What Ports are you drinking to battle the heat?

[Roy Hersh]

This time last week it was in the 60 degree range. This week mid-90s and approaching 100 on Wed. which is insane for this area of the USA. I realize it is normal or not-unseasonably hot for many other areas, but quite rare here.

So what are you opening to combat the heat in the way of Port?

Not interested in beer exploits.

[Moses Botbol]

Last weekend I opened a bottle of 1980 Sandeman and 1980 Dow. Wow, did they warm up quick! We drank them outside and I was suprised how fast two people can drink two bottles of port! They were gone in like 2 hours... I think they go down quicker when warm...

For outside drinking, I like to Madeira in the summer. Wish I had more Madeira, but oh well... I do notice that our most epic port drinking (in amount of bottles consumed per person) is always higher in the summer... And I thought port was a winter drink?

[Moses Botbol]

We are planning a Sandeman vertical in a few weeks. 1980 will be the cut off and we should have all the vintages back to 1963. Just need a few more people to join. If we can't get enough to join, perhaps it will be just a few various vintages between 1945 and 1970. I’ve been anxious to open my ’70 Sandeman magnum. Had a couple already and they are outstanding!

The totally alternate idea we are mulling is a magnum party. Everyone brings a magnum vintage from 1985 or older.

The weather has been crappy in MA this summer, so this vertical or magnum party may have to be impromptu.

[Glenn E.]

This time last week it was in the 60 degree range. This week mid-90s and approaching 100 on Wed. which is insane for this area of the USA. I realize it is normal or not-unseasonably hot for many other areas, but quite rare here.

It's so rare here that it's making the national news! My parents and some friends in Cali have both commented on having read about it in the paper. There are heat warnings on the news every night and specially designated "heat shelters" scattered throughout the Puget Sound region for people to go to in order to stay cool. The problem here is that most people do not have air conditioning at home (most offices have it) and the hottest part of the day is from 5 to 7 pm right as everyone has to leave their cool offices and go home.

I'm proud to say that while I'm a little uncomfortable with the heat, the Nebraska boy under all this rust can still mostly just shrug it off.

Unfortunately, Port doesn't really do it for me in this heat. My long-standing favorite heat beater is plain old Minute Maid lemonade made from the frozen concentrate cans you buy in the freezer isle. Hey, ya gotta do what ya gotta do.

[Roy Hersh]

Given the current temp of 95 in our upstairs, I am open to even lemonade!

[Glenn E.]

I'd love to give a pink or rosé Port a try in this heat... nice and cold would probably really hit the spot!

[Chris Pfeiffer]

A pink port over ice or long with tonic is refreshing, delicioso!
For something different put in a wedge of lime and sprig of mint, it is surprising how refreshing it is.

[Moses Botbol]

Drank another bottle of '80 Sandeman last night. Very humid, but just lovely outside temperature. The decanter had dew on it when we brought it outside. The humid and cool weather makes for awesome cigar smoking. We paired the port with Montecristo No. 4's.

[Andy Velebil]

A pink port over ice or long with tonic is refreshing, delicioso!
For something different put in a wedge of lime and sprig of mint, it is surprising how refreshing it is.

NICE

Not to rub it your faces, well ok maybe I am but it's not often I can do that ....but it's only forcast to be 82 in L.A. today Nice blue skys, cool breeze blowing and my training class this week isn't that far from the beach Now if I wasn't stuck in a classroom all day it would be even better.

[Andy Velebil]

Drank another bottle of '80 Sandeman last night. Very humid, but just lovely outside temperature. The decanter had dew on it when we brought it outside. The humid and cool weather makes for awesome cigar smoking. We paired the port with Montecristo No. 4's.

Moses, That sounds like just the ticket this weekend. I may have to do the same.

[Eric Menchen]

Opened a bottle of Croft Pink last weekend. We had it one ice, with tonic, and with sparkling water; and with mint and lime variations. We all liked it just on ice, but thought that was too easy to drink. So I settled in on tonic and lime, as did my friend John. His wife and mine liked the mint, although one preferred tonic and the other the sparkling water. And really, it was all good.

The previous week I opened a Quinta Seara d'Ordens. One night I made Caipi Port (recipe here), the next night we had Port Tonics.

Now it is cool again, so last night we opened a Kopke 1996 LBV.

[Marc J.]

This weekend I'm planning on opening a bottle of Cockburn 20 Y.O. - so Andy....I hear you're going to be by the beach.......

Marc

[Jonathan S]

Currently, I have the following bottles open:

1) Kopke 40 year
2) Ferreira 20 year (Duque)
3) 2001 Fonseca LBV (Unfiltered)
4) 2003 Taylor Fladgate LBV

Curiously, although I listed the bottles as they came to mind, upon further reflection, they are actually isted in my order of preference.

[Andy Velebil]

This weekend I'm planning on opening a bottle of Cockburn 20 Y.O. - so Andy....I hear you're going to be by the beach.......

Marc

Yes, but down behind the Orange Curtain
Email to follow...

[Marc J.]

Yikes!!!!

[Roy Hersh]

Marc or Andy,

For those of us that have no idea what the Orange Curtain is ... please enlighten us!

[Marc J.]

The Orange Curtain is the dividing line between Los Angeles County and Orange County. Not quite the Iron Curtain (or even the Steel Curtain for that matter), but it does mark a difference in...humm...let us say..attitude.

Marc

[Steve E.]

It's interesting that we're now reaching temps of *only* 90 degrees, yet had it not been for the middle of last week, this would be a big deal.

I have had a Portonic with some leftover white Port, however I'm actually doing something else this weekend. My house has done rather well without the AC this week, but I did have a problem with a bottle of wine. A 3L bottle of 2001 Terra Blanca Cab must not have had a tight enough seal in the cork as I noticed a drip while having a friend over for BBQ hot dogs on Tuesday night.

This was supposed to be an auction donation for a charity that my wife (and the guest) are on the board. Going against what I would usually do, I put it in the fridge, hoping to swell the cork to a seal until the weekend. Everything else went into styrofoam coolers since Tuesday wasn't even hot compared to what was in store for later in the week.

So Friday night I opened the 3L of 2001 Cab and poured a bottle's worth into a decanter. It was fantastic! Here it is Saturday night and I'm still drinking on it with about half left to go. The nose is amazing and I lover the flavor. Too bad it told me when it was done and couldn't be part of the donation.

I did drink a bit of Porto Rocha Ruby tonight, but in the form of sauce for an experimental Francesinha appetizer for our Port tasting in a couple of weeks.

I guess it's time to research quality wine coolers that don't make too much noise that they can't be located in our kitchen...

[Andy Velebil]

The Orange Curtain is the dividing line between Los Angeles County and Orange County. Not quite the Iron Curtain (or even the Steel Curtain for that matter), but it does mark a difference in...humm...let us say..attitude.

Marc

yeah, it's a fun saying about crossing counties and the major differences between them. OC is the more modern, nice, conservative (although very liberal in some areas at the same time), place where suburbia exists. LA is...well LA

[Al B.]

Summer in the UK this year is characterised by temperatures barely above 60F and plenty of rain...this makes for perfect port drinking weather

If the weather gets warmer, up into the 80s say, then I would be resorting to young vintage port drunk straight from the fridge. Absolutely delicious as a big, cold fruit bomb. Just as tasty and refreshing as lemonade straight from the freezer.

But since it isn't that warm, it will be a bottle of Bomfim 1996 at cellar temperature tonight to see how this wine is getting on.