Does anyone here drink Port?

[Claudius2]

Folks,
I just had a case of 2016 vintage Port delivered. In this case, Quinta do Noval.
I have no intention of drinking any for a while thus it will be dropped off in the storage hold tomorrow.
Yet I wonder if anyone else drinks Port anymore.

I bought the wine purely on a whim (which is rare for me) as I'm planning a trip to the Iberian Peninsula in November and will visit a few producers.

[AlexR]

I love Port and will be in Oporto on Tuesday.

Will visit Grahams and eat at their restaurant there. Then it's roughing it for two weeks, walking to Santiago de Compostela.

But to answer your question, I love Port and have it especially in winter and especially at the end of a meal when there are a bunch of people.

Always a treat .

Alex R.

[DavidG]

I love Port and wish there were more occasions to drink it. The alcohol content is limiting. If only there was a way to exactly reproduce the organoleptic properties without the alcohol side effects.

[stefan]

I like port, but inasmuch as it is a cold weather beverage and I live in south Texas, I rarely drink it. I doubt that I consume as much as a bottle a year.

[JCNorthway]

I enjoy it, but sadly I seldom have occasion drink it. Most of mine is is 750's which means I need a good sized group, or risk having a bottle oxidize before finishing. However, since all of my bottles are 2000 or older, this thread is motivating me to have a couple of bottles at the ready for when fall/winter weather gets here.

[William P]

I love port but my wife loves it more so if rarely lasts very long.

[johnz]

I like Vintage Port -- 1983 1985 are good now Graham, Dow, Warre, and a bit under the radar price-wise at auction. My wife and I drink it with blue cheese, chocolate or spicy ribs. Yes, winter only.

-Gary Rust

[AlohaArtakaHoundsong]

Rarely, but had an "exceeds expectations" encounter this summer I previously posted:

2003 Niepport Porto. I drink almost nil porto but dessert was up and there was this bottle so ... I assumed, and still assume, that this will be quite different/"better" in another decade or five decades. It was actually quite enjoyable last night. A bit of bowling alley (so that would be lane oil, urethane, leather and Lysol) in the bouquet that receded to reveal an unexpected lovely floral note. The palate was not fiery or terribly tannic and somewhat to my surprise this was really enjoyable now. As I said I don't know much about port but I have once had a nice glass of something old-like 80 years old-and resolved and this was not that but it seems like it is on its way. I probably won't live to see the outcome but this was a nice capper with caramel topped flan (no Sauternes handy), dark chocolate and fresh Bing cherries.

[AKR]

We'll go through a few bottles of VP a year, usually on longer holiday weekends.

There are a few friends who enjoy it, so it helps to have them around as a good pretext.

The weather is just starting to turn so its time to stand up some bottles.

2011 LBV's are likely to be a very good value and will likely age if they are closed with a cork, instead of the popular bar top.

Still might be some on the shelves too.

[CJD]

Love port but only well aged,vintage & esp around the holidays....but in small quantities. Gary’s note above, right on the money for me, with Graham’s ( loved 83, now love 85 )one of my favs.
I’m a fan of half bottles as you can let sit for a few weeks over the hols & dip in, now & again, late in the evening.
Stash your Noval for quarter of a century, pick up an 85 at auction before your trip & sample over a few weeks. For me, sipped on it’s own, after the whites & reds are emptied out is the biz. Like a true gent!
My wife went last year& loved Porto. Great visits to Taylor’s etc. Enjoy!

[JimHow]

I don't drink port, the alcohol is too overwhelming for me.

[Nicklasss]

Rarely and when a good group.

I guess i have only a few bottles of the 1997 Fonseca vintage in my reserve. Never opened one.

Nic

[DavidG]

The 1977s, 1983s, and 1985s seem to be ready and drinking well from my limited experience (Taylor, Fonseca, Graham). Anyone have an opinion on when to start opening 1992s and 1994s?

[AKR]

We had a 97 Romariz Pinto VP over the winter that was surprisingly ready. It got a few hours in the decanter.

It doesn't seem to make sense to cellar Porto to me. The wines don't really seem to go up in price, and they're pretty tough, so storage is less of an issue.

[Michael-P]

Had a 70 Fonseca last weekend. Beautiful in all respects other than a bit too much alcohol and too tannic. More fruit than nuts with nice complexity and decent finish.

Unfortunately my index lately for Port is a 47 (I think Graham, I'll need to double check) that we opened about 3 or 4 years ago for Thanksgiving. It was one of those I bought in a mixed auction lot a few decades ago that said something like "presumed Tayor 47, etc" but by the time I opened it I had forgotten what it was supposed to be. I knew it was probably 40s or 50s but until we pulled the cork wasn't certain. But incredibly long and nutty and much more.

Michael-P

[Claret]

I divested myself of most of my VP over the last few years. I need to watch my sugar level. I have about a case and a half left.

I do enjoy it in the colder months with some Stilton. Fonseca, Graham, Dow and Taylor are my faves.

The oldest I have tasted is 1880 Ramos Pinto from their library when I was ITB. It was smashing.

[Claudius2]

Folks
i am glad to see that some still enjoy Port, though like others, I drink it in small quantities as the sugar affects me.
Too much sugar and I get a rather unpleasant tingling or burning feeling in my body, particularly legs and feet, whether from food or wine. I don't have diabetes but do have various internal issues that affect sugar metabolisation.
I have never really been a fan of Sherry but do like the Black Sherry from Pedro Xininez grapes.
So I'll be in Jerez Frontera in November and will try and find something that suits.

Jim
I note the alcohol level, but maybe you should also avoid Greenock Creek and Shirvington Shiraz (Barossa) as the last time I tried them, they had more alcohol (18-18.5%) than many Ports.
I checked the 2016 Quinta do Noval, and it weighs in at a hefty 19.5% making Barossa shiraz look light!
Actually, Barossa shiraz is some of my very favourite wines but not with that alcohol level. These days I draw a line at wine reaching 15%. At that point it starts tasting hot and spirity, and often the fruit is too much like road tar.
A little Port at high alcohol seems okay. Maybe the real difference is that I drink Port in tiny glasses and shiraz in those huge Riedels.

Arv,
Port is rare in Singapore, not surprising given the balmy weather, but I do think you are correct that it does not appreciate much in value.
I have occasionally picked up VP at auction over the years, but only once in Singapore (Fonseca 1995, which wasn't a great vintage in any case).

[Michael-P]

We always drink Port in huge Riedels!