Port advice please.

[Bhugo]

Hi All,

As I read about port to figure out which to try, I have become even more confused. If someone could explain how to know which bottles are ready to drink vs. those which will need to age I would be very appreciative.

I would love a suggestion for a ready to drink variety. Maybe an affordable for a try and also a bit nicer selection for a special occasion.

I would also like a suggestion for one to buy and age.

Thank you in advance for any help.

 

[FL shaver]

I believe the only type of Port that is not ready to drink now is vintage Port. You can find a variety of sites that recommend when to drink a particular vintage Port. Having said that, I have opened recent vintage Port and enjoyed it. I want to compare it to an aged Port somewhere down the line. Young vintage Port is more drinkable early on than older vintage Ports due to changes in the process.

Ruby, Tawny, White, Late Bottle Vintage, can all be drunk now.

The 10 Minute Guide to Port

You know what's more impressive than serving a date wine during dinner? Serving them a glass of port afterward. Learn more about the types of port wine.

www.primermagazine.com

 

[FL shaver]

2016 and 2017 were generally declared, so look for a couple of bottles from these years. Taylor-Fladgate is a safe bet.

 

[SharpieB]

I personally won’t touch any top vintage port for at least 20 years after release. Ideally 30. I am just starting to drink some of my 1991/1992 bottles. My 1970 and 1977 ports will still be delicious decades down the road. Don’t open a new release vintage port from a quality producer such as Fonseca, Taylor’s, Warres, Dow, Quinta do Novel, Graham‘s, etc. Too tannic and just not ready. Top vintages of these are ones to cellar.

Best bet for now is a 10 or 20 year old tawny. Taylor Fladgate is safe as is Graham’s and Sandeman. Not cheap ($30-70) but ready to be drunk after bottling. A partially full bottle will stay fresh for a while and 1/2 bottles are readily available.

LBV (Late Bottled Vintage) is also ready to drink right away. Very inexpensive ($10-20) and can be delicious. Generally what you would get in a restaurant with desert if port is on the menu.

Australia is making some fantastic tawnys as well. Some can be better than from Portugal. Not cheap either.

 

[jesseix]

CellarTracker.com is a site/app that I’ve always liked, for “normal person” reviews and opinions on wines and drinking windows. Lots of no-commentary reviews, but there are plenty of quality write-ups especially on nicer wines.

The eRobert Parker vintage chart is also pretty good for broad range info on drinking windows.

 

[Bhugo]

I believe the only type of Port that is not ready to drink now is vintage Port. You can find a variety of sites that recommend when to drink a particular vintage Port. Having said that, I have opened recent vintage Port and enjoyed it. I want to compare it to an aged Port somewhere down the line. Young vintage Port is more drinkable early on than older vintage Ports due to changes in the process.

Ruby, Tawny, White, Late Bottle Vintage, can all be drunk now.

The 10 Minute Guide to Port

You know what's more impressive than serving a date wine during dinner? Serving them a glass of port afterward. Learn more about the types of port wine.

www.primermagazine.com

Thanks! Great guide.

 

[Bhugo]

CellarTracker.com is a site/app that I’ve always liked, for “normal person” reviews and opinions on wines and drinking windows. Lots of no-commentary reviews, but there are plenty of quality write-ups especially on nicer wines.

The eRobert Parker vintage chart is also pretty good for broad range info on drinking windows.

Thank you for the site.

 

[Bhugo]

I personally won’t touch any top vintage port for at least 20 years after release. Ideally 30. I am just starting to drink some of my 1991/1992 bottles. My 1970 and 1977 ports will still be delicious decades down the road. Don’t open a new release vintage port from a quality producer such as Fonseca, Taylor’s, Warres, Dow, Quinta do Novel, Graham‘s, etc. Too tannic and just not ready. Top vintages of these are ones to cellar.

Best bet for now is a 10 or 20 year old tawny. Taylor Fladgate is safe as is Graham’s and Sandeman. Not cheap ($30-70) but ready to be drunk after bottling. A partially full bottle will stay fresh for a while and 1/2 bottles are readily available.

LBV (Late Bottled Vintage) is also ready to drink right away. Very inexpensive ($10-20) and can be delicious. Generally what you would get in a restaurant with desert if port is on the menu.

Australia is making some fantastic tawnys as well. Some can be better than from Portugal. Not cheap either.

Very nice. You sound like you have a lot of old bottles in your cellar. Thanks for the tips. I will look into the tawny you mentioned.

