For The Love Of Port

I agree with Jason. I am 48 and think that 2003 will definitely be my last "new" vintage that I will invest in. That said, I NEVER will stop buying well-stored older bottles of VPs and Colheita and the occasional 20 year old Tawny. Yeah, maybe an LBV on occasion too. But your poll does not...

Fred, Thank you for being the first to post a poll on this site. I think it was well done and should make for some excellent debate. Having tasted the 2003 cask samples, I would give a slight nod to the 2000 vintage over the 2003 and also the 1994. One correction though, there were actually 3 perfec...

Mwaters, If you go to the archived articles on this website, or even the Tasting Note section ... you'll find my cask sample and follow up tasting notes on the 2000 Ports that you mentioned in your posting. I prefer Fonseca at this stage, but Taylor always takes awhile to show its cards to the deale...

Erac, I hope that is not meant as a play on words. Anyway, this will soon change when all participants will have to supply their real names in order to post. :) On a more positive note, I wish there was a Port tasting group near me! This sounds very cool and a great way to learn. Personally, I am no...

Alan, I very much appreciate your enthusiasm and I guess I'd like to see the Forum take off even more than it has. I have reached out far beyond the eBob site, so my expectations are high. I am very pleased with the progress so far and moreso, when I look at the list of 50 something ppl who have sig...

Fred, Your strategy is sound and of course it helps to know exactly which houses are to your liking in terms of style. MWaters, Budget always comes into play, unless wealthy. So we make the best decisions we can. Honestly, I think you could post your list of 10 VPs in the Port Forum and ask for opin...

Reading the Squires' BB, there was a posting about lurking as it seemed that out of nearly 8400 registered guests, only 1100 or so, had actuvely posted. Mark Squires came on the topic and mentioned it was his experience that the ratio of people who "lurk" and just read, versus post on the ...

While in Lisbon and also Oporto, I am always amazed that almost all bottles of Port are standing up in a bunch of the shops. Many older bottles, in Lisbon shops exist and are also directly in the sunlight in close proximity to or directly in the windows. What is up with that? I guess that the displa...

I have had lots of white Ports and Churchill is certainly way at the top. For a drier and probably less complex white Port, I enjoy the Dow's flavor profile. I have never had the Ferreira White Port although I do have a bottle of their "Lagrima" style of white Port in the cellar for someti...

I am always looking for new fine dining experiences and would be interested in your suggestions on great places to eat in Oporto, Vila Nova de Gaia or in the Douro.

Bad new: I went to register the domain name: FTLOP.com and was told it has been in use since Dec. of 2004. I thought that someone was trying to hold it for ransom and checked with the Domain registration company and that is not the case. It is currently held and used by: For The Love Of Pets. Yikes,...

So far we are reacting to the information posted here. We have added a Port Basics area to encompass beginners questions, expanded further with a Marketplace after this was requested in terms of a Commerce Corner and we're exploring a FTLOP.com link to make it shorter to type in. Please DO think &qu...

Tim the building you describe is the Port Wine Institute's "Solar" in Lisboa. They also have branches in Oporto and Regua. My best Port experience was something that will be duplicated on the first trip I lead to Portugal. It is not a wine, it is a place and NO, it was not when I experienc...

My favorite all time LBV was the Quinta do Noval 1994.

I like Dow, Niepoort, Smith Woodhouse, Warre, Noval and Quinta do Portal. I believe that the best LBVs come from the declassified grapes from the top vintage years, although there are many exceptions.

Nicos,

Great article and accompanying tasting notes and photos. Well worth the read. I hope someday we can do the Douro together!

Wow, we are getting some heavy Port hitters in here. How are you Michael. Nice to have someone with your depth of knowledge on Ports joining us! :) Although I have had my share of '99 VPs, I have not had the Ferreira VP from this vintage. Sorry about that. Welcome to the Forum, it is great to see yo...

I hold the palate of Nicos in very high esteem and over the past few years he has become one of the most informed Port aficionados I have come across. You can take his TN and ratings to the bank when it comes to VP!

You will have to do the research as to website, phone number and location etc. but I am willing to share and am a satisried customer of all of these retailers: Indywineman Winexchange The Rare Wine Company Hart Davis Hart Premier Cru The Wine Club (SF) The Chicago Wine Company Tinamou Wine Company K...

Disclaimer: mentioning a friend's brand The Broadbent 10 year old Malvasia is still the best deal in Madeira in the $30-40 range. I mentioned this on the Parker site and received almost 2 dozen emails and PMs thanking me. My own brother bought a case of the stuff and I know lots of others that have....

Do you think it would make any sense for us to offer Port and Madeira for sale here? My concern is the interstate shipping although there are companies to handle those logisitics ... but it would be pretty unfair for our international guests. What say you?