011 6:09 am

2001 Beringer Knights Valley Port of Cabernet. It was really easy to drink and lots of fruit.

Mahmoud Ali · Post by **Mahmoud Ali** » Sat Sep 24, 2011 10:31 am

Luke W wrote:2001 Beringer Knights Valley Port of Cabernet. It was really easy to drink and lots of fruit.

I haven't seen or heard of this one in years. I was served an '88 Beringer Cabernet Port many years ago and recall it being fruity, deep and with a tannic streak. As a result I bought a bottle to see how it might develop and it's still unopened. I've no idea how long I should hold off opening it but reckoned that with Cabernet tannins it might go some distance. Australian ports made with Shiraz last a long time.

Mahmoud.

Mahmoud Ali · Post by **Mahmoud Ali** » Sat Sep 24, 2011 10:36 am

Paul Fountain wrote:Somewhat unsuprisingly, l have had a few Australian ones - a Morris 79 from Rutherglen, a Yalumba 76 and a Para 78 both from the Barossa. All good but the Para in particular was pretty amazing

Paul, was the Para '78 a vintage or tawny? They're known for their tawny ports. I'm assuming that the Morris and Yalumba were vintage ports.

Mahmoud.

Mahmoud Ali · Post by **Mahmoud Ali** » Sat Sep 24, 2011 11:04 am

It's been a couple of years but the last non-Portuguese port I had was an '87 Sevenhill Port from the Clare Valley. It was lovely, deep fruited, structured, well balanced, linear, and youthful. Served blind the people at the dinner table figured it was vintage port and when it came to guessing the house style, whether it was an English or Portuguese house, I had to tell them it was New World. They were stunned as most new world ports are easily identified.

It was bought at cellar door, from a bin where they were clearing it out for A$10. Apparently it was a hard sell and their 1988 port was going to be their last vintage.

Mahmoud.

Paul Fountain · Post by **Paul Fountain** » Sun Sep 25, 2011 3:23 pm

Mahmoud - the para is a tawny although seppelt who make it also have vp style as well. In more recent years they have been releasing them with a number rather than a vintage year on the label, at least for the general releases. I am not sure whether to blame fosters or southcorp for that.
I don't think I've tried the sevenhill vp style although I think I've had other fortifieds from there. A lot of producers in Australia have stopped regularly making vp styles so I'm not that suprised. With Clare being arguably the best area in Australia for riesling as well as producing some fine shiraz the fortifieds don't get much of a look in. I am sure the monks are dissapointed (sevenhill is a jesuit monestary)

Mahmoud Ali · Post by **Mahmoud Ali** » Thu Sep 29, 2011 8:52 am

Paul Fountain wrote:A lot of producers in Australia have stopped regularly making vp styles so I'm not that suprised. With Clare being arguably the best area in Australia for riesling as well as producing some fine shiraz the fortifieds don't get much of a look in. I am sure the monks are dissapointed (sevenhill is a jesuit monestary)

They might not make any to sell to the public but they could be making small batches for those "special occasions".

Mahmoud

Andrew E · Post by **Andrew E** » Wed Oct 05, 2011 3:47 pm

Ferrara Tawny Style Port from the Ferrara Winery in Escondido as I've mentioned in a few of my other posts. I have 10 bottles in the case I last bought when I visited San Diego recently.

Their tawny is a blend of wines as far back as 60 years old. I can't remember the the ages of the rest of the blend but I think it's either no younger than 20 or 30 years old.

I believe they also have a Christmas and Easter Port, but I've never tried either of them. I highly recommend a visit there as tastings are generous, and they even have great tasting non-alcoholic juices to try. Also, they don't sell any of their wine by mail so you have to physically pick it up yourself.

Mark Hudson · Post by **Mark Hudson** » Wed Oct 12, 2011 5:54 pm

4 vines 2007 Zinfandel Port, Paso Robles

I tried this on a whim, and have to say I enjoyed it. This was the first non port, port I had ever had.

I have a hard time explaining the flavor difference, much more like a standard zin, is the best I can do, but with a ports richness.

I liked it so well I bought a second bottle a few weeks later.

Not something I would stock the cellar with , but it was nice for a change.

You may want to try it at least.

Mark Hudson · Post by **Mark Hudson** » Thu Oct 13, 2011 6:23 pm

I have one more to add.

I just received a bottle of prager 10 year tawny noble companion.

best tawny I have ever had (may not be saying much). I was shocked how much I liked it.

Seems sold out on their website, but I will be in line for the next allotment.

edit;

Been able to secure 6 more bottle of this, and cant say enough positive things about it.

If I had the storage, I would buy several cases just to have for the foreseeable future.

BTW I found it 20 dollars cheaper from a store than the winery itself.

Al B. · Post by **Al B.** » Fri Feb 17, 2012 3:44 pm

Some on this board know that I have tried and enjoyed many different "ports" from South Africa. These are now called Cape Vintage or Cape Tawny or similar. Some of the best that I have tried from from Bredell, Allesverloren and KWV. I've even got some 1963 Cavendish Cape Tawny (the equivalent of a colheita).

The vintage wines mature beautifully, although older wines are very difficult to find. The oldest vintage style wine I have had to date (in 2008) was from 1966 - and that was sublime! If you ever come across one of these wines, they're worth a try!

Post by **Roy Hersh** » Fri Feb 17, 2012 4:41 pm

This week, I have been reviewing the dessert wines of a CA producer called CATANO. I must admit, every bottle I've tried so far has been quite good. Then again they are using Portuguese grape varieties, so I am not AS surprised.

