Port

[gilper]

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two types: vintage and tawny.


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Also Ruby, Colheita, and Late Bottle Vintage.

Vintage is considered the finest of the ports and is usually the most expensive. Grapes from one harvest aged two years in the cask. If the harvest is good then the port will likely become a vintage. It requires bottle aging.

LBV is grapes from one harvest aged in the barrel longer than Vintage and is ready to drink. Usually $15-25. Try the Noval '94 if you can find it. Also the Noval '97.

Ruby is a mix of grapes from several different harvests blended to achieve a consistent wine from year to year. Most affordable of all the ports.

Tawny is grapes from several different harvests barrel aged for longer periods, usually 10-40 years.

Colheita is grapes from a single harvest barrel aged for longer periods, essentially Vintage Tawny. Noval has a fantastic ’74 colheita that I highly recommend, about $80.

I recommend a LBV from Fonseca, Taylor, or Noval. The tawny ports will keep longer after opened. You can’t go wrong with a Fonseca 20yr.

Added specific bottlings

[El Diablo]

Mon: Actually, all the best alcohol threads are in OOT for obvious reasons.

Aces: I don't know much about port. For dessert wines I generally just ask the guy at the liquor store for recommendations. I've had some nice ports that are pretty inexpensive. Icewine is also great. Muscat/Muscatel/Moscatel is a variety I like a lot, and I just tried Monastrel Spanish dessert wine that was really good. There's a category of wines called "Late Harvest" dessert wines to try as well. A couple of Late Harvest Zinfandels I've had have been outstanding.

[SunOfaJack]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Port_wine

see link for more info, but I wanted to add "white port" since most of the time it is not discussed. When buying white, remember it tends to be much sweeter than the red. A very sweet brand is "Lagrimas". For a non-sweety white port(well non-sweety as far as port is concerned) make sure it is "Dry white Port". Always serve chilled too.

Good recomendation all around, try Ferreira if available, usually very good price but excellent quality.

[spentrent]

[censored] port, go for a late-harvest zin. Sweet and delicious without the brandy (since normal wine seems to sting your vadge).

[Scotch78]

A search for "+' port ' -'re:'" turned this up immediately.

Old Port Thread

Scott