UNOFFICIAL POLL: Which Port producer ...

[Roy Hersh]

Alright, it is now time for all HARVEST TRIP participants to come back here and share the names of the Ports that NOW fit into your favorites listing. I have a feeling we'll see many new producers added.

[Andy Velebil]

I'll only list the ones that changed from my original post.

10 Year Old Tawny: Ferreira's 10 yr tawny is just great...Niepoort is still a close second.

20 Year Old Tawny: Ferreira's 20 year is truly one of the best ever.

30 Year Old Tawny: S. Leonardo. Mostly from one barrel of 1972. WOW!

40 Year Old Tawny: S. Leonardo was truly amazing...I wish it was sold here in the US. I've never ranked a tawny with indication of age with a 98 point score before this one.

Colheita: 1970 Quinta do Crasto, from an unrefreshed cask, OMFG is all I will say! (it was never sold, and is only for the Quinta's use)

Colheita (that is available retail): 1952 Dalva "Presidential" Golden White Port...let me just say, 98-99 points!

Colheita (overall producer): This goes to Niepoort. This producer is solely responsible for my hugh interest in Colheita's since the trip. They make some awsome ones that are fairly easy to obtain.

Vintage: Quinta do Noval for the shear power the great Nacionals. However, Niepoort makes just awsome VP's that have so much flavor and complexity it is amazing. As long as Dirk continues this path, I will follow with check book in hand


We had a fair amount of Colheita's on the trip, and that really sparked an interest in them for me. I had never really had much before then, and they are truly an overlooked Port by most (good for me though ), but there are some great ones out there.

[Eric Duprey]

Here is my revised, post-trip list:

LBV Port: Quinta do Crasto. On the trip I found the 2000 Crasto LBV to be very vigorous and vibrant, and easy to drink while young. A recent experience with the 1998 LBV confirmed my opinion.

Crusted: I wasn't taking notes during dinner, but I think it was a 1964 Noval crusted we had, if I remember correctly. That was very nice. So that is the only crusted port I've had.

Reserva (used to be Vintage Character): I still like the Ferreira Dona Antonia best, but the Ramos Pinto Collector also impressed me as being pretty decent at a reasonable price.

10 Year Old Tawny: Ramos Pinto Ervamoira. I noted 'jungle flowers' - not that I know exactly what the jungle smells like, but to me it seemed lush and floral. I've been meaning to pick some up.

20 Year Old Tawny: Ferreira Duque du Braganca.

30 Year Old Tawny: I found Ramos Pinto to be really impressive.

40 Year Old Tawny: I'd have to agree with Andy on the S. Leonardo. That one really knocked my socks off!

Colheita: Young colheita: Niepoort 1995. Old colheita: 1952 Dalva Golden White. Probably the most distinctive tasting and memorable of any port I've ever had. Extremely haunting and unusual.

Vintage: Young vintage: Vesuvio 1994 and Niepoort 2003. Gould Campbell 1994 was a runner-up for me. Having never had it before I was very impressed and think it is a bit underrated. Old vintage: Fonseca 1970. The Noval Nacionals also really impressed me.

Also, regardless of category, which ONE producer have you tried in the past 5 years, that you feel is the greatest rising star in Port wine?

Quinta do Portal. Everything we tried was just top notch.

- same question for - Douro wine?[/quote]

Quinta do Crasto. I particularly liked the Xisto 2004.

[Andy Velebil]

Eric, it was the 1962 Crusted. Thank goodness I wrote it down, that was a LONG night and my notes at the end of the night are a bit sloppy to read, to say the least

[Eric Duprey]

Thanks, Andy. I knew I was in the ballpark and I'm glad you made a note of the year, because I was certainly incapable of taking notes on anything at that point!

