Port - classic or dud

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A friend was astonished when I said that I drank a glass of port every day (in the course of a conversation about gout). I realised that actually I probably only drink a glass of port three nights a week, but that's a lot more than he does.

What do you think of port? I find a nice glass of port with maybe a bit of cheese a delightful way to end a day.

― DV (dirtyvicar), Wednesday, 5 February 2003 20:03 (twenty-two years ago)

I like port but don't know too much about it. It makes a nice nightcap though. Anyways, its been shown that 1-2 servings of alcohol a day is good for the health, so having a glass daily isn't anything wrong.

― fletrejet, Wednesday, 5 February 2003 20:08 (twenty-two years ago)

I once got into a huge argument with someone about whether it made sense for us to call it "port" when the town is "Porto". Gah!

― Tracer Hand (tracerhand), Wednesday, 5 February 2003 20:11 (twenty-two years ago)

It's excellent, so long as you don't have gout.

― Vicky (Vicky), Wednesday, 5 February 2003 20:11 (twenty-two years ago)

A flatmate of mine calculated that port was the cheapest drink in the shops per unit alcohol, so he drank it quite a lot. We were both students at the time, so cheapness was a Good Thing.

I do quite like it; but I have a sweet tooth. For some reason it doesn't give me very bad hangovers either, which is obviously a Good Thing too.

― caitlin (caitlin), Wednesday, 5 February 2003 20:12 (twenty-two years ago)

Classic. Hugh Johnson tells me my Warre '77 should be not only ready but at its best this year, so I'm just waiting for a suitable occasion to decant it & love it.

― Mooro (Mooro), Wednesday, 5 February 2003 20:13 (twenty-two years ago)

Classic, and I haven't even had Really Good Port except over strawberries. White port is immensely drinkable, and both white and ruby (I haven't tried tawny) are great for cooking with. I've only seen white port from one company, and wonder if it's some odd recent aberration trying to cash in on the most-people-prefer-white-wine thing.

― Tep (ktepi), Wednesday, 5 February 2003 20:18 (twenty-two years ago)

B...b...but most people don't prefer white wine!

I tried white port once, it was very nice.

I feel that all port is nice. Maybe the expensive stuff is better, but it's all good.

― DV (dirtyvicar), Wednesday, 5 February 2003 20:24 (twenty-two years ago)

Hell, I wish all of you Port lovers lived closer - my family keeps sending me ports (and Maderia!) as gifts - and I don't drink, so they're just collecting dust and are occasionally utilized as drying racks for damp brassieres.

― I'm Passing Open Windows (Ms Laura), Wednesday, 5 February 2003 20:28 (twenty-two years ago)

You'll just have to invite us round, Ms. Laura. I'm sure if someone paid the plane fare there'd be a big ILE trip to your corner of the world.

― caitlin (caitlin), Wednesday, 5 February 2003 20:32 (twenty-two years ago)

I shall start saving my pennies now, caitlin - and you'll be first on the invite list :)

― I'm Passing Open Windows (Ms Laura), Wednesday, 5 February 2003 20:35 (twenty-two years ago)

B...b...but most people don't prefer white wine!

That's what I always thought, but according to my Wine Advisor newsletter, most wine sales are white wine -- Chardonnay, specifically.

Most wine fans seem to prefer red, though.

― Tep (ktepi), Wednesday, 5 February 2003 20:38 (twenty-two years ago)

Classic in The Sheltering Sky.

― Mary (Mary), Wednesday, 5 February 2003 22:01 (twenty-two years ago)

Velvety after dinner drink of the gods.

― Ed (dali), Wednesday, 5 February 2003 22:39 (twenty-two years ago)

I don't drink enough, but there's simply no point in drinking port of below a certain quality.

― Ed (dali), Wednesday, 5 February 2003 22:41 (twenty-two years ago)

The port in my house has become solid :(

― Tracer Hand (tracerhand), Wednesday, 5 February 2003 22:53 (twenty-two years ago)

DV, what shape is your decanter?

