POLL: How knowledgeable of Port is your local wine retailer

[Roy Hersh]

When you go to the local wine shops in your own area, (not grocery, or supermarkets) how much does the owner/salesperson typically tend to know about Port wine?

Give some positive or negative examples from your experience.

Thanks!

[Andy Velebil]

Well, they stock some decent Ports, but that doesn't really translate into knowledgeable sales people. When I am in the stores near me, I usually am the one asked to answer a customers question, if the staff cannot (which is more often than not). Of course I know some of the staff quite well so they are comfortable in doing so.

I also end up helping the customers shopping in the Port sections, as that is the one section of the store that most employee's seems to avoid walking through when customers are in it. Just last night, when at a wine store, there was a guy trying his best to figure out what type of tawny to buy. He was picking up multiple bottles, reading the label, getting that confused look on his face, putting the bottle back, and repeating this several times. I finally ask him if he needed some help, and "Yes, please" was the answer. Sent him home with 2 bottles of Ferreira 10 year old tawny...of course I bought one too

[Al B.]

I'm going to pass on the vote for two reasons.

Firstly, my 3 nearest wine retailers are supermarkets. They have reasonable selections of port on offer, but have no knowledge of what they sell (whether you are trying to find out about Vintage Port or about varieties of potatoes).

Secondly, my non-supermarket retailers are few and far between and offer 372 different varieties of beer and a choice of red or white wine. I don't go there for port (or for wine, or beer since I don't drink beer).

Instead, my local regular wine merchant is a merchant that I have found who is about 20 minutes drive from my house. They have a team of around 20 staff and 2 or 3 of them have a great knowledge of port. Three or four times a year I will drive over and will have a long conversation and a browse through their stocks and will always leave having intended to buy just one bottle and driving away a car with barely enough room for me to fit in because of all the bottles I have bought - that's why I only go 3 or 4 times a year!

So I guess you could say that my local retailer was chosen for his knowledge and range of ports, principally vintage ports. He is by no means the cheapest; but he is reliable, knowledgeable and has an ever changing range of VP's and the odd LBV or own label in stock. The oldest wine I have ever seen offered on the shelf was a Croft 1942 but they regularly have 1963s on offer and many later vintages.

You might have heard of this retailer - it is Berry Brothers and Rudd.

Alex

[Marc J.]

Upon my recommendation they've brought in some decent ports, but it continues to be an educational process. For instance, last week I explained to them the significance of the splash of white paint that is found on some VP bottles. Pricing has also been an issue ie. Sandeman 1960 going for more than Fonseca 1963, but they have been receptive and hopefully over time they'll become a nice resource for ports.

[Todd Pettinger]

I voted "I know more than any of my local retailers" not because I believe I am an expert - on no, far from it. Of the 9 or 10 stores within a 20 km radius from my house, there are only two that stock more than 6 types of Port. Typically only 1 or 2 varieties of VP if any.

This site has taught me way more than almost all of the local retailers combined could muster together in the ways of Port.

That being said, there are two businesses that I will drive far out of my way (32 and 43 km) due to the fact that they have the knowledge, selection and proper storage of Port. My "I know more than them" covers all my local retailers, these two in particular do not fall into that same category! But 32 and 43 km respectively do not qualify (to me) as 'local.'

Todd

[Alan C.]

Just to help, I choose less than most novices.
But, I have the same problem as mentioned previously. I have Off Licences nearby, Supermarkets,etc, who buy decent port at a National level, and stock their stores. The human being you deal with, knows the price and how the barcode works, and thats it. I then buy on the internet, going off the Parker score and wine-searcher. I cringe at the more random methods I used before you guys taught me some basics. It would be alomg the lines of, "Special Occassion. I'll treat myself. I'll go up to £50. I've heard of around a dozen producers. I know about half a dozen good years. I'll see which one costs £50. That'll do nicely thanks"
As you can imagine, the results were a tad random as well.

Alan

PS. I've just thought 'what did I do before the Internet?' And the answers was a place called Scatchards in Liverpool.Excellent store. They had two assistants who may have been full of waffle, but they made buying unusual Ports and other drinks an adventure. They used to ave half a dozen barrells behind the counter full of 'Special One Off's'. What a shame its gone.

[Roy Hersh]

Alan,

Wow what a shame that place is gone. Going to a shop and being able to drink from a cask if very very cool. Even if it was just cheap ruby, I'd be in there bringing friends to learn about Port. It is a shame that some of the supermarket type stores have made it so tough for these type of small and knowledgeable operations to succeed.

[Todd Pettinger]

It is a shame that some of the supermarket type stores have made it so tough for these type of small and knowledgeable operations to succeed.

Roy,

I'm not 100% sure that this is the case. For anyone above a novice-level knowledge of Port, Alan included, these smaller types of specialty shops may now be coming back into fashion. Perhaps not in the UK, but in my area in any case. deVine Wines (for an example that you know and have been to in MY area) is one such example of a "small" specialty shop where this is certainly the case - folks expect to pay a bit more than the average there, but there is likely no better resource in the city than deVines for specialty wines, Port, higher-end champagne, etc.

I know that the supermarkets and larger liquor store chains may have put some of these fine small establishments out of business 5-10-15 years ago, but I think they may be making a resurgence. Today's consumer is starting to become a bit more discriminate and doesn't mind spending $50 vs the $35 that he might spend on some LBVs, $25 on other more basic LBVs, Rubies and Reserves. With the price comes knowledge, if thhe consumer is willing to spend a few minutes talking, or has the gumption to ask for help in the first place.

Like Andy though, the places round my house, when I am there, I seem to be more of a resource and will chat for some time with customers who have that "lost in the headlights" look on their faces. Now if only someone woudl do the same with me for Bordeaux!

Todd

[Dave Johnson]

Roy,
Pete's in Bellevue has a large selection of Colheita's (much deeper than even Spanish Table - and many in 375ml as well).
Dave

[Scott Anaya]

I chose they have tried a few. And as Andy said, I too often end up helping customers choose Ports as no one ever seems to come around to help Port shoppers.