Port Wine

[mosesbotbol]

Originally Posted by rdcross

This may be a stupid question, but how do you find these folks? Do they tend to use certain Web sites or advertising methods?

I find them off of Ebay or craigslist. If you see someone selling wine or port, ask them what else they have and that you'd like to buy a case worth... I talk to people from US and Europe.

[vic_c]

Originally Posted by rdcross

This may be a stupid question, but how do you find these folks? Do they tend to use certain Web sites or advertising methods?

Your best bet is to make friends with a buyer at a good liquor/wine store they usually hunt down or get offered collections......and a lot of the time the port is overlooked for the 82' Bordeaux's. Or you could try auctions.

[vic_c]

Originally Posted by MoTheMan

Thanks for all the head's up guys, and thanks for the references.

Did a search before my original post, guess I should have gone farther back to find more posts.

Now I gotta start learning about the different kind of ports.

Now one last question. Does anybody know how long you can keep a bottle of port open before it starts oxidizing & going bad?

re-corked and stored at a cool temperature (55-65) it should last several weeks ..I would personally not like to keep a vintage port more than 3 weeks ..ideally one week.

[rdcross]

Fabulous info - thanks guys!

I have been working on a 1997 Quinta Delaforce, a port that goes for $80, and recieved a 95 rating from Wine Spectator...but is now available for $35-$40 at a number of retailers.

A few observations:

Upon opening, it was big and rough around the edges and sharp and bold.
The next day, this smoothed out some. Day 2, some more. And now, about a week after opening, it's drinking as smooth as a well-aged Boli Royal Corona.

For other beginners like myself, I've also learned this: vintage port is more like a bigger, thicker, bolder, sweeter, more alcoholic red wine. Tawny port is called tawny for its color: a nice caramel brown, and does not really resemble red wine in look or taste. To me, Tawny is nuts and caramel and desert. But vintage port is sexy. It's rich and big and collectable.

My

Cobe-Dub

[rdcross]

One more thing:

For a fine cigar after dinner, I cannot think of a better companion than a vintage port.

Great - I am officially firmly entrenched in another high-priced hobby...but all three hobbies (single malt scotch, cigars and port) are so worth it: they happily remind me that life is good.

Happy Thanksgiving, everyone!

[mosesbotbol]

I just bought a bottle of Fonseca Port that was given out a Prince Charles and Lady Diana's wedding. Not sure what the year of the contents are, but I think they're 1977, as 1981 is the wedding, and the vintage would have to be previous to this. I'll have to do some research. Either way, I know it's worth more than I paid, which wasn't much for any port. Just as a comemorative, I think it has value. People just love the royals. Bottle says "Vintage Character", for what that is worth?

I am hoping this will be worth some bucks in about 20 years. Odd size bottle to with 70 cl.

[mosesbotbol]

Originally Posted by rdcross

Fabulous info - thanks guys!

I have been working on a 1997 Quinta Delaforce, a port that goes for $80, and recieved a 95 rating from Wine Spectator...but is now available for $35-$40 at a number of retailers.

Cobe-Dub

1997 Quinta Delaforce should be around $35-40, if you know someone who paid $80, please give me their contact info - I have a lot I can sell them

[vic_c]

Originally Posted by rdcross

Fabulous info - thanks guys!

I have been working on a 1997 Quinta Delaforce, a port that goes for $80, and recieved a 95 rating from Wine Spectator...but is now available for $35-$40 at a number of retailers.

A few observations:

Upon opening, it was big and rough around the edges and sharp and bold.
The next day, this smoothed out some. Day 2, some more. And now, about a week after opening, it's drinking as smooth as a well-aged Boli Royal Corona.

For other beginners like myself, I've also learned this: vintage port is more like a bigger, thicker, bolder, sweeter, more alcoholic red wine. Tawny port is called tawny for its color: a nice caramel brown, and does not really resemble red wine in look or taste. To me, Tawny is nuts and caramel and desert. But vintage port is sexy. It's rich and big and collectable.

