For The Love Of Port

Hey all

I just wanted wanted to introduce myself. I recently started down the terrible path of wine I've enjoyed Roy's posts on ebob for his passion and enthusiasm about port and madeira and I've lurked around here for a while but I havent posted since I havent actually tried port and madeira (well madeira i have tried a long time ago and i don't really remember it) .
Well that all changed last night. I was at local italian restaurant near my friends place in the city and their dessert menu had a small selection of ports and grappa so I thought why not and ordered the Dow's 1980 port... Oh My God! it was AMAZING!! Sweet and fruity (sorry still dont know how to describe what I'm tasting) but not annoyingly sweet like some sauternes that I've had. My friend who was with me was also instantly hooked.

So like I was reading in the other thread I'm pretty sure the port industry will survive since all people really need to do is taste it to be hooked hehe and I'll do my part to spread the love of port to people my age (I just turned 28 )

Anyway I just wanted to say Hi and you guys will see me around much more often now ^_^

Akira,

Welcome and thanks for your first post - its great to see someone hooked on port after their first taste of a VP. You are a great example of what I suspect might be happening, that a higher proportion of people in the future will taste Vintage Port as their first port experience than may have happened in the past.

I loved your tasting note. You may not have described the flavours and sensations that you felt, but you really did describe well the feeling that the wine created in you, and that is just as important - maybe more so - with your first experience. Lots of enthusiasm. It was great to read.

As and when you taste more port or madeira, I would encourage you to try and describe what you taste and what sensations the wine generates in your mouth and on your tongue. We all start somewhere and this forum is very supportive of people wanting somewhere to try things out for the first time - give it a go, you have nothing to lose!!

Best wishes and welcome to the world of Port!

Alex

its great to see someone hooked on port after their first taste of a VP.

How many thousands have been put off by a warm stale ruby in a pub or restaurant??

Spread the word!!

Tom

Akira,

Welcome to the Forum! It is nice to have you here and what a wonderful introduction you provided, along with that generous description of your first Port experience.

May every newbie be as fortunate as you, to stumble onto such a glorious Vintage Port as the Dow 1980!

I hope you will continue to spend time here reading and posting, as I am sure you'll find this a friendly and welcoming environment. Please make sure you sign up for the newsletter on the homepage of the website. The next issue will be released this coming week and contains great articles on Port, with well over 50 new Tasting Notes.

We look forward to learning more together. In fact, if you'd share the name of the NYC restaurant that has that '80 Dow on their list, it would be most appreciated and I'm sure that someone else here will drop in to have a glass, based on your report. Thanks!

Thanks for the warm welcome. I'm soo new to the whole thing that I probably wouldnt even know if they just threw some juice together in the back and served it to me as port or whatever hehe all I know is that it was yummy.
So I've resigned myself to buy a bottle or 2 and find out for myself 8) Been looking thru winesearcher for some bottles but they seem scarce and not to mention some of the scandalous shipping rates hehe makes me miss how cheap shipping is in Japan.
I definitely will sign up for the newsletter and I'm looking forward to trying a lot more very soon

The name of the place was the Arte Cafe on W 73st off Columbus Ave their chicken parmigiana was really good