― Ed (dali), Wednesday, 5 February 2003 23:11 (twenty-two years ago)

Warm or Cold..It makes a difference.Only a little though, cuase it gives me the worst hangover.

― brg30 (brg30), Wednesday, 5 February 2003 23:19 (twenty-two years ago)

at room temperature, surely.

― Ed (dali), Wednesday, 5 February 2003 23:21 (twenty-two years ago)

I don't know about hangovers. I like Fonseca a lot. Port can be good but a lot of the cheaper brands are too sweet for me.

― Millar (Millar), Wednesday, 5 February 2003 23:24 (twenty-two years ago)

I don't have a decanter! I'm a vicar of simple tastes.

― DV (dirtyvicar), Wednesday, 5 February 2003 23:25 (twenty-two years ago)

No decanter, and I though you were a decent fellow.

― Ed (dali), Wednesday, 5 February 2003 23:32 (twenty-two years ago)

there's no "should've" in "decanter", Ed

― Tracer Hand (tracerhand), Wednesday, 5 February 2003 23:35 (twenty-two years ago)

at room temperature, surely

Except for white - chilled. I think I read somewhere about lightly chilled tawny being served as an aperitif at port shippers' dinner parties but perhaps I made that up.

― Mooro (Mooro), Wednesday, 5 February 2003 23:37 (twenty-two years ago)

port would have little, if any effect on gout. in fact, drink and diet in general are overly emphasized in the treatment of gouty arthritis. don't ask me how I know.

― Spencer Chow (spencermfi), Thursday, 6 February 2003 00:08 (twenty-two years ago)

I'm a big fan. Port and chedder and walnuts by fire with dog after long day in country is near perfect.

Also, my dad passed on this gem, which I will gladly pass on to you all. After convincing your mate for the evening to join you in a glass of port, tell him/her that, "once you open a bottle of port you've got to finish it that night. Goes bad you know." Works every time.

― Colin Saunders (csaunders), Thursday, 6 February 2003 03:28 (twenty-two years ago)

Colin laughs at use of word "mate" given the audience. Ahem.

― Colin Saunders (csaunders), Thursday, 6 February 2003 03:47 (twenty-two years ago)

so that's why all the girls wonder what they did wrong when you pass out!

― Spencer Chow (spencermfi), Thursday, 6 February 2003 05:45 (twenty-two years ago)

I find slipping her a roofie to be cheaper and more effective, plus it means you have the port to enjoy yourself when you've sent her on her way.

― DV (dirtyvicar), Thursday, 6 February 2003 22:27 (twenty-two years ago)

classic! good w/ v. good chocolate

― geeta (geeta), Thursday, 6 February 2003 22:32 (twenty-two years ago)

at room temperature, surely

Not at all, Penfolds make an excellent faux-Tawny (MacGill, about six quid in supermarkets) which is best served lightly chilled, it shouldn't be limited to white port. As far as basic brands go Warres Warrior is a good ruby, most of the other entry level are good only for cooking with: search Warres Otima 10 year old tawny, 1987 Quinta de Varghellas (I serve this one at the restaurant), Dows are generally pretty good. Avoid Cockburns like the plague. Don't limit yourself to port, give big love to Madeira (good call Laura) also.

― Matt (Matt), Friday, 7 February 2003 01:33 (twenty-two years ago)

I went to Porto to check out all the Port lodges - and to be exact they are all in a town called Villa Nova De Gaia on the southside, Porto is on the North. Like the twin cities of Buda and Pest. Almost al the lodges have white, tawny and ruby. And if you go the small ones are often better, and don;t go anywhere that charges most lodges give free tours with bucketloads of port.

Most people there claimed that, aside from vintage stuff, tawny is best and thats what they all drink, and I'm inclined to agree, not to sweet but nice and flavoursome.

― tigerclawskank, Friday, 7 February 2003 10:35 (twenty-two years ago)

Hmmm... The question is not Classic or Dud (surely classic), but rather Tawny or Ruby. I have been known to enjoy both. MMMMmmmmmmm...

