For The Love Of Port

Thanks Eric,
I do note the various 'suspensions' of that Treaty.
Perhaps we can agree that the Treaty Of Windsor is the oldest CONTINUING treaty.

I'll happily raise a toast to either!

We can't ship to Canada - in practice. Theoretically it can be done but we have to do it through an "authorized customs broker" and we are charged Provincial mark ups - essentially around 100% in taxes/duties PLUS the brokerage charges (and shipping) - and there's only ONE authorized broke...

Hi Eric, Only just saw this. Very interesting - particulaly as it is only the 637th Anniversary!!!!!!!!!!!! How do I know this? In 1986 Christie's had their first (and only?) auction of Vintage Port & Madeira - I attended and there are numerous references in the catalogue to the signing on 9 May...

February on the west coast would certainly appeal to me as well.

Alan

My notes were not transcribed to computer and I 'cleaned out' in 2015 when I moved. So original source material has gone. However, I recall that the English bottlings was my favourite - the 'Scottish' bottling came last and the Fonseca bottling was in the middle. As a separate tasting, one of my Por...

I know we laid this to rest some time back. BUT the explanation described here is suddenly 'questionable' again! The source of the "Palther" is claimed to be Henrique Borges - and all bottles were (purportedly) similarly misspelled (and waxed). A recent tasting note from a Swiss tasting (i...

Way back in 1998, we had a Fonseca vertical with Bruce Guimaraens, when he visited Canada. Among our tasting wines were some 'English Bottled' Fonseca ports which we compared with the Fonseca bottlings. For 1970 we actually had 3 'versions' an English bottled (1972), the Fonseca bottling and another...

Yes, I've had 'dubious' madeiras - and an occasional fake! My speculation is that there are a number of bottles out there that are 'old' madeiras - but not necessarily bearing a specific date (vintage). I bought a case from a source subsequently identified as 'spurious'. However, the 8 bottles I've ...

Today is 21 may, 2021, This is the 21st day of the month; the start of the 21st week of the year 2021 (which is the 21st year of the 21 st century). Accordingly I have opened a 21 year old madeira which will be tasted at 21:21 (local time - just over an hour from now) - because what else is better t...

I bought this wine at auction when first released and tried it then WITHOUT decanting (I was still a newbie). Sadly it was funky and bitter and consequently I ignored all the other Acciaioly madeiras for many years (now they're unaffordable!). So I emphasise and support the need for significant deca...

1880 Colheita Port – Maria Amélia Pereira Lopes(Régua) – although the label calls this Vinho Fino Do Douro Garrafeira Particular Velhíssimo Tawny/Doce. A strip label identifies it as Reserva Particular Do Duque De Palmela, and the wine (bought at the British Columbia Liquor Board in early 1990’s) wa...

That aside, the fact remains that even when bottled promptly after shipment, the average age of bottling would have been around six months later than is common practice today. Which could still be done today, legally, if it actually had the effect that you think it has. But it isn't done today, eve...

Thanks Roy, I also knew John from way back (Robin Garr site) and counted him as a most generous friend. Catherine and I actually had dinner with John & Barbara the night before she passed a couple of years back (obviously it was sudden), sharing a range of those unobtainable and auction rarity r...

I knew it was Tinta Roriz in Douro. The question I had was what it was called in Madeira (if at all). Sorry for the fake news here - I was looking to set up a Tinta Negra vs. 'traditional' variety tasting so it was critical that the wine was definitely tinta negra - if it was another grape, the comp...

Mystery solved.
I contacted the Importer who confirms it's (mainly) Tinta Negra.
Merely a 'mistake' by the people who regulate the sale of alcohol in our province.
Maybe they've been smoking too much legal agricultural product.

Our Government controlled liquor monopoly (LCBO) has just released a selection of madeiras including the following: Barbeito 5 Year Old Rainwater Reserva Medium Dry Madeira Tinta Fina I know the tempranillo grape is called Tinta Fina in Portugal - but I am NOT aware that this is an approved varietal...

Isn't this fun - even though we still don't know what the Sainsbury port is (or was). My 'recollection' is that prior to 86 (Portugal joining EEC) the rules were quite 'flexible'! I recall having a 1970 'Vintage Port', bottled in January1974! (guessed it was an Engish bottling (of Fonseca) from a ba...

As for BOB's and the like. It is quite normal for any wine company to have a customer request a "private label" blended just for them. Often, their wine person will help come up with the blend or taste various trial blends and pick which they want. Those blends are like any other Port, th...

Is 'Symington Family Estates' even accurate? We know the major houses generally have contracts with multiple growers. Is it realistic to expect that 'Family Estates' would be crushed (trodden?, Lagared?) separately from 'non-Family' estates? Plus we are told that, from the start, 'Vintage' ports hav...

Without getting too sidetracked, most BOB's are offered under the name of the retailer, rather than the 'House' who produced it. This is clearly identified as Symington - although it seems apparent that it was only sold at Sainsbury's. And, of course, the 'bottling' would have to be in 2005 - substa...