Looking for once in a lifetime tastings in Portugal
Posted: Thu Dec 02, 2021 7:02 am
Hello everyone,
I am dragging my wife to Portugal in March 2022, to taste ports in honor of my 50th birthday. Ideally we can travel for 10 or 11 days. I have friends that meeting us wherever I tell them too, so that they can join us for the "port tastings" part of the vacation, ideally a two or three day period within our l dates. Tasting port that I can't find, is cheaper/better/older than what I can find in the USA is why we are going to Portugal . This is why I am posting here, instead of a generic Portugal travel site.
This post is in hopes of learning about the port tasting suggestions when visiting Portugal for the first time. I have already asked about basic recommendations in another post.
A little bit about my port tasting experience and preferences:
I eventually figured out that I really like port, once I was introduced to a vintage port. Warre’s 1985 vintage
In 2013 I hosted my first port tasting.
I have hosted nine port tastings so far, although most of them only had four to six different ports.
My current recommendations to people that ask me about port:
Grahams 6 grape reserves will teach anyone that port is worth drinking at a low price point. For the past couple tastings I start with this no matter what the theme is, just to show us a good basic port.
Warre’s unfiltered LBV is my $30 recommended port. Just discovered this one.
Graham’s 30yr tawny is my $100 recommended port. I try to get one or two of these each year
Quinto Do Noval 40 year tawny is my $180 recommended port, and currently my favorite, although it has been a few years since I have been able to find a distributer that carries it for New England.
I tell people that if they want a consistent good quality port to go with an aged Tawny. 20 years is a good price per quality for many people.
Vintage port is more varied. Some are amazing, others are disappointing for the price paid.
For some reason I have discovered I do not like Sandeman tawny ports. It has been a few years since I tried one.
Blind port tastings have taught me that price often reflects which port is better…. But the difference in quality is not always worth the difference in price.
Pairing port with the correct food is an art form. The better your pairings, the more people will enjoy drinking port.
The oldest port I have had was a 1980 Anderson Colheito.
I have only had a handful of tawnys aged 30 and 40 years.
Any recommendations about the following topics welcome:
English speaking tour guide that can show us some tailored tasting experiences. Local ambiance, hard to find(or old) ports, and tasting/port education would all be welcome.
I am hoping to visit Quinto Do Noval. Anyone have any recommendations about visiting them? timings, location, who to contact?
A touristy place like Grahams or Taylor, unless you all agree there are better places for a “touristy” experience.
Recommendations on how to schedule port tastings that are not the generic ruby/white/10 yr tawny? Maybe at a Quinto that does not ship to the USA?
Recommended places which include port tastings outside of the Porto area.
Recommended days of the week to taste port
Any other Portugal port tasting recommendations that I need to know?
Currently the only known plans are to fly in and out of Lisbon in March, and have people meet us for a couple of days in or near Porto.
Disclaimer: My wife does like port, but she is totally content with a $5 bottle of ruby port paired with excellent chocolate.
Thanks!
I am dragging my wife to Portugal in March 2022, to taste ports in honor of my 50th birthday. Ideally we can travel for 10 or 11 days. I have friends that meeting us wherever I tell them too, so that they can join us for the "port tastings" part of the vacation, ideally a two or three day period within our l dates. Tasting port that I can't find, is cheaper/better/older than what I can find in the USA is why we are going to Portugal . This is why I am posting here, instead of a generic Portugal travel site.
This post is in hopes of learning about the port tasting suggestions when visiting Portugal for the first time. I have already asked about basic recommendations in another post.
A little bit about my port tasting experience and preferences:
I eventually figured out that I really like port, once I was introduced to a vintage port. Warre’s 1985 vintage
In 2013 I hosted my first port tasting.
I have hosted nine port tastings so far, although most of them only had four to six different ports.
My current recommendations to people that ask me about port:
Grahams 6 grape reserves will teach anyone that port is worth drinking at a low price point. For the past couple tastings I start with this no matter what the theme is, just to show us a good basic port.
Warre’s unfiltered LBV is my $30 recommended port. Just discovered this one.
Graham’s 30yr tawny is my $100 recommended port. I try to get one or two of these each year
Quinto Do Noval 40 year tawny is my $180 recommended port, and currently my favorite, although it has been a few years since I have been able to find a distributer that carries it for New England.
I tell people that if they want a consistent good quality port to go with an aged Tawny. 20 years is a good price per quality for many people.
Vintage port is more varied. Some are amazing, others are disappointing for the price paid.
For some reason I have discovered I do not like Sandeman tawny ports. It has been a few years since I tried one.
Blind port tastings have taught me that price often reflects which port is better…. But the difference in quality is not always worth the difference in price.
Pairing port with the correct food is an art form. The better your pairings, the more people will enjoy drinking port.
The oldest port I have had was a 1980 Anderson Colheito.
I have only had a handful of tawnys aged 30 and 40 years.
Any recommendations about the following topics welcome:
English speaking tour guide that can show us some tailored tasting experiences. Local ambiance, hard to find(or old) ports, and tasting/port education would all be welcome.
I am hoping to visit Quinto Do Noval. Anyone have any recommendations about visiting them? timings, location, who to contact?
A touristy place like Grahams or Taylor, unless you all agree there are better places for a “touristy” experience.
Recommendations on how to schedule port tastings that are not the generic ruby/white/10 yr tawny? Maybe at a Quinto that does not ship to the USA?
Recommended places which include port tastings outside of the Porto area.
Recommended days of the week to taste port
Any other Portugal port tasting recommendations that I need to know?
Currently the only known plans are to fly in and out of Lisbon in March, and have people meet us for a couple of days in or near Porto.
Disclaimer: My wife does like port, but she is totally content with a $5 bottle of ruby port paired with excellent chocolate.
Thanks!