Mark DaSilva wrote:Pedroncelli. The best domestic port I've tried. One of their vintages.
Pedroncelli is one that I really want to try. I don’t get up to Sonoma that often, so I hadn’t even heard of them until a week or so ago. There is a new American desert wine industry group called the Sweet and Fortified Wine Association. Pedroncelli is a member of the fledgling SFWA, and was involved in the SFWA’s coming out party and tasting event held in Lodi in the last week of February.
Sadly, I didn’t know anything about the SFWA or their event until after it happened. They are on my radar now, and I hope to be able to catch their next get together.
I have had both a Texas port and a Washington port. Of the two, I found the Texas port to be more tolerable.
The Messina Hof winery is not too far from Houston, because we went there for lunch one day while visiting my brother. They make a tawny which is nice, a ruby which I didn't like, and a ruby reserve (Papa Paulo's) which was decent. All three have a distinctly different flavor profile than Portugese Ports. Of the three the only one I would buy myself is the tawny - it's pretty good, but different than a Portugese tawny.
The Washington port was Whidbey's and I wasn't impressed. I'd rate it better than the Messina Hof ruby but worse than the Papa Paulo's reserve. Not worth buying to me even at $8-$10/bottle.
First of all some info corrections. Ficklin is NOT the only 10 year old Tawny as reported by Bryan. I have enjoyed the 10 year old Tawny made by Prager going back to the 1990s and it is always solid. However it costs more than almost any 20 year old Portuguese Tawny Port and therefore, represents terrible value for money. I like the wines they make though, I'd never buy them based on their being priced so unrealistically.
As to Ficklin, the 1991 Vintage port they've made is stellar and one of my all time favorites. I was a judge this past weekend at the NEW WORLD INTERNATIONAL WINE COMPETITION that is one of the older wine competitions in the USA and very respected. My panel judged amongst many other categories, "ports" of which there were 28. The 10 year old Tawny by Ficklin was given a GOLD MEDAL and although that is to stay here please, I will say that it was very impressive (double blind) and I'd buy it any day of the week, if the price was right.
There was one port that that was even more highly rated, but I'll have to go back and check what the name was.
Since Bryan's list only takes CA into account, I'd just say that some of the truly great domestic port comes out of Missouri. Hermannhof Winery makes the best I have tasted.
Ficklin is the Grandfather of the California port-style wine makers. Some of their vines are 60 years old. As far as I know, they are the only California winery with an available 10-year aged port. They also have wine aging for a 20-year aged port, but it is not ready yet. Two wines that I found really interesting were their varietal ports. They have a 100% Touriga Nacional port, and a 100% Tinta Cao port available in their tasting room. While not the best ports they have to offer, they are interesting for tasting the component grapes. They may have the varietal ports available on their website, but their website was down at the time I wrote this so I don’t know for sure.
The 20 year old was released in half bottles last year, only sold at the winery. They're sold out of the inital release, but will release a second time in April.
As to Ficklin, the 1991 Vintage port they've made is stellar and one of my all time favorites. I was a judge this past weekend at the NEW WORLD INTERNATIONAL WINE COMPETITION that is one of the older wine competitions in the USA and very respected. My panel judged amongst many other categories, "ports" of which there were 28. The 10 year old Tawny by Ficklin was given a GOLD MEDAL and although that is to stay here please, I will say that it was very impressive (double blind) and I'd buy it any day of the week, if the price was right.
The 2003 is now the current release. I like it. The 10 year old Tawny goes for $24.99/750ml at the winery, $19.99 if you are a wine club member.