[Jay Powers]

Sorry for the delay, here are my revised post trip results:

LBV Port: Niepoort. But I agree the Warre traditional 1995 is really nice as well. If I get a chance to try some more vintages of the Warres I may change my mind. Unchanged, although if I could get more of the Quinta da Prelada I might change my mind

Crusted: Limited experience still, but the 1962 Noval crusted was very fine and the best I have had. When we returned I bought some more 1999 Dow to place in the cellar for 30 years and see what happens. Changed, previously was undecided

Reserva (used to be Vintage Character): Still not sure!

10 Year Old Tawny: Ramos Pinto Quinta do Ervamoira. Changed, was Niepoort which is still a close second.

20 Year Old Tawny: Hard to say because we had quite a few top notch 20 years. Close between Ferreira Duque du Braganca and Sandeman. Changed, was Grahams, a nice balance of fruit with the finer aroma and smoky-nutty flavor

30 Year Old Tawny: Tough choice between S. Leonardo and Ramos Pinto. I just had another bottle of the Ramos Pinto and it was as good as I remembered! Changed, was Taylor

40 Year Old Tawny: Two fantastic ones come to mind: S. Leonardo and Quinta da Romaneira

Colheita: Dalva 1952, followed by Ramos Pinto 1937. Big change from "I have not had enough to decide here."

Vintage: Quinta do Noval Nacional (old port) and Vesuvio (Young port). Changed, was Grahams, with Warre a close second (still very good!)

Biggest lessons learned on the trip: 1) Colheita Ports are fantastic and should be aggressively acquired (by me, not anyone else please ), 2) Nacional may be really worth the price 3) There are a lot of producers completely unknown in the US who make fantastic ports.

[tastingnote]

Will this be part of a definitive "Best port in the world" chart?!!!

LBV Port: 1994 Niepoort, maybe now getting a little old, it's still lovely with gentle fruit, a little bit of spicyness

Crusted: I'm quite partial to Churchills, don't really know why!

Reserva (used to be Vintage Character): Haven't tried one - something for me to do!

10 Year Old Tawny: Nieport
20 Year Old Tawny: Niepoort
30 Year Old Tawny: I don't think I've had one.... or at least not that I've been sober enough to remember
40 Year Old Tawny: Love Taylors.

Colheita: I had a 1974 Noval which tasted a bit like Irn Bru (for those of you who have never heard of Irn Bru, it's the biggest selling soft drink in Scotland. Tastes a bit like weak tangerine mixed with bubblegum and carbonated!), but I really do like 1994 Niepoort

Vintage: Where to start?! The best was 1955 Grahams, closely followed by 1970 Grahams and Taylors. The best experience was 1868 Warres - very dry and tawny like but still a pleasent drink at 135 years old!

Peter

[Roy Hersh]

Another retro-thread that I thought would be interesting to ressurrect.

Come on in and add your two cents or update your views here!

[Andy Velebil]

My

LBV Port: A tie between Warres and Smith Woodhouse, traditional LBV. Probably because it is the ones I've had the most of, are the easiest to find, and are at an affordable price point for a really good LBV.

Crusted: Dow's....because it is the only one I've had

Reserva (used to be Vintage Character): Graham's They are by far the most consistant in terms of being loaded with fruit, very nicely integrated alcohol, and very silky. I've enjoyed Graham's more than any other in this category.

10 Year Old Tawny: Niepoort. Some special memories, that I won't go into, behind that decision.

20 Year Old Tawny: Quinta do Noval. Have you ever just had a bottle that screamed, "This one is for you", well this one is for me.

30 Year Old Tawny: Funny, I've only had the Graham's. These and the 40 yr olds, are just a bit too expensive for a tawny.

40 Year Old Tawny: One of these days I will try one.

Colheita: I've had a few but not enough to pick a clear favorite.

Vintage: Taylors. The 1966 and 1970 were the first 2 old VP's that I ever had, both bottles were outstanding. Ahh, the memories

How funny to see this old thread brought back. And boy have things changed. I've had more 40 Year Tawny's, Colheita's, and VP's than I can remember now!

