Good Port that is not Port?
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Good Port that is not Port?
...or at least not PORTO.
My wife is not a porto drinker. Every once in a while though we do find something she likes. Most recently a Colheita '77 from Rocha with a creme brulee. I can think of only two true VPs she has poured for herself with no coaxing.
Aside from these two, she did like a random bottle of BV "port" that I picked up a few years back in Napa. Made from normal Cali grapes, but fortified rather than late harvest, it was a drier port that she actualy enjoyed.
So what ports, that are not Porto, are out there and worth trying??????
My wife is not a porto drinker. Every once in a while though we do find something she likes. Most recently a Colheita '77 from Rocha with a creme brulee. I can think of only two true VPs she has poured for herself with no coaxing.
Aside from these two, she did like a random bottle of BV "port" that I picked up a few years back in Napa. Made from normal Cali grapes, but fortified rather than late harvest, it was a drier port that she actualy enjoyed.
So what ports, that are not Porto, are out there and worth trying??????
- Jay Woodruff.
- Steven Kooij
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You might want to try sweet white wines, perhaps a good Zind Humbrecht VT Pinot Gris, for example, or a German icewine.
My wife came around to Port when I started to focus on sweeter styles of Port. I used to open as many bottles of, say, Taylor or Dow or Fonseca as I did of Grahams. But Grahams is a much sweeter wine and when I picked up a few cases of the 83 and 85 recently, she began to ask for a small glass in the evening, too.
Seems that she found the more typical style of mature VP has a bit too much of a "raisin juice" profile. Young wines, of course, are way over the top.
So see what she thinks of a bottle of, say, Graham's 85.
My wife came around to Port when I started to focus on sweeter styles of Port. I used to open as many bottles of, say, Taylor or Dow or Fonseca as I did of Grahams. But Grahams is a much sweeter wine and when I picked up a few cases of the 83 and 85 recently, she began to ask for a small glass in the evening, too.
Seems that she found the more typical style of mature VP has a bit too much of a "raisin juice" profile. Young wines, of course, are way over the top.
So see what she thinks of a bottle of, say, Graham's 85.
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Kinda got in trouble that way.
I have a good stash of German riesling, and some Alsacians (VT &SGN). My wife has always been a fan of rieslings but she is way now when I serve them. I like old and young riesling but she does not care much for aged riesling. Had her try some 71/76 BA etc... and now she is very careful about ensuring that the riesling I serve her are fresh and not sweet. Oh well.
Guess I need to stick with the Trimbachs and trockens fr a while until she forgets ad keep drier ports and madeira around for her.
I have a good stash of German riesling, and some Alsacians (VT &SGN). My wife has always been a fan of rieslings but she is way now when I serve them. I like old and young riesling but she does not care much for aged riesling. Had her try some 71/76 BA etc... and now she is very careful about ensuring that the riesling I serve her are fresh and not sweet. Oh well.
Guess I need to stick with the Trimbachs and trockens fr a while until she forgets ad keep drier ports and madeira around for her.
- Jay Woodruff.
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Has anyone tried the Vincent Arroyo "port" made from Petit Sirah? My wife and I love it. I have no idea how to compare to real "port" as I'm totally inexperienced. I'd describe the VA "port" as a lighter style body, medium sweetness. A vanillin profile on the palette. With a yummy coating effect.
Any suggestions for real port that's similar?
Any suggestions for real port that's similar?
Rich Chicago, IL
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S.African "Port"
I drank this in July 2005:
1964 Nederburg Private Reserve port (S.Africa)
This port was generously opened and served blind to me by Laurence Feraud, who opened it after I told her I was a big fan of Port. I guessed Portugal, and an age range of between 1955 & 1963. I never guessed S.Africa, though I suppose the sweetness on the palate should have given me an idea that it was possibly non-Portuguese. I thought it might have been a Portuguese producer, rather than an English Port house. In my defence, this is the first S.African tawny port-style wine I have ever tried. Made from 100% Syrah grapes, this rare wine is not commercially available. It was bottled in 1984 (having spent 18 years in oak barrels), each bottle is individually numbered and sealed with a wax coat. Poured straight from the bottle, the light brown body showed a terracotta rim. Nuances of marmalade on the nose, combined with an almost ripe Madeira-like character and plenty of roasted nuts. Semi-sweet, powerful, huge palate presence, wave after wave of dried fruits like apricots and peaches. Simply stunning, fully mature, and I enjoyed it immensely. 94/100.
1964 Nederburg Private Reserve port (S.Africa)
This port was generously opened and served blind to me by Laurence Feraud, who opened it after I told her I was a big fan of Port. I guessed Portugal, and an age range of between 1955 & 1963. I never guessed S.Africa, though I suppose the sweetness on the palate should have given me an idea that it was possibly non-Portuguese. I thought it might have been a Portuguese producer, rather than an English Port house. In my defence, this is the first S.African tawny port-style wine I have ever tried. Made from 100% Syrah grapes, this rare wine is not commercially available. It was bottled in 1984 (having spent 18 years in oak barrels), each bottle is individually numbered and sealed with a wax coat. Poured straight from the bottle, the light brown body showed a terracotta rim. Nuances of marmalade on the nose, combined with an almost ripe Madeira-like character and plenty of roasted nuts. Semi-sweet, powerful, huge palate presence, wave after wave of dried fruits like apricots and peaches. Simply stunning, fully mature, and I enjoyed it immensely. 94/100.
YOLO
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Rich,Rich Nanda wrote:Has anyone tried the Vincent Arroyo "port" made from Petit Sirah? My wife and I love it. I have no idea how to compare to real "port" as I'm totally inexperienced. I'd describe the VA "port" as a lighter style body, medium sweetness. A vanillin profile on the palette. With a yummy coating effect.
Any suggestions for real port that's similar?
Considering that the Vincent Arroyo 2002 Petite Sirah Winemaker’s Reserve "Port" carries a winery suggested price of $45 per 750ml bottle . . . . . . I can think of SEVERAL alternatives!
Danger! Danger! Warning Will Robinson! GENERALIZATIONS FOLLOW:
(and we all know there are always expceptions to generalizations!)
First of all, know that there are, in a sense, two groups of Port shippers: the so-called "English Houses" and the so-called "Portuguese Houses." Generally speaking, English houses are fuller in body and are most famous for their Vintage Ports, while Portuguese houses are lighter in body and most famous for their Colheitas and other Tawny Ports.
I would guess that you might like to try some Late Bottled Vintage (LBV) or so-called "Vintage Character" Ports. These will be $20-25 or less. Lots of notes have been posted on LBVs. I don't know where you live, but look for Quinta do Crasto, Quinta do Noval, or some of the others that have been mentioned often, such as Smith Woodhouse.
"Vintage Character," or "Reserve" Ports are sort of "souped-up" Ruby Ports. These include wines like Noval LB, Fonseca Bin 27, Warre's Warrior and Dow's Reserve.
Tawnies will be on the drier side, typically, but also lighter in body than LBVs, VDs or that Vincent Arroyo.
Cheers,
Jason
Porto comes from only one place . . . no matter what the label says!