Introducing Myself - Old McDonald.

[Alan McDonald]

I have lurked around the site on the odd occasion, and like what I read, so decided I should join. I have been known as Old McDonald for a long time and especially since I created a farm out of bare land in Scotland 20 years ago and called it Hazza Farm.

Approaching 70 I continue farming on a peasant sized scale rather than being a go-getter, and have been on my "quinta" in Portugal for 10 years. My signature is a link to a blog that includes a lot more information on me if anybody wants to know.

Many years ago I developed the philosophy of enjoying life on my land rather than trying to create income. My first aim is to live well and profit is secondary. Fortunately my wife of 40 odd years agrees with this philosophy and has worked with me on our various farms around the world. Whilst I drink what some people might consider a lot of wine - averaging a bottle a day for well over 30 years (including a couple of glasses with lunch some days) plus Port with cheese every night after dinner, followed by Moscatel de Setúbal with nuts. Now and again I have paté with the Moscatel. My philosophy of lving cheaply means that I rarely buy expensive wines and I gave up buying VP for my own cellar (and I have a very big one including a lagar) about 5 years ago. I believe that VP is a wine that younger people enjoy more, and so I now buy and cellar VP only for my son and baby grandson. My daily Port is Ruby. I do treat myself now and again with a VP from the ones I retained for my own use, but there is nothing of great significance in my collection.

[Andy Velebil]

Hi Alan,

to the forum, great to have you join in and thanks for the intro!

[Miguel Simoes]

Welcome Alan!
What Ruby do you favor? Which Moscatel de Setúbal also?
Castelo Branco is an area of good people... guess the cold winter weather brings that out in them!
Good to have you w us.

[Alan McDonald]

Thanks for the Welcomes. I often shop in the Modelo/Continente supermarket so buy their own label at €4. To save me having to post calculations, €1 is about one and a third US$, 1.2 GB£. Unfortunately last night I had one so badly corked that it was poured down the sink - it bypasses the septic and goes out into an olive grove. Port flavoured olives? Not to worry, it is a rare occurrence, but it does happen.

I used to buy Offley's but we had so many corked - 5 out of 6 bottles in one purchase, that I ceased buying it. I like Ferreira, also their White Port (not the Lagrima, too sweet) with paté. Overall, I would say that for the last couple of years I favour Ferreira, and I have bought at least one bottle of most on the market.

As for Moscatel, there are quite a few to choose from. I regret (in hindsight) that I did not keep better records, but somewhere either side of 2006, many of the Setúbal Moscatels were mader with a burnt caramel flavour, as if attempting to emulate Madeira, or an aged Moscatel. I am pleased to say that no longer applies. It only lasted two, perhaps three years. I do not know why it was done. I did not like the taste, and I am guessing that other drinkers did not either. I tend to buy either Sivipa or Thassos. I am building up a reasonable collection of these in preference to VP. I am more likely to consume them than something that needs 30 or more years to reach its peak. I also buy a Spanish Moscatel because I like it and am sometimes parked close to the supermarket that sells it. Wine merchants, as I knew them in the UK, do not exist in this particuiar part of Portugal. They might in places like Lisboa or Porto, I do not know.

Something I do with Ruby Ports that might seem unusual is to cellar them. This was suggested as a possibility by Allan Sichel about 60 years ago as a means of improving a cheap port. So far, probably starting with 2007 colheitas, and purchased early 2009. I think they are better. Early days though, and time will tell. I want to keep some back for 10 years and see how they drink.

[Bradley Bogdan]

Welcome! It sounds like you've distilled life into a wonderful existence in a beautiful place, always good to hear the lurkers chime in.

[Alan McDonald]

Thanks for your welcome too Brad. I do not spend a lot of time around forums so, as on this occasion, I am often rather tardy in acknowledging or responding to posts directed to me.