Beginner looking for advice

[Alex Marshall]

Good evening,

I stumbled across your forum some time ago and have been a keen follower since. I've only just become a member though. I'm at university in the UK; and whilst I am keen on drinking port, i'm finding it hard to establish a cellar/collection, something that I am most eager to begin. I have a few bottles, Warre 2003VP, Dows Quinta do Bofim 1996 and a few tawnies and LBV's. I'm heading to Porto this month to research and hopefully learn a bit more about port. I'm thinking of purchasing a few bottles and was wondering if anyone can suggest a few bottles that are reasonably priced and that can be laid down for a few decades. I'm thinking 1991-2003. I've already looked at the 12 vintages you must own and i'm looking for the 2000 Niepoort. Does anyone have any recommendations/tips on how to start my cellar?

Thankyou for your time,

Alex

[Glenn E.]

Hi Alex, welcome to FTLOP!

My first advice would be to not worry too much about starting your cellar. That will happen as time passes whether or not you do it intentionally! Besides, unless you actually have a cellar in which to store your collection, you will probably run out of space very quickly.

My goal when starting out was simply to figure out what I liked. I'm a fan of tawny ports and colheitas in particular, so I knew that I could collect those without too much worry, but I really had no idea what I might like in a Vintage Port. Based on what I had read and what I had been told, I assumed that I would like the softer, more elegant, and generally slightly sweeter products and so I started purchasing those. As it turns out, I was completely wrong! I actually enjoy the bolder and stronger Vintage Ports more, but by the time I figured that out I had already stocked up on quite a few of the other variety.

So spend some time just trying anything that looks interesting. If you find a bottle you like, buy a couple more and lay them down.

As far as what to look for, you almost can't go wrong with 1994. That was a fantastic year, and virtually everyone made an outstanding Vintage Port. The same is almost true for 2003 so just about anything from that year is probably safe as well.

1997 and 2000 were also very strong years, but I would probably stick with the better known shippers in those years.

[Andy Velebil]

Alex,

Welcome to FTLOP, glad you have come out the shadows and are now a poster. BTW, I'm sending you an email. As to your questions...You live in a great area to find some older Ports at good prices. There are number of members here from the UK and I know they will chime in with their thoughts and where to locate some great deals. Porto is a fun place. I must warn you though, the Port lodges only give you the basic cheap stuff at the end of the tours. But do take a few tours, its fun to learn about the history of the lodges while actually inside of them. If your going to buy some stuff in Portugal, I can and will only recommend two places...Vinologia (on the Porto side of the river, on the corner opposite the Factory House. The best Port bar there is. Tell Jean-Phillip and his step-son Gustavo you are a FTLOP member and I'm sure they will take good care of you.) The other is the Maria Teressa at AVEPOD, its just down the street a couple blocks from Vinologia. AVEPOD has some great prices and some very good stuff you can only get in Portugal from small independant producers.

As for starting your cellar. Buy a mix of new stuff to lay down for later and older stuff to drink now. The 1980's are quite cheap, often at the same price or less, than the new vintages and are starting to drink very well. The UK contingent also does a lot of offlines. I'm sure they'd love to have you join them and they can point you in the right directions...they are a great group of guys.

[JacobH]

I stumbled across your forum some time ago and have been a keen follower since. I've only just become a member though. I'm at university in the UK; and whilst I am keen on drinking port, i'm finding it hard to establish a cellar/collection, something that I am most eager to begin. I have a few bottles, Warre 2003VP, Dows Quinta do Bofim 1996 and a few tawnies and LBV's. I'm heading to Porto this month to research and hopefully learn a bit more about port. I'm thinking of purchasing a few bottles and was wondering if anyone can suggest a few bottles that are reasonably priced and that can be laid down for a few decades. I'm thinking 1991-2003. I've already looked at the 12 vintages you must own and i'm looking for the 2000 Niepoort. Does anyone have any recommendations/tips on how to start my cellar?

Welcome, Alex!

Where are you studying? It was University that first gave me a real interest in Port, although the stuff that was served was almost always dreadful! In terms of what to buy, I’m a big fan of that Quinta do Bonfim, which is currently available at not too bad prices in a few places in the UK and I think most people reckon that it will improve quite a lot over the next few years.

-Jacob

[Glenn E.]

I will add one more "must see" Port place in Porto to Andy's list... the Solar do Vinho do Porto. I haven't been to Vinologia so I can't compare them, but the Solar has a stunning array of Ports available by the glass (easily 100 or more) and an amazing patio overlooking the Douro and Villa Nova de Gaia on which to drink them.

[Alex Marshall]

Thank you for such a warm welcome. I've just passed my second year exams and i'm thinking of buying a bottle of port. Something to remind me of passing them in 50 years time or so. I'm not sure what to purchase and I don't really want to spend over £40. I've spotted a bottle of Niepoort 2000 VP for £39. Any other commendable suggestions?

Alex

[Derek T.]