Alex, there are some lovely port wannabes in SA as you and I have discussed before. It would be fun to put some of them against the best of what CA has to offer and MO as well (Missouri), the latter of which is rarely talked about for some reason, but there are some fantastic dessert wines made there. We'd likely have to include some from Australia too.

Derek T. · Post by **Derek T.** » Fri Feb 17, 2012 4:46 pm

Despite my almost inexplicable prejudice against both "port from other places" and "Pink Port", I would be very interested to know if the wine makers of Oz, CA and SA have jumped on the bandwagon and started to produce pink or Rose "port"?

Paul Fountain · Post by **Paul Fountain** » Fri Feb 17, 2012 7:45 pm

Derek T. wrote:Despite my almost inexplicable prejudice against both "port from other places" and "Pink Port", I would be very interested to know if the wine makers of Oz, CA and SA have jumped on the bandwagon and started to produce pink or Rose "port"?

Pfeiffer wines in Rutherglen make one. The winemaker, Jen Pfieffer did work experience with Taylor Fladgate at the time they were coming up with the Croft pink and worked on the development of it.

I think there are a couple of others in various parts of Australia but not that many. I don't pay that much attention though as I'm unlikely to buy any, so there might be more than I think

Richard Henderson · Post by **Richard Henderson** » Fri Feb 17, 2012 7:56 pm

I am very happy to see this post because I think it shows a new level of acceptance for portlike wines on this board.

At one time, around the year of founding, the FTLOP frowned upon topics of "port like " wines such as Yalumba etc. It was relgated to some other forum on this baord, away from the port forum. I seem to recall asking about it and was informed that this place was for the only real port whcih comes from Portugal.

I am sure Roy and Andy will clarify if I got the wrong impression, but even if it is a a flase implanted memeory, that is my memory.

That said, I like the Yalumba and other Aussie syle "ports" such as Whisker's Blake. Also, the Heitz port from Napa is a very nice beverage and confuses people at blind tastings into thinking it comes from Portugal.
I hope I don't sound too critcial of the past but I am really glad to see this topic now.

Jeff G. · Post by **Jeff G.** » Fri Feb 17, 2012 11:17 pm

Quady's is a cali house that makes some very good aged juice, I have a bottle from the 70s.

Also have some borossa fortified wien from the early 70s that i haven't opened yet.

Post by **Roy Hersh** » Sat Feb 18, 2012 12:27 am

Andy and I were together at an offline he organized at which a mutual friend brought a bottle of 1875 port-style wine from CA (Cucamonga to be exact). It was amazing, others like Marc J. and Eric I. and Heather H. from this board were also present. It was one of my dessert wines of the year a couple of years ago. There was a picture of it in a previous newsletter and a tasting note on it too, like many other wines that emulate port from other regions around the world.

To Richard H.'s point: When we got started in late July 2005, the rules may have appeared less open, certainly when it came to allowing the general discussion of port style wines into an area of FTLOP named: PORT FORUM. It seemed like sacrilege to allow such wines to be discussed here. In some ways, things have loosened up a bit, while we remain true to our original mission.

As the community has broadened and the rules of the road ultimately have been redefined over the years, this particular dynamic has loosened up ... somewhat. You can put a TN on a port-style wine from anywhere on earth into the our TN Forum and therefore, the database. After all, I have even included "port and madeira" tasting notes from wineries in Richard's state of Texas into the Tasting Note DataBase and featured them in the newsletter too. I do the same thing no matter where they may come from, as long as the producer is respectful of the fact that Port is from Portugal. Whether that includes using a different name on the label, or specific Douro cultivar(s), or attempt to emulate the fortification process used for real Port wine, etc., then it passes our sniff test and then I am happy to review the producer's bottling. As to talking about these wines in a generic thread such as this, great. But our moderators would still move a discussion on a specific CA producer of dessert or port-style-wine, or the wine itself to the Other Discussions Forum, depending on the impetus of the post itself.

Andy's post on "port" from other places is certainly relevant and deserving to be in this area of the Forum. I am quite sure if Andy V. was going to discuss the merits of Andy Quady's 1975 "Zinfandel Port" that he would put that in our Other Discussions Forum and not here. To reiterate for clarity sake, if it was a wine he had already consumed, then it would be welcomed, alternatively, to be included in the Port Tasting Note Forum and database.

So while a few people will likely not be happy about the fact that this area of the

Forum remains focused on Port from Portugal, as it was from day one ... the fact remains, it is the reason why the vast majority of us are here today.

In fairness, there is a place where all wines, fortified and otherwise can be discussed here on FTLOP.

Respectfully,

Roy

Post by **Roy Hersh** » Sat Feb 18, 2012 12:35 am

Now, let's please get back to Andy's excellent topic, as I did not mean to hijack his thread in another direction, but wanted to clarify the point made in the previous post.

Eric Ifune · Post by **Eric Ifune** » Sat Feb 18, 2012 10:52 am

I tend to post about nonPort fortified wines on the other discussion forum. Perhaps we should have another forum just for nonPort or Madeira wines.
Anyways, I am a big fan of Ficklin's 15 and 20 year old tawny's. While different from Tawny Ports, especially if tasted side by side; I think they could confuse a lot of knowledgeable people if tasted blind. Their wines are aged in Madera (note the spelling) California in the central valley. Gets Douro hot there, so their tawnies age rapidly, like on the Douro with it's "bake." While not cheap, the prices are comperable to real Tawny Ports; they are a good product. By the way; their standard product, "Old Vine Tinta," ages in the bottle, much like a non-filtered LBV. This is a real bargin and can be had for less than $15.

For The Love Of Port