But it interesting to see one of these on the list hasn't changed.....My choice for a Reserve; Graham's Six Grapes is still my favorite in this category.

[Glenn E.]

Fun thread!

So just to be clear on my picks... a "favorite" has to be something you can buy and drink regularly. Yeah, yeah, the '31 Noval is possibly the best Port ever produced, but it can't be a "favorite" because you're never going to get to drink it again! So for some of these picks there are other Ports that I've had that I liked better, but which I cannot obtain for future drinking. Ports only sold in Europe, Ports reserved for family use or only for drinking at the Quinta, etc. Also, when it comes to picking a "favorite" sometimes sentimental reasons will override a straight-up quality comparison. That's what makes them favorites!

LBV Port 2003 Taylor. This is one of those cases - I've had LBVs that I liked a little bit better, but I can't find them in the US. The 2003 Taylor is right near the top anyway and is readily available, so it is my favorite.
Crusted I don't believe I've ever had a Crusted Port.
Reserva (used to be Vintage Character) I'll have to go with Broadbent Auction Reserve. I don't drink a lot of Ruby Reserves, but when I do I tend to go for an Auction Reserve. I find that Graham's Six Grapes and Noval Black are too much like young LBVs and so not what I'm looking for in a Reserve.
10 Year Old Tawny Niepoort. A friend gave me a bottle as a thank-you gift and it's still really the only 10-yr old that I've enjoyed enough to buy again. Generally speaking, 10-yr olds are too young for my taste.
20 Year Old Tawny I have to pick just one? That's tough. I guess I'll stick with Ramos Pinto out of tradition, though the Ferreira Duque de Braganca is right up there as well and for sentimental reasons (it was my first Port) the Porto Rocha is still one of my favorites.
30 Year Old Tawny According to my own rules I don't have one - all of the ones that I've had are too difficult to find in the US to be counted as favorites. I scoop up S. Leonardo and Ramos Pinto at every opportunity, but that's not often.
40 Year Old Tawny Kopke, followed closely by Noval. Some days those might be listed the other way. The Romaneira is better than either of them, but it is made in very limited quantities and is nearly impossible to find in the US.
Colheita This is a tough one because I've had so many really good Colheitas. 1977 Porto Rocha probably still counts, though, because it was my first Colheita and I have a stash. (There's no more left in the lodge.) I've had the 1966 Kopke many times and it's also a rock star, but it's getting a bit expensive these days. Money-is-no-object would get me to the 1937 Warre and/or the 1937 Noval.
Vintage: I can't pick just one! So in age order... 1966 Graham, 1970 Taylor, 1977 Fonseca, 1985 Graham, 1994 Vesuvio, 2000 Vesuvio, 2003 Noval. Of those, the 1985 Graham and 2003 Noval are the most readily available, so I suppose those should be my favorites.

the greatest rising star in Port wine? I came into Port late enough that for me, Portal was already an established player. Which means my rising star has to be Quevedo, and not just because Oscar is such a great guy! I think that Oscar was really the social media pioneer in the Port trade and his tireless efforts are paying off. Claudia's Ports (and wines!) are top notch and the Port world is starting to take notice.

[Roy Hersh]

There is ZERO QUESTION that Oscar Quevedo was the first individual (or Port company) to embrace and effectively utilize Social Media in the Port trade. Since then, we've seen other blogs and a handful of other efforts from FB and Twitter and all kinds of email PR to market new bottlings and brands. Will the fall off of in magazine advertising expenditures wind up creating the old wine magazines like Wine Spectator, Decanter, Wine Enthusiast et al. going the way of the dinosaur? Not sure yet, but there's no question that savvy Port companies are figuring out there is a far more cost effective way to reach their target audience these days ... no less the hard to attract younger generation that does not spend money on wine mags anymore and does most of their reading online.

Thanks Glenn ... and Oscar, take a bow!

