Would you like to see White Vintage Ports popularized?

[Roy Hersh]

There are few new categories that come along but I think this is one that should be "hatched" in the future. I can't think of any reason that there should not be Ports made specifically from white Port grapes and have a vintage date on the bottles.

What do you think?

[Frederick Blais]

Interesting topic I never even tought about! I think it would be a hard task though. Popularity of red over white in all the fermented grapes beverage around the globe is just so dominating. The trade would have to prove that white VP can age, gain complexity, get better and be associated with luxury as it is now with red VP. In a market were red young VP already struggle to sell on release, I'm not sure it would be wise to put this on the market, though it could be really interesting to taste. After pink... maybe Taylor's R&D will now aim this

[Tom Archer]

How do white ports respond to reductive ageing? I'm not sure..

I have some doubts here - there is no doubt that they respond well to oxidative ageing (i.e. in cask), but if they had the ability to evolve well in bottle, I can't help thinking we would know already..

..on the other hand, the whole concept of quality whites has been hugely neglected..

..ask Dirk!

Tom

[Ray Barnes]

I would welcome an opportunity to even taste a white port in my province.

[Tom Archer]

I would welcome an opportunity to even taste a white port in my province.

By and large, you havn't missed a lot, but there a few - very few! - aged whites that are surprisingly good.

The great majority of standard whites are really quite horrid! :x

Tom

[Glenn E.]

It's something that seems worth trying - it's at least as worthy of the attempt as Pink Port was - but I have no idea whether or not it would work.

I do like the cask aged white ports, though!

[Andy Velebil]

The great majority of standard whites are really quite horrid! :x

Tom

I've got to disagree a little with you on that one. There are plenty of good / decent inexpensive white Ports out there. Sure there are some bad ones, but there are some bad ruby Ports too. The problem I see is that people tend to compare them to a regular Port. Which isn't correct as they are totally different grapes than what are used in red Ports. So they do taste different, have different characteristics, etc. Some I've had even had heavy citrus notes on them...something that would be a flaw in a regular Port. With the exception of a handful of wood aged ones, most whites are used as an appertif, either straight up or mixed with tonic. To me they are like a decent Vinha Verde, a nice easy drinking white that isn't too complex, refreshing, and a good way to start the afternoon or evening with. You have to approach them with an open mind and NOT compare them to a standard Port. It's like comparing a red Bordeaux to a California Chardonnay...you just can't do it.

As to Roy's question...YES!

[Ray Barnes]

After further consideration, I no longer would like to see white port popularized. I hereby demand that it be popularized. (spoken with British accent, consonants exaggerated)

[Lars F]

Having tried a few cask aged whites which were very good, I'd like to see some white VP's.

Would a bottle aged white port create as much deposit as a red port?

-Lars

[oscarquevedo]

I think it is a good opportunity to explore the niche of premium white port. Though, there are some producers already making Reserve White. For the white port with vintage date on the bottles, I think the solution could pass by bottle it as Colheita. And White Colheita is already established in the legislation, with the same bottling timing as red, this is, after the seventh year of harvest. But seems white Colheita are not receiving much attention from producers. Could the problem be the 7 years barrel ageing period? Or is just lack of demand? Maybe both...

[Moses Botbol]

It's going to take major marketing to get the word out on white port. Aged white port could sell quite well in trendy bars, but it's going to take some "smoke and mirrors" to get the word out. If something tastes good, it just takes people trying it and knowing that it is an option to purchase or drink. White port should be promoted from the clubs and restaurants and then the consumer will look for it at their local B&M.

I do not see any heavy marketing in port (in general), and can't see the dollars getting spent of such a limited item.

Personally, I'd like to buy some aged white ports, but there's none available with a date on them locally. Ramos Pinto, Niepoort, and Dow are the 3 white ports that come to mind on shelves around Boston.

[Glenn E.]

I really really really want to get my hands on some of Dirk's "new" 10-yr old White.

Really.

Very much.

2-3 bottles at least. A 6-pack if the price is reasonable.

Really.

Pretty please?

[Andy Velebil]

How do white ports respond to reductive ageing? I'm not sure..

Tom,

Good question. I'm not sure how they would hold up under reductive aging as I've never even heard of someone making a White VP. Although I'm sure some producer has tried this at least once. This may be a good question for Roy to ask the producers for an upcoming newsletter.

[Andy Velebil]

I think it is a good opportunity to explore the niche of premium white port. Though, there are some producers already making Reserve White. For the white port with vintage date on the bottles, I think the solution could pass by bottle it as Colheita. And White Colheita is already established in the legislation, with the same bottling timing as red, this is, after the seventh year of harvest. But seems white Colheita are not receiving much attention from producers. Could the problem be the 7 years barrel ageing period? Or is just lack of demand? Maybe both...

The only problem is it wouldn't be a "Vintage Port" if kept in cask for 7 years. On another note....Have you ever heard of someone producing a "Vintage White Port" that was bottled between the second and third year after harvest like a traditional VP?

I've had a good number of barrel aged white Ports and, considering there is very little produced and even less ever offered for commerical sale, I've not had a bad one yet. So it can be a very good product.

It's going to take major marketing to get the word out on white port

I would say it's more of an image thing as the white Ports that the vast majority of people only get to try are the inexpensive dry white and lagrima styles. However, I could see producers coming out with more aged white Ports in the future but that means they have to start accumulating a decent stock of these to make. And I'm not sure how many producers have enough older stocks to do this. Even Niepoort, Barros, etc which are known for their great colheita's have very little aged white Port stocks to draw from to do a bottling run.

[Eric Ifune]

I wouldn't think a bottle aged White Port would have the depth and complexity of Red Port. Not enough anthocyanins, tannins, phenols and the like. Wood aged would be a different beast. The oxidation would add the complexity.

[oscarquevedo]

Andy, I don't know anyone currently making Vintage White Port, though I know one big producer making experiments with white. And I must agree with Eric, probably the Vintage White Port could not stand the weight of the age and improve a lot with the time. Even the best of the Vintage White Port could not be so much better than the basic White Port as the Vintage Port can be when compared with the basic Ruby Port. Well, it could be made to drink young!

[Andy Velebil]

Even the best of the Vintage White Port could not be so much better than the basic White Port as the Vintage Port can be when compared with the basic Ruby Port. Well, it could be made to drink young!

I wouldn't think a bottle aged White Port would have the depth and complexity of Red Port. Not enough anthocyanins, tannins, phenols and the like.

Good points. But Oscar, you've may have a good idea....make them to drink younger.

[oscarquevedo]

Good points. But Oscar, you've may have a good idea....make them to drink younger.

I will suggest it to my dad and my sister! Even if just for private tasting and to all we learn a little bit more!!

[Andy Velebil]

Good points. But Oscar, you've may have a good idea....make them to drink younger.

I will suggest it to my dad and my sister! Even if just for private tasting and to all we learn a little bit more!!

Oscar,
What a great idea, thanks. I hope your family agrees to try this experiment. I'd be happy to be one of the taste evaluators to see how they develop over time

Even if it didn't work out in the long run it would be great research material for future generations.

[Derek T.]

Going back to something Tom mentioned earlier in this thread: If white VP was a vaiable product someone would surley have produced it before now. Barrel aged white ports are a different subject altogether and are deserving f another thread. Bottle aged white port? No, I can't see that working. It doesn't work for table wines so why would it work for port?