A perfect Christmas drink = pint of Guinness - a big mouthfull + a glass of port dumped into it. Fucking beautiful and fucking dangerous at the same time.

― Nick Southall (Nick Southall), Friday, 7 February 2003 10:53 (twenty-two years ago)

No-one's giving LBV the love it deserves.

― Matt (Matt), Friday, 7 February 2003 12:45 (twenty-two years ago)

we drank a bottle after a boozy dinner on sunday night. totally classic, obviously.

isn't guinness + port a guinness meercat, by analogy with the cider armadillo??

― toby (tsg20), Friday, 7 February 2003 12:49 (twenty-two years ago)

two years pass...

I have recently come to appreciate the pleasures of port, after writing it off for years (I always lumped it, unfairly, with sherry, which I still don't much care for).

But I know nuffink. I've found what seems to pretty pleasant, drinkable stuff, but my local liquor store has a pretty limited selection. What should I look for, either brandwise or otherwise?

― gypsy mothra (gypsy mothra), Tuesday, 29 March 2005 20:38 (twenty years ago)

Burmester - tawny - 10 year old - a right touch

― Vicky (Vicky), Tuesday, 29 March 2005 20:45 (twenty years ago)

Tawny Port is my party name!

― Tawny, Tuesday, 29 March 2005 20:52 (twenty years ago)

I once decided I hated someone because he ordered port after dinner. I was 21, just out of college, and thought "who drinks port, you pretentious fuck." It doesn't seem that dubious anymore, though.

― jaymc (jaymc), Tuesday, 29 March 2005 20:59 (twenty years ago)

eight months pass...

on port and optimo

― cozen (Cozen), Saturday, 24 December 2005 23:33 (nineteen years ago)

I do not like the tawny port, or at least I have not liked the few I have tried.

I do, however, love a good non-tawny port.

Caution: avoid ports from Pennsylvania.

― quincie, Sunday, 25 December 2005 00:00 (nineteen years ago)

Taylor Fladgate, people

― Banana Nutrament (ghostface), Sunday, 25 December 2005 00:27 (nineteen years ago)

The Australian tawny port Hardy's Whisker Blake is great for the price, and goes well with a piece of Stilton. I mentioned on the wine thread a while ago. Rubies I usually find too sweet, but I've enjoyed some of them too. Never heard of white port. I assume it's drier than tawny and ruby?

― nickn (nickn), Sunday, 25 December 2005 03:01 (nineteen years ago)

Anything that's 10+ years matured will do me.
Yay for the unexpected port love on ILX.

― Zora (Zora), Sunday, 25 December 2005 12:36 (nineteen years ago)

We opened a 1960 Kopke port today and blimey it was delicious, albeit much paler in colour than any I've had before.

― Mark C en famille, Sunday, 25 December 2005 19:20 (nineteen years ago)

Not really to do with port but I just thought I'd like to boast that we just opened a Harvey's Bristol Cream at Ben's place to celebrate the festive season. yay! i feel all posh

― ken c (ken c), Sunday, 25 December 2005 20:04 (nineteen years ago)

Port is beautiful.

― Johnny B Was Quizzical (Johnney B), Sunday, 25 December 2005 20:53 (nineteen years ago)

Remember, if it's not from the vicinity of Oporto in Portugal, it's not port.

I had faux port from South Africa once, and it was grand, but nothing you couldn't get nicer and cheaper from Portugal.

― DV (dirtyvicar), Monday, 26 December 2005 00:32 (nineteen years ago)

i am not into the sweeter wines, but i've recently discovered armagnac (like cognac) and i think i'm in love.

― tres letraj (tehresa), Monday, 26 December 2005 02:35 (nineteen years ago)

We had some fantastic 20-year old port after dinner tonight. Just beautiful.

