For The Love Of Port

I was at our local Portuguese marketplace today, picking up some wine and cheese. In the checkout line I spotted these treats. Small chocolates containing either Niepoort ruby Port, J.M. Fonseca Moscatel, or Touriga Nacional wine!!
Wholly unexpected in the U.S. Of course I grabbed an assortment.

Which were the favorites?

Andy Velebil wrote:Which were the favorites?

Still evaluating

Mike K. wrote:

Andy Velebil wrote:Which were the favorites?

Still evaluating

Proper evaluation is good!!

This one from Graham's - whit Graham's LBV 2015 ganache is very good. Great taste of chocolate and Port wine

Great graham's fan - especially their single harvest collection

Andy Velebil wrote: ↑Sat Jan 23, 2021 7:45 pm

Mike K. wrote:

Andy Velebil wrote:Which were the favorites?

Still evaluating

Proper evaluation is good!!

After much extensive study - I have concluded that they are all very good, but too similar to choose a favorite. The label claims they are all 39% wine, and you can taste it, but not pronounced enough to tell much difference. I imagine all of them use a fairly light and young wine. Highly recommended, but no need to buy all three to compare. But fun anyway.

Thanks for the update. And good to know worth getting.

Andy Velebil wrote: ↑Wed Jan 27, 2021 9:30 pm Thanks for the update. And good to know worth getting.

I did some googling yesterday and couldn't find any of these. This could be a case of Google's algorithms being too aggressive, because any search that included the word "Port" immediately became a search for Port Wine. And any search that did not include the word "Port" turned up either non-relevant hits for "graham's" or generic hits for chocolate.

TL;DR - if anyone manages to come up with a link that's useful in the US, please post so that I can use it!

Glenn E. wrote: ↑Thu Jan 28, 2021 9:05 am TL;DR - if anyone manages to come up with a link that's useful in the US, please post so that I can use it!

Well, not in the US, but the next time you are in Europe:
https://portugalnosso.com/en/shop/choco ... ao-di-vine
https://portugalnosso.com/en/shop/gourm ... -chocolate
They do ship to the US, but it is pretty expensive, and I don't know if they would ship these. I think the store is online-only, but they are located just a little outside the Porto airport. And if you place an order, might as well see if you can get some cheese:
https://portugalnosso.com/en/shop/chees ... a-da-lagoa
https://portugalnosso.com/en/shop/chees ... strela-dop

https://cacaodivine.com/

Cannot find in the US either

Eric Menchen wrote: ↑Thu Jan 28, 2021 9:22 am They do ship to the US, but it is pretty expensive, and I don't know if they would ship these.

I started a cart and added a couple of these cheeses, and it appeared that it was going to let me ship to Washington. (aka "rest of the world zone 2" in their parlance.) That was 44 EUR for 2-3 kg, and the cheeses are conveniently 900 g each.

Still expensive, but roughly $28/lb for fancy cheese delivered isn't that crazy. I pay $20/lb for certain kinds of cheese at my local QFC.

Edit: bah, shipping weight is 1.1 kg per round, so you can only get 2 into the 44 EUR weight limit. That changes the value proposition considerably.

Did you buy those at https://portugaliamarketplace.com?

Moses Botbol wrote: ↑Fri Jan 29, 2021 6:07 am Did you buy those at https://portugaliamarketplace.com?

Yes I did Moses.

Darn, I'm an idiot.
I forgot they have an online shop. Here's the chocolates:
https://portugaliamarketplace.com/colle ... riety-pack

Mike K. wrote: ↑Fri Jan 29, 2021 6:12 am

Moses Botbol wrote: ↑Fri Jan 29, 2021 6:07 am Did you buy those at https://portugaliamarketplace.com?

Yes I did Moses.

Darn, I'm an idiot.
I forgot they have an online shop. Here's the chocolates:
https://portugaliamarketplace.com/colle ... riety-pack

Been shopping there for a long time.

They have a good selection considering being told that MA is a small Portuguese wine market compared to other locales in the US.

Moses Botbol wrote: ↑Fri Jan 29, 2021 7:00 am Been shopping there for a long time.

They have a good selection considering being told that MA is a small Portuguese wine market compared to other locales in the US.

I love the place. Very friendly and helpful staff from top to bottom.

Who remembers the scene from the movie "Clerks" where Randall walks into "Big Choice Video" and falls to his knees in awe of the movie selection?
That was me when I first discovered Portugalia Marketplace and saw their Portuguese wine section.

Mike K. wrote: ↑Fri Jan 29, 2021 7:48 am I love the place. Very friendly and helpful staff from top to bottom.

I was supposed to do a port tasting with their wine guy, but couldn't find the time go down with a few bottles.

Moses Botbol wrote: ↑Fri Jan 29, 2021 8:14 am

Mike K. wrote: ↑Fri Jan 29, 2021 7:48 am I love the place. Very friendly and helpful staff from top to bottom.

I was supposed to do a port tasting with their wine guy, but couldn't find the time go down with a few bottles.

Is that Andre, or someone else?

I only get to the store a few times a year. Is it bad that when I show up, the wine guy addresses me by name and offers to show me any new Madeira they got in?

Mike K. wrote: ↑Fri Jan 29, 2021 9:51 am Is that Andre, or someone else?

I only get to the store a few times a year. Is it bad that when I show up, the wine guy addresses me by name and offers to show me any new Madeira they got in?

I don't remember. They have few good cheap madeira's in there. We've been buying Borges Rainwater Madeira for a cellar defender. Good to cook or drink with.

Mike K. wrote: ↑Fri Jan 29, 2021 6:12 am

Moses Botbol wrote: ↑Fri Jan 29, 2021 6:07 am Did you buy those at https://portugaliamarketplace.com?

Yes I did Moses.

Darn, I'm an idiot.
I forgot they have an online shop. Here's the chocolates:
https://portugaliamarketplace.com/colle ... riety-pack

Ooh, and they have queijo da serra, too! (That's the non-DOP version of Serra da Estrela cheese.)

Unfortunately once you've added cheese to your package the shipping escalates dramatically. I was going to get some chocolates, some honey candy, and 1 round of cheese and the shipping was going to be $56 (for a $60 order).

Glenn E. wrote: ↑Fri Jan 29, 2021 10:50 am Ooh, and they have queijo da serra, too! (That's the non-DOP version of Serra da Estrela cheese.

We have that at a local supermarket https://seabrafoods.com down the street from my house that often carries it too. The hot Brazilian women going and working there is an additional bonus.