For The Love Of Port

An interesting snapshot of the Port business and Portuguese tourism. I do agree that there is more growing interest in Tawny and less interest in Vintage Ports. The large increase in Americans visiting Portugal was a surprise to me!

https://www.meininger.de/en/wine-busine ... turnaround

"... our most popular Ports are 20-year tawnies,” says Erik Segelbaum, corporate beverage director for the Starr Restaurants group. Segelbaum says guests go for the middle tier when picking out a Port; it’s an indulgence for guests, so the bottom end seems stingy, but they feel the high-end vintage wines are only for connoisseurs.

By the glass in a restaurant, I would go for a 20-year tawny over a VP, and it has nothing to do with price or style preference. That tawny can be open for a month and the glass will still be good. But has that VP been open for more than two days?

Eric Menchen wrote:

"... But has that VP been open for more than two days?

Or two years?

I drink way more tawny than vintage. The vintage just sits in the cellar.

Moses Botbol wrote:I drink way more tawny than vintage. The vintage just sits in the cellar.

We are going on a tangent here. But according to cellartracker.com, I opened 24 VPs last year and 10 tawny/colheitas.

Moses Botbol wrote:I drink way more tawny than vintage. The vintage just sits in the cellar.

a lot of us would gladly help you with that 'problem'

Bert VD wrote:

Moses Botbol wrote:I drink way more tawny than vintage. The vintage just sits in the cellar.

a lot of us would gladly help you with that 'problem'

Come by and we can drink all the VP you want!

aw now i see you're in Boston. not the easiest to get to for me. i guess some American port fans will be faster

Bert VD wrote:aw now i see you're in Boston. not the easiest to get to for me. i guess some American port fans will be faster

There is enough to accommodate all.

Boston is a nice place to visit in the summer. Especially if the Pats win another Super Bowl Celtics are looking great too.

"... our most popular Ports are 20-year tawnies,” says Erik Segelbaum

When Erik was younger and a lot less experienced, but a rising star in the bev. world, he attended both a Port and a Madeira seminar that I used to put on for our restaurants. For those who have been to Daniel's on Lake Union, he was the bartender moved up to beverage manager there for a bunch of years. It cemented his knowledge and I knew he would move on to become someone with a great reputation as his palate was really sharp and his tasting notes exceptional. A very likable personality too.

Wow, Erik, I didn't know that about you. Fascinating!

I am a bit skeptical about Tawny replacing Vintage Ports in terms of purchases or consumption these day. Especially because the 2015/2016 Vintage Port declarations have greatly boosted the focus on Vintage Ports the past two years. With another declaration coming on board with 2017 ... whether huge or moderate in scope, it is going to be extraordinary to have three excellent vintages in a row and I really can't think of any modern day trio of Port vintages in such close proximity.

While the quantity of special wood-aged bottlings and especially Colheitas/Single Harvest Tawny Ports; it is hard to fathom that their purchases could possibly surpass that of Vintage Ports for the past couple of years.