 

[Multum in parvo]

As said above for a quick fix:
i) LBV's to get a taste of fruit with a hint of wood
ii) 20y Tawny or Colheita for those woody/dried fruit/marzipan tertiary aromas
iii) White Port, dry or sweet to mix with Tonic and mint/lemon for a refreshing summertime alternative to G&T

 

[Bhugo]

As said above for a quick fix:
i) LBV's to get a taste of fruit with a hint of wood
ii) 20y Tawny or Colheita for those woody/dried fruit/marzipan tertiary aromas
iii) White Port, dry or sweet to mix with Tonic and mint/lemon for a refreshing summertime alternative to G&T

Thanks! Never heard of iii. Very interesting.

 

[Multum in parvo]

Thanks! Never heard of iii. Very interesting.

You can use White or Rose Port for this P&T recipe and you can juggle around with sweetness levels (chip dry to Lagrima) as well as with the whole bunch of craft tonics and herbs (rosemary, thyme, various mints, etc.)

 

[SharpieB]

As said above for a quick fix:
i) LBV's to get a taste of fruit with a hint of wood
ii) 20y Tawny or Colheita for those woody/dried fruit/marzipan tertiary aromas
iii) White Port, dry or sweet to mix with Tonic and mint/lemon for a refreshing summertime alternative to G&T

I have been a big wine guy for years and have a fair cellar. Strangely, I have never tried white port!

 

[Multum in parvo]

I have been a big wine guy for years and have a fair cellar. Strangely, I have never tried white port!

These are not for cellaring anyway. Buy fresh and drink over summer.

There are very few cask aged Whites that are a very nice change of pace compared to regular Tawnies.
If you have the chance look out for:
Churchills Dry White Port
Niepoort 10y White
Dalva 20y Dry White

 

[Bhugo]

This is great guys. I am making a big list of bottles to look for. Does anybody have any recommendations for a nice LBV? Maybe an affordable one that is decent and also a nicer one?

 

[Multum in parvo]

This is great guys. I am making a big list of bottles to look for. Does anybody have any recommendations for a nice LBV? Maybe an affordable one that is decent and also a nicer one?

Niepoort 2016 LBV
Quinta da Romaneira 2014 unchillfiltered LBV

But you really can’t go wrong in the 10-20 bucks range. Port aside from the vintage part of things is quite affordable whilst maintaining high quality standards.

 

[Doc4]

Does anybody have any recommendations for a nice LBV?

I'm leaning toward the "you really can't go wrong" line of thought with LBV.

The great thing about LBV is it's very drinkable when it's sold but ... if you have the ability ... a few years in the wine cellar will really improve it!

 

[Bhugo]

I'm leaning toward the "you really can't go wrong" line of thought with LBV.

The great thing about LBV is it's very drinkable when it's sold but ... if you have the ability ... a few years in the wine cellar will really improve it!

Interesting. I may find one I like and buy a case to keep in the cellar at our family deer camp. We could have a bottle every thanksgiving..... Thanks!

Is there a preference for a filtered or unfiltered LBV for such a situation?

 

[Multum in parvo]

Interesting. I may find one I like and buy a case to keep in the cellar at our family deer camp. We could have a bottle every thanksgiving..... Thanks!

Is there a preference for a filtered or unfiltered LBV for such a situation?

Unfiltered will develop in the bottle (stored horizontally) for 20-25 years. Con you have to decant as it has sediment (which is again the stuff that makes it developing) before you serve. All in all it’s no biggie and in most cases you only have to watch when you pour the last glass.

Filtered is buy and drink in the next 18-24 months. It will keep longer but the development - if any - will be quite linear.

 

[Bhugo]

Well I hit the fanciest local wine shop. They had quite a few ports. I’m sure their prices are not the best but I found some of the names mentioned. This is what I bought.

I always wanted to try that sherry..,
How did I do on the ports? The Tawny ports had no age statement. They were $20 each. The lbv was $29. All 3 are filtered. They had a squat bottle Graham’s 10 year tawny in a fancy cardboard cylinder for a little less than $50 in with the fancy wines. I had no idea whether it was worth it...

 

[Multum in parvo]

The LBV is nice, hopefully it was stored right as it sat in that place for a while.
Currently you find 2015 2016 vintages to cellar down
NAS Tawnies are mostly fruit forward with the wood playing second fiddle. Sometimes it works sometimes it doesn’t. You won’t find much of dried fruit and almond paste in there but they should go well with dark chocolate, Stilton or some mature cheddar.

I can’t comment on the Cream Sherry besides that it will be super sweet.