[Andy Velebil]

There is ZERO QUESTION that Oscar Quevedo was the first individual (or Port company) to embrace and effectively utilize Social Media in the Port trade. Since then, we've seen other blogs and a handful of other efforts from FB and Twitter and all kinds of email PR to market new bottlings and brands. Will the fall off of in magazine advertising expenditures wind up creating the old wine magazines like Wine Spectator, Decanter, Wine Enthusiast et al. going the way of the dinosaur? Not sure yet, but there's no question that savvy Port companies are figuring out there is a far more cost effective way to reach their target audience these days ... no less the hard to attract younger generation that does not spend money on wine mags anymore and does most of their reading online.

Thanks Glenn ... and Oscar, take a bow!

An interesting question, and one that maybe should be it's own topic... IMO, something like Wine Spectator will probably survive and continue as the "masses" still need an easy to obtain source of information, at least for the foreseable future. They seem to be far more on the cutting edge of things than some other wine publications and that will probably keep them in the game longer than some. I also see at some larger print publications is the older reviewers are getting on in years and there is either very little new blood in the pipe line to replace them or there have been poorly chosen replacements who've been given areas they dont' seem to be in tune with.

But what we're seeing now is a shift to more "region specific publications." And by "region specific publications" I'm refering to print, on-line, blogs, and forums. I firmly believe the future of wine coverage is going this way. People, especially the younger generations want the information now from someone who is very much in tuned with that region, and they don't want to wait 6 or 8 months for it to appear in a print magazine.

I think we've all read reviews or information in articles from a "professional" reviewer or writer about a specific region that was incorrect. The wine world is now far to large, with far to many producers, in far to many geographic regions for any one person, or even a small team, to effectively cover them all in detail every year. So region specific pubilcations with people who are passionate about an area and constantly immersed in them year in and year out are the future in my opinion. This also allows producers in those regions to go after their target audience better as well. Just my

[Roy Hersh]

Agreed. There are very few regions that don't have "Ambassadors" to help critique and promote the wines from that specific area. This phenomenon really began in the late 1990s, and Burghound's Allen Meadows is probably the best (if not first) example.

[Al B.]

I never did get round to answering this question the first time it was asked, and it was really interesting to read what people I know said 6 years ago about their choices of favourite ports. I wonder how much that's changed...

But my choices today are:
LBV Port - Warre and Smith Woodhouse bottle matured LBVs. These are as good as vintage ports and are abolsutely delicious when in their sweet spot. Currently I'm drinking may way through vintages from the '70s and '80s and they are just wonderful.

Crusted - Noval's crusteds from the '60s are fabulous. In my opinion crusted port really does benefit from being aged for at least a good couple of decades before showing its best so it is really difficult to know how the Niepoort, Fonseca, Dow, Quevedo and other crusteds being made today will perform in the 2020s. Sadly, as everybody else, I have less of this in my cellar than I would like.

Reserva (used to be Vintage Character) - Quevedo made a ruby reserve for Uncle Tom that is really very good and is my preferred ruby reserve. I'm not sure how it compares with Quevedo's standard ruby reserve blend, but if they're comparable then this would be my favourite ruby reserve. Or in 2006 Cristiano van Zeller declassified much of his production from Vale de Dona Maria to make an astonishingly good ruby reserve (lote 06, if you ever see this on the market). Sadly it was sold in one big parcel (to Denmark, I think) so shouldn't really count as a choice.

10 Year Old Tawny - not a style I drink very often. I've only ever taken notes on 11 bottles. Of these, the Dalva White 10 yo and Offley 10 yo Tawny were the two I preferred.

20 Year Old Tawny - again, not a style I often drink. I only have notes on 10 bottles, but of these by far the one I enjoyed the most was the Villar d'Allen blended by Quevedo.