― NoTimeBeforeTime (Barry Bruner), Monday, 26 December 2005 05:33 (nineteen years ago)

southy seconded - depth charge a big one into a pint of draft guinness before bedtime - it's sleepy juice

― smile when, Monday, 26 December 2005 15:19 (nineteen years ago)

theresa otm; mmmm armagnac

― cozen (Cozen), Monday, 26 December 2005 15:37 (nineteen years ago)

Armagnac is great, much better value than cognac and many more small scale producers. Might I recommend Chateau de Maniban Bas Armagnac, slightly rough around the edges, but all the more flavourful as a result, still a lingering flavour of must and grapes which a lot of brandies seem to strive to eliminate completely. (at £18 a bottle it's pretty cheap too)

― Ed (dali), Monday, 26 December 2005 15:42 (nineteen years ago)

We have been drinking the Marsala (sp?) that was left over from making the tiramisu, and I think I'm a new convert to that. Better than Sherry, and it went more quickly than the port.

― ALL YOUR BASE NOW BELONG TO SYCORAX!!! (kate), Monday, 26 December 2005 19:28 (nineteen years ago)

Marsala and it's close cousin, Vin Santo, are great.

― Ed (dali), Monday, 26 December 2005 20:23 (nineteen years ago)

Dessert wines are classic. It's a wine and it's a dessert - what could be better than that?

― Aimless (Aimless), Monday, 26 December 2005 20:29 (nineteen years ago)

Pineaux de Charentes are my favourite dessert wines at the moment.

― Ed (dali), Monday, 26 December 2005 20:30 (nineteen years ago)

We were introduced to vin santo in Italy last year, mmm boy. I love the way they serve it with biscotti for dipping. Fine to drink on its own too, of course.

Banana otm about Fladgate. My local drinkery also has some Australian stuff that's very good. I can't remember the label, but it's in skinny bottles that go for about $18.

― gypsy mothra (gypsy mothra), Monday, 26 December 2005 20:36 (nineteen years ago)

Absolute fucking classic, and I don't just say that out of regional pride.

Never heard of white port. I assume it's drier than tawny and ruby?

Well, there's dry white, but regular white port is actually just as sweet as tawny! Served cold of course, and used a lot in cocktails.

― Daniel_Rf (Daniel_Rf), Monday, 26 December 2005 22:46 (nineteen years ago)

Oh, and as far as the tours go, I like Sandeman - the tour guide speaks crap english and dresses up in the real Sandeman outfit (which is derived from portuguese uni student's capes, which are still very popular, though not with me.)

― Daniel_Rf (Daniel_Rf), Monday, 26 December 2005 22:57 (nineteen years ago)

the Burmester tour was self guided and so we wandered aimlessly around their cellars, good stuff indeed. Taylor Fladgate was a little more structured, and their restaurant overlooking Porto was fantastic, only bettered by the Port institute's bar itself, which is a bloody delight.

― Porkpie (porkpie), Monday, 26 December 2005 23:25 (nineteen years ago)

Never used to like it - always too sweet, but don't mind it now.

A big shout out for Muscat as well.

― Sasha (sgh), Tuesday, 27 December 2005 11:50 (nineteen years ago)

mmm, port! love it, esp tawny.

bought a lovely bottle of Dow's Trademark Finest Reserve Port jsut before Christmas, on special in Sainsbury's, half price at £5.49!

http://www.liquorama.net/ProductImages/dowtrademark.jpg

mmm, spicy.

― CharlieNo4 (Charlie), Tuesday, 27 December 2005 12:06 (nineteen years ago)

mmm, port! love it, esp tawny.

bought a lovely bottle of Dow's Trademark Finest Reserve Port jsut before Christmas, on special in Sainsbury's, half price at £5.49!

http://www.liquorama.net/ProductImages/dowtrademark.jpg

mmm, spicy.

― CharlieNo4 (Charlie), Tuesday, 27 December 2005 12:06 (nineteen years ago)

mmm Port

my sister was complaining that it was something that only posh oxford types do.

still lovely though

― jellybean (jellybean), Tuesday, 27 December 2005 13:01 (nineteen years ago)

tell your sister that it was G-Boy who sold me on port. Not that she will know what this means.

