For newbies

[Roy Hersh]

As you are learning about Port and deciding what and where and why ... is best for plunking down your investment dollars, (Euros or Pounds too) what have you been buying? I am mostly curious about which category of Port you have been buying during your learning curve.

[John M.]

Lots of LBVs and Ruby Reserves, the occasional newer VP....and some tawnies--mostly 10 year olds and just plain "tawny". Any thing under $25 really....build up a base of knowledge. Then I got a few VPs that were 20-25 years old.

[R Bull]

Mostly VP, especially older vintages that I can enjoy now. That being said, I really do need to stock up on additional 2011 VP given the excellent vintage. I only have the 2011 Fonseca on hand. I have not yet had the privilege of experiencing an older Colheita so I am looking at purchasing some older vintage Colheita. Some of the tasting notes regarding this style of port has definitely raised my interest. As for tawny, I usually stay with 20 or 30 year old tawny.

[Christopher B.]

Though I've tasted port on and off for the last 20 years, I would average perhaps a bottle a year if that much. I have become more interested in port since early this year and have focussed on 2011VP (Graham and Fonseca in particular). Perhaps it is the other way around. Tasting 2011VP has gotten me interested in port so I bought a few cases of 2011VP.

Now that they are resting in my cellar, I am focussing on trying older bottles and different types (LBV, older VPs, some tawnies) in the various stores that I find have stocks. As a whole, Switzerland is not a country where there are many port drinkers and it is quite hard to find large selections (though what I find seems to be pretty good).

[Roy Hersh]

Great posts so far. Thanks guys. I will respond in greater detail, but hope others who are new here will also take the plunge and put there thoughts in this thread. I promise we don't bite!

[Mads Barnkob]

I had a good tour of tastings at 11 different producers in Porto before I really started collecting, this is also where my interest in old VP was sparked.

I fell for the taste and complexity of the wines that are around 30 years old, so that was my collection goal, so find wines 30-50 years old and get a stock up through the years till today, mostly by buying 12 bottles at a time to get discount, not whole cases, but different years and brands. I do also investigate a great deal in pricing before buying, where wine-searcher has been my best guide against shop pricing.

There is still many vintages missing in my collection, but Id rather get them at a good price than just aiming to get them all.

I collect the VP and open 3-4 bottles a year, but also buy LBV, tawny and colheita for the everyday glass every now and then.

[Roy Hersh]

Hi Mads,

What are your preferences in producers/vintages for the ones you've found you really enjoy most?

I must say that I was very impessed with the depth of the Port culture both in Copenhagen and that town outside where all the importers and their warehouses reside, not to mention the quantity of serious Port fanatics there in Odense.

Very impressive to say the least!

[Mads Barnkob]

Grahams VP 1983 and Blandys Bual 1977 are the best I had so far.

I did unfortunately miss the Copenhagen Vintage Port Festival here in November, but I already signed up for 2015 :)

I am hesitating becoming a member of the VP club in Odense, which you attended at its 25 year anniversary, I am more for drinking the port than just tasting, I might just get drunk and be out of the element of tasting

[Nikolaj Grundtvig]

I must agree! Odense is a great city.. its where i live

I started with port a year ago.

Had a great LBV port last new years eve and wanted to have that experience once again.

Got though some LBV ports but was mildly disappointed. They where too concentrated.

I tried some 20 year old tawnies and Colheitas and loved the sweetness and wooden tone.. liquid candy

Due to fellow family members getting "hooked" on port i have tried out some older VPs and i must say that i love the taste of VPs with age.(20+)

In combination with decanting i discovered how sweet, rounded and fascinating a ruby port can be!

Im eager to try more VPs with age, but these babies comes with a price.. port Is an expensive hobby

Im still trying to find my sweet spots.. but im getting there, one port at a time

I really just want to taste as many ports as i can thats the adventure for
me right now