For The Love Of Port

This is a poll for FTLOPers to select the primary factor why they choose a Port in their purchasing decision.

Roy Hersh wrote:This is a poll for FTLOPers to select the primary factor why they choose a Port in their purchasing decision.

I'd have to say that for me, the primary factor for me to buy is "because it is delicious". Others come into account, but that is definitely primary.

Phil W wrote: ↑Sat May 03, 2025 10:20 am

Roy Hersh wrote:This is a poll for FTLOPers to select the primary factor why they choose a Port in their purchasing decision.

I'd have to say that for me, the primary factor for me to buy is "because it is delicious". Others come into account, but that is definitely primary.

Same for me. I'm really only looking for great Port now, because I already have enough Port to last my lifetime. So it has to be something special. The style, price, aging potential, year, etc. all matter, they're just not the primary consideration anymore.

Maybe could have include the name of the producer as an important factor... my 2 cents

I thought of another factor for me - uniqueness. Some of the places we visit in the Douro give us the opportunity to taste - and sometimes purchase - Ports that we will literally never see again, let alone have the opportunity to buy again. So those end up jumping the queue, so to speak, as very literal once-in-a-lifetime opportunities.

I also have enough Port to last a lifetime, possibly 2 lifetimes. That's not bragging, I just overbought for a few reasons. At this point since I have more than enough, I am like Phil and Glenn...I'm buying for taste and if possible uniqueness. That's not to say that I won't buy other Ports that are great deals that are too hard to pass up, but the ones I'll not see too often or the ones that are very good, I'll buy before anything else.

I wasn't sure if my buying should be counted as (a) or (c) in the poll. Like others here, I have plenty of VP in the cellar, so most of my buying is tawny and colheita to have something fresh to drink. That most fit (c), but has a flavor of (a) since I'm just buying a particular style and older vintages. And yes, while traveling I will definitely pick up the unique bottle, something that stands out, or a bargain.

I drink way more young port today than I thought I ever would. The vintage stuff tends to languish, but that's ok. Not going anywhere.

Enjoying ruby reserves and 10 year tawny as regular week day drinkers. Non port fortified's have struck a chord in the last year.

These days provenance is king, so I only buy on provenance.

But I don’t buy a lot - I buy Vesuvio and Noval on release to keep my verticals going. Vesuvio goes back 34 years! Noval only 29 years (with a couple of years not made).

Most of what I buy is for immediate consumption and is usually tawny or white — but not always! For example, this month I’ve bought Andresen 10YO White, Quevedo 1972 Colheita, Warre 1966 and Graham 50YO. All from perfect provenance the Warre 1966 hasn’t moved from the cellar where it was bottled!), all ready to drink.

And all at attractive prices.