― DV (dirtyvicar), Wednesday, 28 December 2005 00:49 (nineteen years ago)

mmm port!

port and debauchery go hand in hand, i find

― The Lex (The Lex), Wednesday, 28 December 2005 12:51 (nineteen years ago)

Wow, I had a glass of Taylor Fladgate's 40-year-old tawny last night. The waiter called it "intensely refined" and I was prone to agree: chocolaty and nutty and rich and balanced and lingering. Looks like a bottle runs about $150, so I won't be drinking that one every night, but really I always say any port in a storm.

― Paul Eater (eater), Thursday, 5 January 2006 20:13 (nineteen years ago)

four years pass...

i've been drinking port all evening and i feel a bit like i've already got a hangover, before i've gone to bed

not sure i like port too much

― jabba hands, Monday, 27 December 2010 00:44 (fourteen years ago)

I think Port leads to a really nice mellow drunk. I'll drink all the rest of your port if you don't like it, Jabba.

― A brownish area with points (chap), Monday, 27 December 2010 00:59 (fourteen years ago)

i'll see how i feel in the morning and let you know ;)

― jabba hands, Monday, 27 December 2010 01:17 (fourteen years ago)

hot port w/ cloves

― real Gs move in sleds, like toboggan (Pillbox), Monday, 27 December 2010 17:16 (fourteen years ago)

same day hangover is the worst

I find a nice glass of port with maybe a bit of cheese a delightful way to end a day.

co-signed, and exactly how I ended christmas day

― cozen, Monday, 27 December 2010 17:17 (fourteen years ago)

yuh port can be pretty heavy, especially really old stuff which needs to be decantered carefully

<3 the stuff tho

― Rockcrit from the Tuoms (nakhchivan), Monday, 27 December 2010 17:22 (fourteen years ago)

Classic if you drink it like an adult with nice cheeses and things. Yummy and warm and very delicious.

Dud x 1000 if you put a cardboard cask of crappy port on every team table at a college trivia night and everyone gets wasted on bad port and all the stairwells smell like stale port vomit in the morning.

God that was the worst hangover I've ever had. u_u

― Square-Panted Sponge Robert (VegemiteGrrrl), Monday, 27 December 2010 17:27 (fourteen years ago)

port is awesome, as are most fortified wines costing more than £5 a bottle

nonetheless, hi-qual port needs to be divorced from its elitist associations. oxbridge types in black-tie passing it left and ogling the brassiere opposite while bitching about their housemates

tawny port is kinda great but the best stuff I ever had was this proper viscous Portuguese shit that was basically a meal in a glass

― acoleuthic, Monday, 27 December 2010 17:28 (fourteen years ago)

... as are most fortified wines costing more than £5 a bottle

did you just diss toni-c

― cozen, Monday, 27 December 2010 17:29 (fourteen years ago)

sanatogen just got ownnnned

― acoleuthic, Monday, 27 December 2010 17:31 (fourteen years ago)

stone's green ginger wine also took it in the solar plexus but tbh that shit is actually quite nice for the first couple of sips

problem is when it settles in the stomach like aberfan

― acoleuthic, Monday, 27 December 2010 17:35 (fourteen years ago)

do u rly get fortified wine for less than £5

even buckfast catatonic wine is sposed to be more than that

― Rockcrit from the Tuoms (nakhchivan), Monday, 27 December 2010 17:36 (fourteen years ago)

do u rly get fortified wine for less than £5

u probably have an automatic override function which prevents u looking at the truly manky stuff

but it's there. and I've been known to buy it.

am assuming that buckfast is brilliant btw

― acoleuthic, Monday, 27 December 2010 17:37 (fourteen years ago)

still haven't seen buckfast

i dunno if i'd like it, i've gone off sugary stuff a lot lately

― Rockcrit from the Tuoms (nakhchivan), Monday, 27 December 2010 17:42 (fourteen years ago)

port still has a lot of negative assocations to overcome, there's no doubt about it

the only solution is to drink it straight from the bottle while listening to cumbia

― Rockcrit from the Tuoms (nakhchivan), Monday, 27 December 2010 17:46 (fourteen years ago)

It's way better than sherry.

