The worst port in the world....

Richard Henderson · Post by **Richard Henderson** » Fri Feb 09, 2007 12:15 pm

This is an interesting topic and when corked or cooked or otherwise okay bottles with flaws are excluded, it is like asking about your worst day fishing or golfing....
If it is the genuine port from Portugal, while I have had some much better than others, the worst was good and I can't say any was bad.
I guess for me , I have been lucky and that quality control is good in Portugal.
I guess a "peasant port" as Frederick describes above could be bad but apperently it was served to locals and never hit the market in bottles.

Bob bman · Post by **Bob bman** » Sun Feb 11, 2007 10:18 am

Another vote for Cruz Ruby, tasted from a plastic 50ml. bottle bought at Heathrow Duty Free, before I knew better.

Alex K. · Post by **Alex K.** » Tue Feb 13, 2007 6:18 am

I have a bottle of Cruz Ruby that I was going to take to an off-line as a 'surprise'!

Ronald Wortel · Post by **Ronald Wortel** » Tue Feb 13, 2007 6:37 am

Porto No.13 tawny - a 'B' or in fact 'C' brand of Porto Cruz. I'm sure it was a blend of red and white port and it was evil.

Also, I once made the mistake of taking a tour at the Vasconcellos lodge in VNdG. The tour was a joke and the ports at the tasting were complete rubbish.

Post by **Andy Velebil** » Tue Feb 13, 2007 8:16 am

Ronald Wortel wrote:
Also, I once made the mistake of taking a tour at the Vasconcellos lodge in VNdG. The tour was a joke and the ports at the tasting were complete rubbish.

...I laugh because several of us here had the same experience at Vasconcellos. Nothing like correcting mis-information from the guy giving the tour, not to mention those forgetable Ports. :help:

Derek T. · Post by **Derek T.** » Tue Feb 13, 2007 9:56 am

Andy V. wrote:
Ronald Wortel wrote:
Also, I once made the mistake of taking a tour at the Vasconcellos lodge in VNdG. The tour was a joke and the ports at the tasting were complete rubbish.
...I laugh because several of us here had the same experience at Vasconcellos. Nothing like correcting mis-information from the guy giving the tour, not to mention those forgetable Ports. :help:

I met a guy called Jorge at Vasconcellos a couple of years ago and he told me that the only difference between tawny and ruby (including the premium varieties of both) is that Tawny is filtered to take some of the colour out

I agree that the wines were generally rubbish but he did let me try a 40 yr old that I enjoyed - so much so that I have one at home. has anyone else had this?

Derek

Gizzyeq · Post by **Gizzyeq** » Tue Feb 13, 2007 10:52 am

Does that mean that even rubbish port after 30-40yrs becomes so mellowed out that its quite drinkable? (Just like it seems that a lot of people score very old port pretty highly...Is that because of the bias of "age"?)

Derek T. · Post by **Derek T.** » Tue Feb 13, 2007 12:11 pm

Gizzyeq wrote:Does that mean that even rubbish port after 30-40yrs becomes so mellowed out that its quite drinkable? (Just like it seems that a lot of people score very old port pretty highly...Is that because of the bias of "age"?)

No - it's just that they seem to have managed to make only 1 port which is of decent quality.

For info - Vasconcellos do not produce their own wine. They buy in surplus stock from other shippers and then blend it to make ports to sell under their own label. This 40 year old tawny they have is (so I'm told) a blend of 2 very old Colhieta's.

Derek