For The Love Of Port

I just read the "basic" port article Roy had linked to from the Smithsonian Magazine - it mentions that the trendy crowd is drinking port on the rocks. I had never even considered that - is it the ultimate disrespect for port lovers? Has anyone tried it - if so is it enjoyable?

It's always good in my opinion to try new combinations.
I will NOT consider it a disrespect, I think if it makes more people to drink Port it's always GOOD, is a little bit like the French having the little melon with Port...or using Port to cook, of course that you will not use a classy Port for that...
For me there's no more surprise after I've started to see the US lovers opening and drinking baby VP, just arrived from being corked... this we call WINE GENOCIDE!
But I LOVE this new aproach from the American style, it's much more fun and better for the market that the old fancy british style..."Oh no never open a VP younger then 10years old in the bottle" I hear this everyday at Vinologia and it makes me :x ahah!
I now know that there are plenty of Ports for each ocasion, my friends and I'm not only speaking about VP!!!
:twisted:

I had a port on the rocks of a type last night - equal measures of tonic and white port poured over ice and with a few torn leaves of fresh mint.

It was rather nice and the best thing we could have done with that particular white port.

Alex

Al B. wrote:I had a port on the rocks of a type last night - equal measures of tonic and white port poured over ice and with a few torn leaves of fresh mint.

It was rather nice and the best thing we could have done with that particular white port.

Alex

I've heard of only white port as mentioned above served with ice. I do know someone whose dad drink port and cognac 50/50.... From her side, he likes it a little too much, too often... :devil:

While I won't put ice in my Port (white Port and tonic excluded), If that is what you like then by all means put ice in your drink. In the end it is what ever you fancy.

Ruby on the rocks with a bit of sparkling water can be quite refreshing as well.

Eric Ifune wrote:Ruby on the rocks with a bit of sparkling water can be quite refreshing as well.

That actually sounds swell. I may have to give it a go this summer.

Ruby or White on the rocks with some tonic does actually sound decent! I'm almost surprised to hear myself saying that (or see my self typing it in this case.)

VP, or even Tawny/Colheita - I just couldn't do it unless it was an awful VP and I was desperate to try to find SOME way of finishing the bottle.

Todd

Although it might be considered "trendy" these days, it is far from new in Portugal. I had my first Port Tonic at Quinta do Bomfim in May 1994 and many since then.

This is not something that denigrates Port and is a fun summer sipper!

I had some not-really-Port-drinking friends over this evening to try a wide variety of Ports - old vs. young colheitas, tawny vs. ruby, etc. I gave them a white Port with tonic and mint, and they loved it.... However, they asked me if this particular drink had a name.

Anyone know if there is a name for White Port and Tonic with Mint other than "White Port with Tonic and Mint?"

I have seen it marketed this way: Portonic

Given how drinks need a fashonable name, I'd suggest either:

Portuguese Squeeze

OR

Portuguese Breeze

Roy, you may need to trademark those names! :) Very good!

Todd

I tried port-on-the-rocks this past weekend and I must say that I was somewhat disappointed. Although I think that there it has the potential of being a nice refreshing drink - a liitle more tinkering will need to be done to fine tune the taste. I did try altering the mix a bit by combining 50% white port, 25% tonic & 25% sparkling water. This new mix was an improvement, but I'm still not quite satisfied with the result.