Alex,

I would advise against buying in Porto unless you want one or two bottles from there just so that you can say you have them. The prices are very high compared to the UK as the are mainly aimed at the tourists from across the pond and further afield where local prices are astronomical compared to what we can get here in Blighty.

If you let us know where you are we can give advice on your local options. We might even be able to get you along to a port tasting so that you can meet some port freeks and enjoy lots of ports you might not have tasted yet

Derek

[Andy Velebil]

Alex,

If your able to, take my very good friend Derek up on his generous offer of attending an offline with him and the others. They are quite the knowledgeable group and total fun to be around...a great group of guys....and I can pretty much guarantee that you will have some good Port along the way.

[Roy Hersh]

Another Alex from the UK? Glad to have you join us Mr. Marshall.

You've received some pretty solid advice from others here, so I don't have anything brilliant to add. But I did want to extend a hand and welcome you here and also to thank you for moving from "lurker" to "poster" and we hope you'll continue to participate in our discussions as you'll find this a very friendly group of novices, intermediates and a couple of folks with some very deep experience too. Regardless of experience with Port, as I am sure you've seen, we are very willing to have new folks join us and this is never a place where you'd feel like it was a real clique type of environment.

I look forward to sharing some Port with you one day in the not too distant future.

Sincerely,

Roy

[Todd Pettinger]

My first advice would be to not worry too much about starting your cellar. That will happen as time passes whether or not you do it intentionally! Besides, unless you actually have a cellar in which to store your collection, you will probably run out of space very quickly.

My goal when starting out was simply to figure out what I liked. I'm a fan of tawny ports and colheitas in particular, so I knew that I could collect those without too much worry, but I really had no idea what I might like in a Vintage Port. Based on what I had read and what I had been told, I assumed that I would like the softer, more elegant, and generally slightly sweeter products and so I started purchasing those. As it turns out, I was completely wrong! I actually enjoy the bolder and stronger Vintage Ports more, but by the time I figured that out I had already stocked up on quite a few of the other variety.

So spend some time just trying anything that looks interesting. If you find a bottle you like, buy a couple more and lay them down.

Hi Alex, I have been missing myself from FTLOP on and off over the last couple of months (loads of work, travel and family stuff) and know it has been awhile, but this advice that Glenn has given is excellent. I just began seriously pursuing Port over a year and a half ago and was worried about this same thing (building a cellar and a stable of excellent Port.) I would recommend that you try some and try to get a feel for what YOU like and are interested in.

The only other advice I would give is to read some of the many many TNs located in the Tasting Notes section and try to try one or two of the bottles that sound interesting to you. Try to figure out over time whose tastes you align with and take note of what they do and do not like. This can give you insight and clues as to what you should try to avoid or try to target to buy.

Most of all - enjoy the journey! I hoppe to never stop learning about this wonderful beverage!

[Roy Hersh]

AJM,

Did you purchase any of the 2000 Niepoort VP? It is a stellar bottling and about as good as any 2000 VP produced, in my opinion. Maybe the greatest Niepoort Vintage Port since 1945, which is saying a mouthful!

[Moses Botbol]

Welcome.

I would purchase some older vintages than 2000-2003. How about an '85 Grahams? That would be in budget and in 50 years will be a blockbuster. Slightly more money, but affordable would be a foot locker of Vesuvio; six bottles in the finest packaginng for port ever. Consider a '97 Taylor or Fonseca magnum. If you are going to wait 50 years, it might as well be a magnum...

[Alex Marshall]

Dear all,

Firstly, thankyou for your interest. My collection is slowly growing. I bought back a Sao Pedros 2000VP and a few other LBV's etc from Porto. I've purchased a bottle of 2000VP Croft and 6 bottles of Morgans 1991VP. Unfortunately, i've not managed to purchase any Niepoort 2000. Funds are running low though in the preparation for university, so I think I might start to save for my first half case rather than buy the odd bottles!

I've been trying to broaden my port horizons. I managed to taste a bottle of Fonseca Single Quinta 1986 at the East India Club in London. I can't remember the quinta though. It was lovely but i'm afraid I didn't remember to take any TN's. Next time i'm there i'll hope to try the Dow 1983.

[Moses Botbol]

Dear all,

Firstly, thankyou for your interest. My collection is slowly growing. I bought back a Sao Pedros 2000VP and a few other LBV's etc from Porto. I've purchased a bottle of 2000VP Croft and 6 bottles of Morgans 1991VP. Unfortunately, i've not managed to purchase any Niepoort 2000. Funds are running low though in the preparation for university, so I think I might start to save for my first half case rather than buy the odd bottles!

I've been trying to broaden my port horizons. I managed to taste a bottle of Fonseca Single Quinta 1986 at the East India Club in London. I can't remember the quinta though. It was lovely but i'm afraid I didn't remember to take any TN's. Next time i'm there i'll hope to try the Dow 1983.

I would stockpile the '91 Morgans from what I have heard about and its price.