30 Year Old Tawny - probably Niepoort, but I don't drink many tawnies. Only notes on 6 bottles.

40 Year Old Tawny - again only to 10 bottles to choose from. Revolta and Brunheda stand out for me as the most impressive blenders of 40 yo Tawnies I've tried.

Colheita - back to a decent number of producers to choose from. I've been very impressed by Graham's recent run of 1961, 1952 and 1969 colheitas. I also love some of Noval's colheitas and Niepoort's magnificent colheitas. Difficult to choose between them, but if I have to then I'll go for Noval as they are easier to find and enjoy than Graham's or Niepoort's.

Vintage - so many producers, how to decide? Cockburn's magnificence from 1900-1970, but Croft were equally good and made a monumental 1945, Fonseca (when you can get hold of older bottles) were consistently good from 1934-1977 and again recently but did have a dull patch with 1980 and 1983. Graham are consistently superb with no real dips since 1900, Niepoort are brilliant but too rare to include, Noval had too big a dip from 1968-1994 to include but I do like their recent style. So it comes down to a short list of Cockburn, Croft, Fonseca or Graham. A really difficult choice, but one where Graham gets the nod for their consistently brilliant vintage ports.

Also, regardless of category, which ONE producer have you tried in the past 5 years, that you feel is the greatest rising star in Port wine? I would have to give this award to Quevedo. Their ports are wonderful and sometimes (VP in 2008 or LBV in 2006) are head and shoulders above the competition.

- same question for - Douro wine?
No idea. Douro wine is simply Port that has been accidentally bottled before being fortified (as a well known Port-maker said to me this summer). I prefer to wait until my Port has finished being made before I drink it.

[John M.]

This is a cool thread:

LBV Port: Warres or Smith Woodhouse--just consistently better than the rest
Crusted: Dows (but there is bottle variation IMO); the Churchill Crusted I've had (twice) was poor.
Reserva (used to be Vintage Character): Fonseca Bin 27 (Hon mention to Noval Black)_
10 Year Old Tawny: Taylor
20 Year Old Tawny: Ramos Pinto Bom Retiro
30 Year Old Tawny: N/A
40 Year Old Tawny: N/A
Colheita: 1994 Smith Woodhouse (Limited experience)
Vintage: 1967 Taylor Quinta de Vargellas

Up and comer: I find Quinta do Crasto's ports (LBV and VP) to be quite good. Not sure if they qualify here. Quevedo based on reputation but hard to get (only had one LBV).

[Rob C.]

Their ports are wonderful and sometimes (VP in 2008 or LBV in 2006) are head and shoulders above the competition.

Did you try the 06 LBV from Quevedo already? I brought some back to try at an offline (with you in mind) because i thought you said you hadn't had it!

[Al B.]

Umm. Maybe it wasn't the '06 LBV I was thinking of. Which was the LBV vintage we bought and enjoyed recently? Was it '03 then?

[Andy Velebil]

Umm. Maybe it wasn't the '06 LBV I was thinking of. Which was the LBV vintage we bought and enjoyed recently? Was it '03 then?

Prob. The 2003 lbv rocks and i know youve had it a number of times. Looking forward to trying the new ones.

[Eric Ifune]

Didn't list mine orignially but here's the current ones.
LBV Port: Crasto
Crusted: Dow, only because it's the only one I've had access to.
Reserva (used to be Vintage Character): Noval Black
10 Year Old Tawny: Niepoort
20 Year Old Tawny: Ferreira
30 Year Old Tawny: Krohn
40 Year Old Tawny: Revolta
Colheita: Krohn/Noval/Niepoort
Vintage: Taylor

[Luc Gauthier]

As a Harvest participant for 2012 :

LBV : Warres Traditional
10 : Ramos Pinto
20 : Ramos Pinto ( although visiting Cockburn and tasting their 20 yr old , allowed their 20 to slip into the top 5 )
30 : Ramos Pinto
Colheita : 1964 Krohn white ,tasted at Wiese & Krohn
VP : Grahams 1970