― A brownish area with points (chap), Monday, 27 December 2010 17:48 (fourteen years ago)

sherry has its moments. trick is to get the really acrid, dry stuff (amontillado shd do)

― acoleuthic, Monday, 27 December 2010 17:49 (fourteen years ago)

(This is a test. If this had been a real post, there would have been a really funny Poe reference here. This is only a test. Beeep!)

― Christine Green Leafy Dragon Indigo, Monday, 27 December 2010 18:50 (fourteen years ago)

drinking port all evening and i feel a bit like i've already got a hangover, before i've gone to bed

just thinking about drinking port all evening and i feel like i already have a hangover! it is the headachiest - i like it and all but more than a small glass hurts me.

drinkin madeira this season, pretty into it tbh.

― cleo: dessins, cassettes (c sharp major), Monday, 27 December 2010 19:08 (fourteen years ago)

four years pass...

http://i.imgur.com/xADkKhO.jpg

― pom /via/ chi (nakhchivan), Wednesday, 18 March 2015 14:15 (ten years ago)

11.0% = bullshit, this is not port

― to pump a bit of lye (imago), Wednesday, 18 March 2015 14:19 (ten years ago)

had a banyuls the other day with dessert & it was very tasty if not quite up to the finest port standards

― to pump a bit of lye (imago), Wednesday, 18 March 2015 14:19 (ten years ago)

that is the proportion of residual sugar.....

― pom /via/ chi (nakhchivan), Wednesday, 18 March 2015 14:23 (ten years ago)

i require a glass this instant

― to pump a bit of lye (imago), Wednesday, 18 March 2015 14:27 (ten years ago)

they also make something called a sherry with the madeira grapes sercial and verdelho

― pom /via/ chi (nakhchivan), Wednesday, 18 March 2015 14:28 (ten years ago)

do u rly get fortified wine for less than £5
http://img.tesco.com/Groceries/pi/719/5010186011719/IDShot_225x225.jpg

£4 though, cor I remember when it were £1.99. Which is probably how much it was last time I bought a bottle tbh.

― Just noise and screaming and no musical value at all. (Colonel Poo), Wednesday, 18 March 2015 14:29 (ten years ago)

do i scent a tasting party xp

― to pump a bit of lye (imago), Wednesday, 18 March 2015 14:29 (ten years ago)

Speaking of Ukraine and ports I watched import/export last night

― sexpost TMIing! (wins), Wednesday, 18 March 2015 14:31 (ten years ago)

those 'british wines' are fortified but they have lower alcohol then a lot of table wines, so they don't qualify for the same duty rates as port sherry etc

― pom /via/ chi (nakhchivan), Wednesday, 18 March 2015 14:33 (ten years ago)

true, 13% is pretty weak for sherry

― Just noise and screaming and no musical value at all. (Colonel Poo), Wednesday, 18 March 2015 14:40 (ten years ago)

9 units for 2 quid was a decent deal in the mid-late 90s though, and it tastes better than white lightning once you've got past the first few mouthfuls (the first one always made me shudder).

― Just noise and screaming and no musical value at all. (Colonel Poo), Wednesday, 18 March 2015 14:41 (ten years ago)

been after a good bottle of port for a while - i hadn't really drank a lot of it until visiting portugal last year. did a wine tour in the douro valley.

― Junior Dictionary (LocalGarda), Wednesday, 18 March 2015 15:05 (ten years ago)

I've had some good California zin ports recently (not really "port," obviously, but same-same). Lighter than your average ruby port, very pleasant.

― something of an astrological coup (tipsy mothra), Wednesday, 18 March 2015 17:44 (ten years ago)

I'm moving away from Grand Marnier these days and settling down with a glass of good port.

― guess that bundt gettin eaten (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn), Wednesday, 18 March 2015 17:46 (ten years ago)

I love it as the last drink of the evening -- when I don't really want another glass of wine, but still want something to sip.

― something of an astrological coup (tipsy mothra), Wednesday, 18 March 2015 18:35 (ten years ago)

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