My

Cobe-Dub

A 1997 is technically not ready to drink until at least 2012! So you should try to decant it and let it breath for several hours before drinking..that is why after a few days it tasted better. I would save any port from the 90's and drink the 83's or 85's now if you wan't to drink young. The difference between a vintage port from the 60's or 70's and one from the 90's is astounding ...ITS ALL ABOUT THE AGING!! Many of the 1994 vintage were very highly rated as well as the 1992 and some of the 97's. Fonseca and Taylor Fladgate's 94's had perfect ratings 100 (ws) but they are just not ready to consume yet.

[Ron1YY]

Originally Posted by mosesbotbol

I just bought a bottle of Fonseca Port that was given out a Prince Charles and Lady Diana's wedding. Not sure what the year of the contents are, but I think they're 1977, as 1981 is the wedding, and the vintage would have to be previous to this. I'll have to do some research. Either way, I know it's worth more than I paid, which wasn't much for any port. Just as a comemorative, I think it has value. People just love the royals. Bottle says "Vintage Character", for what that is worth?

I am hoping this will be worth some bucks in about 20 years. Odd size bottle to with 70 cl.

I've sent an e-mail to Angello at the Fonseca corp to try to get some info on this bottle for you. I'll forward it as soon as I get a response from him. I'm interested to find out something on this as I have done some searching and came up with no info.

Ron

[CrackerJacket]

Port is my favorite drink, second only to a good pint of Strongbow Cider.

I suggest the Taylor-Fladgate 10 and the Dow's Boardroom 10.

Our Halloween costume party this year was 1920s mobster / speakeasy
so all the guys had stogies and suits and fedoras. We went through both the
TF and the Dow's while smoking the cigars on the back deck.

I smoked a Don Barco (picked it up in Ybor City) to keep in the "Don" theme.
Spicy and tasty. Good cigar for a reasonable price.

Good stuff!

[vic_c]

Originally Posted by Ron1YY

I've sent an e-mail to Angello at the Fonseca corp to try to get some info on this bottle for you. I'll forward it as soon as I get a response from him. I'm interested to find out something on this as I have done some searching and came up with no info.

Ron

I'm very curious to hear about what you find out!....That bottle is very interesting especially since none of the major port producers released any vintages from 1978 to 1982!

[Blueface]

Originally Posted by vic_c

I'm very curious to hear about what you find out!....That bottle is very interesting especially since none of the major port producers released any vintages from 1978 to 1982!

Me too.
Love port.
Growing up with all Portuguese folks in Newark, NJ taught me how to appreciate this stuff.
Anything I can learn I welcome.

[mosesbotbol]

Originally Posted by Ron1YY

I've sent an e-mail to Angello at the Fonseca corp to try to get some info on this bottle for you. I'll forward it as soon as I get a response from him. I'm interested to find out something on this as I have done some searching and came up with no info.

Ron

Cool, I am quite curious, this could be a total crock, but at a minimum, it's an older bottle of Fonseca port. I've spent more on less, but I think this may be of some value.

Opened up a Grahams 1983 last night for T-day. I had it upright for a week and it need little decanting. We drank about 1/2 the bottle, I am sure the rest of the bottle will be gone before Sunday

As great as Grahams is, I am finding that I like Dow and Taylor's flavor profile better. I prefer the cherry notes to the rasian one.

[ATLHARP]

Originally Posted by mosesbotbol

As great as Grahams is, I am finding that I like Dow and Taylor's flavor profile better. I prefer the cherry notes to the rasian one.

I agree,

I love Graham's Six Grape and their Ruby, but I am finding I like Taylor's Ruby and LBV much better. As far vintages go, I need more practice.......and more money to practice!

ATL

[mosesbotbol]

Originally Posted by ATLHARP

I agree,

I love Graham's Six Grape and their Ruby, but I am finding I like Taylor's Ruby and LBV much better. As far vintages go, I need more practice.......and more money to practice!

ATL

The best way to try vintage port is to split a bottle between 3 people, so if each person put in $30.00, you could get a lot for $90.00. As "Vic" mentioned, port from 80's+ need some time while open, so if you pick up a bottle to split, open it serveral hours to a night before ya'll drink it down.

After you finish the vintage, move on to the Six Grapes or what ever, and party on...