Do you drink port in the summer?

[David G.]

Do you drink port in the summer in a hot and humid clime? If so, what styles do you prefer for either ordinary drinking or special occasions in hot weather?

It seems like the VP's are better suited to much cooler or even cold weather. I suppose white port or tawnies are a possibility.

[Tom Archer]

Yes

Keep tawnies in the fridge

Keep VP cellar cool

And you can keep the white ports :?

Tom

[Ronald Wortel]

I love portonic as a summer drink, but also drink tawnies and occasionally a VP (but not as much as in the winter...)

[Andy Velebil]

I don't drink as much VP's and LBV's in the summer and I tend to drink more slightly chilled tawny's. But most of my lack of summer port consumption is due to summer BBQ's and parties were I am drinking more beer and mixed drinks than wine or port. But I did get a white port a few months ago and some of you here gave me good suggestions for what sounds like a refreshing summer drink. I will have to try those suggestions soon 8)

[Adam F]

Generally I drink hardly any VP or LBV but I do keep some tawnies (often from SA) in the fridge. They can be equally refreshing and pleasurable on a hot day.

[Al B.]

Now here's a dreadful confession, from a practice that I stumbled on by accident, but one day I was decanting a bottle of vintage port and knew that I was only going to be at home for a single night - not enough time for me to finish off the bottle.

So I filled a spare half bottle up to the cork and put it in the fridge for safe-keeping until I returned 3 days later.

I drank the port that wasn't in the fridge and went travelling the next day. (The port was pretty good.)

3 days later, I was back home. The weather had turned hot and I didn't really feel like a glass of port but decided that I should finish the half bottle in the fridge sooner rather than later. I poured a glass out of the half bottle taken straight from the fridge and left the glass on the side for about 20 minutes.

When I came back to the glass, I would estimate that the wine had warmed up to about 10-12C. I took a sip of the wine and it was fabulous - it was cool and quenching, the fruit was dominant and the tannic structure was very noticeable. I had several glasses that night and enjoyed them all, despite the hot weather.

So, ever since then, when the weather gets hot, I put a bottle or half bottle of decanted vintage port into my fridge and drink my VP at cellar temperature. I probably drink almost as much VP when the temperature is above 20C as I do when it is below.

I probably break every port drinking rule there is doing this, but I enjoy the wine and don't care. But don't tell Roy what I do to the VP......

Alex

[Derek T.]

In the past few weeks I have developed a taste for filtered LBV's and Reserve ruby's straight from the fridge. I have not yet tried Alex's method of mistreating VP but I am more than certain I would enjoy it

Last summer I had a taste for Tawny's and Colheita's but this year I haven't been impressed with any I have tried. I think since I tasted that Taylor 2000 LBV at fridge temperature a few weeks ago I have become a chilled fruit freak and don't much care for those nutty tawny's.

Bottom line is you can definately drink port all year round provided you don't try to stick to traditional rules, which suits me fine 8)

Derek

[Marc J.]

I must say that I don't drink quite as much port during the summer months. The port that I do drink tend to be 10 & 20 y.o. tawnies with a few LBVs thrown in for good measure. I've found that the summer is a good time to add to my cellar - I've found quite a few "deals" on port during the warm summer months!

Marc

[Alex K.]

Another one for chilled Tawnies here. Sorry to be so unoriginal.

[Ronald Wortel]

Had a slightly chilled Quinta do Vallado 10YOT this evening. Although already open for two weeks, still a great port, and lovely on a warm summer night.

[Roy Hersh]

IF and WHEN the temperature ever gets above 75 degrees F. here, I'll have to consider something else, but I normally have no issues drinking VP in the summer. In fact, over the next 2 weeks in Portugal, I am absolutely positive that I will have at least a glass or two. I also enjoy lightly chilled 20 and 30 year old Tawny Ports in the summer, but I draw the line and never insertt ice cubes (except in Port Tonic concoctions).

[Doug Zdanivsky]

If it's hot outside and I'm sweating like a you-know-what in church, chances are I'll be more in the mood for something quite cold..

None of this "slightly chilled" business.. :)

Chimay Blue Cap time, in other words..

Luckily (or unluckily), we only get about a week of sunny +85F weather all summer up here in Northern BC..

[Andy Velebil]

Doug,

Only 85...heck the forcast here in Los Angeles this weekend is into the 100's. A good summer drink I had recently was mixing Fonseca's Sirocco white port with Tonic water (50-50% mixed) in a pint glass filled with ice. A refreshingly light drink on a warm summer day.

[Doug Zdanivsky]

I tried making my own Sangria last summer..

But I made a dog's breakfast of it..

Damn lemon seeds floating everywhere..

Maybe I'll try again this summer, if it gets hot enough (finger's crossed!)..

[Mike Kerr]

I may try and futz with a sangria of my own in a week or so. Would love to hear if anyone has any proven white port summer drink recipes!

Yummy White (Port) Sangria

1 c sugar
1 c water
1 cinnamon stick
2 medium oranges, sliced
1 lemon, sliced
1 lime, sliced
4 strawberries
3 750ml bottles dry white wine (substituting 3 bottles of white port), chilled
3 cups club soda, chilled (may use ginger ale, not sure)

Roll & pre-slice oranges, lemon, and lime. In medium saucepan, combine sugar, water, cinn stick and mix well. Simmer 5 mins over low heat. Remove from heat and add fruit. Cool 20 mins or until completely cooled. Remove cinn stick. Pour into pitcher, add wine and club soda, stir gently.

Can't wait...

Mike.

[Doug Zdanivsky]

Hmmm..

Sounds good!