For The Love Of Port

It is fun to try and if you have never seen it done, it is better than any bar trick, although watching a large format bottle of Champagne get sabred, is pretty darn cool too. So have any of you used the Port tongs? If so, how did it go?

At Quinta do Noval, I put the pressure on a good friend of mine there to open a bottle with a Port tongs. It was a special bottle and certainly worthy of this exhibition. Although she was shy about doing this in front of the group, I think she also enjoyed the limelight. She had a roaring fireplace with which to work and with just a little coaxing the requisite crack was heard and the neck came off quite nicely.

There were a bunch of different kinds of tongs for sale in Porto, Gaia and the Douro. I did pick up another ~ my 3rd pair ~ but this was a vertical unit which I had been looking for. Certainly for a 750 the most tried and true of all tongs.

I have given some thought to making them available to folks here on the BB, as these are the really finest on the market. I may wait until the Travel Website is ready for launch and offer them for sale there ... so that I can keep this site free of commercialization.

Yes, well -- you know that I've used them from time-to-time . . .

I'm still looking for a pair to buy...I want to experience this cool thing called TONGS

Know where I can get some here in the states. Seems like no one sells them anymore here.

Please be patient. There are many types that are fair at best. I want to bring the really good ones to those looking for them. Hopefully before the holidays.

I will wait....THANKS

Ronnie Roots has a pair and a lot of headless wine bottles. He did not demonstrate on any Vintage Ports whilst I was there.

port tongs are fun!

Wasn't it a bottle of 1994 Noval Nacional Roy? I've heard about it :)

I also bought myself the same pair of tongs, I'll propably give it a try during the hollydays. Is a gaz torch the best way to heat it?

Frederick,

We had quite a few Nacionals, so I am not sure without checking notes if that was the '62 or the '94 that the tongs were used on. I know the others were all opened with normal means.

Best way to use the tongs is with an open fire in a wood burning fire place. A torch can certainly do the trick, as can a gas fired or charcoal fired BBQ ... but even a stove top can work if patient.

Any idea when they might be available, or know of any other sources of quality port tongs?

I am trying to negotiate with a source for the really good ones. I can tell you about lots of inferior ones if you need a pair quickly. I would even sell you one of my few pairs, that are not top quality.


By the way David. Please go back to your PROFILE and enter your last name as that is a requirement on this Forum. Thanks so much!


Roy

http://cgi.ebay.com/VINTAGE-PORT-WINE-P ... dZViewItem


check this out? are they worth buying?

Roy - I would love port tongs. Did you have any luck securing them (the good ones)? Is the one listed above on ebay any good? Thanks.

We have not secured tongs and from what I can see from the picture, this is the best type of tongs I have used. The price seems quite high as I paid under 30 Euros in October, for a pair I bought for a gift. Nonetheless, this appears to be the real deal from the picture in the weblink above.

The picture in the weblink above looks very much like the one I bought at the Graham's tasting room in Villa Nova de Gaia. I have had great luck with it... works like a charm. When I used to work at K&L Wines in SF, I would do the port tastings there and would use the tongs on the older bottles. People really got a kick out of it.

HI Roy,

I've just registered in your forum. Remember me? Jean Philippe owner of Vinologia bar in Oporto.

I was surprised to see that you are already informed of my incursion at ebay. Yes, these tongs are the best in the market and the price I gave you when you bought them here was special for friends and sold in loco without packaging. You can check in other places how much they cost, and usualy those you find are of inferior quality.

Cheers for the love of Port!

J. Philippe Duhard

Hi Jean Philippe,

Welcome to the board. :)

I just order four of them!!! Looking forward to receiving them. I feel better knowing that you know Roy and they are the same ones he speaks so highly of.

David,

What did shipping run you here to the states? I want to get a pair, but also want to know what shipping will be first.

Thanks

This is the response I received when I inquired about shipping rates. I had no luck navigating the website mentioned - couldn't find rates anywhere. Then again, I gave up in about a minute since it was easier to just convert from Euros to dollars. :)

Shipping cost to the US is 22 dollars for one item on registered mail. More than none item will be shipped as international package as per following table:

2 items - 34,40 euros
3 item - 41,10 euros
4 items - 47,80 euros
5 items - 54,50 euros

PLease chek http://www.ctt.pt (portuguese postal services) for more details - they have english language available and pricelists online.