For The Love Of Port

'Tis the season once again, and as I started looking around to see who was doing port tastings, I came across "Champagne, Port and Dessert Wine Tasting" at the Four Points Sheraton (https://www.localwineevents.com/events/ ... ne-tasting) in DC on November 14th.

Sadly, I have a conference I must attend that day and cannot make it.

Haven't had much luck finding any other such event in the area, so thought I'd ask if there was anyone else in the area that might be interested in trying to put together an offline maybe in Washington DC for early December or sometime in January after the holidays? Suggesting DC since it's central to VA and Maryland folks, and VA still has that rediculous law preventing you from bringing your own bottles.

Mike.

Speaking of corkage in DC... I remember going to a restaurant called Gerard's Place circa 1996. They waived the corkage on Monday nights. Not sure if they are still around or if they still do this...

Oddly this is not one of the areas where there are a lot of FTLOPers. I lived in VA before moving here to WA, but knew v. few Port enthusiasts when I was there. I did hold some pretty stellar Port Reduction Parties back there, but beyond those folks it was bleak. The Port trade ONLY came around during general declarations and the wine shops didn't even know what Douro wine was back in the 1990s. I often miss the Old Dominion, but not due to the state of the Port scene. I wish you luck Mike. As you and I would have lived 5 minutes away from one another, we'd probably have been on our 3rd livers by now.

Roy Hersh wrote:Oddly this is not one of the areas where there are a lot of FTLOPers.

I've been here about 10 years and I find this entire Metro area to be a huge contradiction. Things you would think you would take for granted don't exist. Common sense doesn't seem to rule anywhere. Maybe it's being so close to the intellectual vacuum in DC.

With such an international mix of people living in this area now, with all the embassies and diplomats and whatnot, you would think there would be a LOT of import/export activity, but it just isn't so. Depressing sometimes. Not to mention Virginia still has some really antiquated laws when it comes to alcohol.

Would be nice to see the Port bug catch on in these parts. I think I've met only one other enthusiast in the 5 or so years I've been on so I know there's slim pickins for offlines. One can still hope, however...

Roy, you could always move back or buy a second house in the area...real estate's still near rock bottom here...

Mike

Hi Mike,

I live in Maryland, between Washington and Baltimore. I have been on an active campaign to create more appreciation of Port in the area and have made a little progress. I have a neighbor and a brother-in-law who I might be able to enlist in a local tasting. My wife and I would certainly be interested. In any case, I could almost certainly gather 4 people and maybe 6. It would mostly depend on the timing.

-- Gary

Nice to hear another voice in the area! Timing for me is pretty sketchy until mid-January, but after that I'm wide open. I'm sure I could wrangle one or two to come along.

Mike.

Mid-January would work great! I have a modest selection of Port and could provide a mix of colheita's, vintages, tawnys with an indication of age and LBVs.

I am flexible on the location. I would even be happy to host, though my home may be a bit of a haul for you. We could also do at a more central location.

Keep in touch and we can certainly figure something out as the time gets nearer.

-- Gary