Best producer of Port?

[Bjørn Tore Aastorp Ruud]

This is an impossible question, I know, but in Norway we have a lot of port available through the company I work for. We can provide the public with 150 different port wines, but through the years there is little change in which producers are imported.
We have no or little experience with port from Dow, Warres etc....

We are all individuals and have different opinions, but any opinion will open my eyes. maybe this thread will result in new producers of port on the Norwegian market.

My hopeless question is:

WHICH IS THE BEST PRODUCER OF PORT, AND WHY?????

Thanks.

[Marc J.]

As far as vintage port goes I'd have to say (top to bottom) that Quinta Do Noval Nacional would take the top spot. In terms of a top producer of premium ports - Taylor would probably be my choice. Finally, IMHO Warre would be my selection as the finest port house across the board.

Noval Nacional typically are stunning wines (there were a few hiccups in the 80s) but purely in terms of vintage port they must be considered the very finest. Taylor does produces some of the finest VP & aged tawnies although they really aren't known for their basic tawnys & rubies. Finally Warre's VP may not reach the heights of many of the Nacionals or Taylors but from top to bottom I'd give the nod top them. Of couse this is VERY subjective and there really aren't any right or wrong answers (unless someone suggests Royal Oporto should take the top spot - that would just be WRONG!).

[Todd Pettinger]

Of couse this is VERY subjective and there really aren't any right or wrong answers (unless someone suggests Royal Oporto should take the top spot - that would just be WRONG!).

I haven't tried Royal Oporto Marc, so I certainly will not be the one making that suggestion

Very difficult question for me to answer Bjørn as I am jsut beginning my Port-discovery journey and have tried very few VPs. I have enjoyed the Noval and Ferreira VPs a great deal. Ferreira would be a good port at a very reasonable price that your customers may like. I liked the structure and body in the '97 and it was very reasonably priced, even here in Canada where all Port is priced so very high.

Todd

[Andy Velebil]

Looking across the board at all types of Port (and even dry wines) I would go with Niepoort hands down. For individual types of Port I would chose the following;

Warres: Great prices and a nice feminine and elegant style of Port.

Noval Nacional: Not much more needs to be said here.

Ferreira: For wood matured ports (mainly those with an indication of age).

Niepoort: For Colheita's and awsome dry wines

Dows: For a more drier style.

Fonseca: For shear power and palate presence.

Vesuvio: For a very good year-in-year-out producer (i.e. Single Quinta)

[Roy Hersh]

Sophie had an easier choice than this!

[Jay Powers]

I would have to go with Grahams:

fantastic VP (63, 66, 70, 85, 91, 94, 97, 2000, 2003 for instance), nice aged tawny, the whole package.

Jay

[Moses Botbol]

Fonseca.

Can't think of a lackluster vintage and their other varieties of port are nice too.

You can't go wrong with a Fonseca of any vintage.

[Ted D]

Moses, although Fonseca is a great choice, the 1980 to me is way too dilute (unless I was drinking fake bottles, which is especially possible where I was).

I'll vote Graham or Taylor! But I DO like them all . . .

[Bjørn Tore Aastorp Ruud]

Thanks for all the answers. With my limited preferences, I go for Noval and Churchills Vintages.
Tawnies: Noval, Niepoort, Romaneira.
Ruby: Many good.
LBV; Smith-Woodhouse, Taylors.
White port: A secret!!!!

I think the Churchills Vintage ports are way underrated, I almost never read anything in the media on these wines.

[Gustavo Devesas]

My choices for the quality that it's shown every year always in top condition:


Vintages:Fonseca, Niepoort, Noval(Nacional only )

Tawnies: Vallado, Romaneira and mostly Sao Leonardo (excelent in all Tawnies)
Ruby Reserve: Quinta Javali, Quinta do Tedo and Quinta Casa Amarela
Crusted: Churchill's
LBV; Quinta da Prelada (incredible LBV2000!!) and Quinta do Javali
White: Quintas de Baldias(they make 2 white with 10y one sweet and the other really extra dry!)
Colheita: The champions: Romaneira and Niepoort, no doubt!

[Roy Hersh]

Lots of great choices here but as mentioned, it is such a subjective topic that everyone's opinion is right ... for them.

It is really hard to say that I have a specific favorite producer, because none cross all categories at the top of my list. So I have different names for VP, Colheita, 10/20/30 and 40 year old Tawnies, White Port, White Colheita, Crusted, LBV, Ruby Reserve, Tawny Reserve and whatever else I am forgetting.

But, this is a fun read nonetheless.

[Andy Velebil]

this is a great read. It is fun to read what everyone likes. I do hope more people chime in on this one.

[Al B.]

Slowly catching up with the backlog of messages, I came across this one and thought it deserved a reply and would be fitting to be what's likely to be my last message for around 2 weeks.

My "best" producers defined in two ways, the first name being the highest quality and the second name being the producer I believe gives the best value for money.

White port - I don't drink enough to have an opinion
Ruby - Warre's Warrior Reserve (really excellent for a ruby and with the power to improve in bottle for 2-3 years) AND Symington Family Buyer's Own Brand (available from Tesco in the UK)
LBV - Warre Unfiltered and Noval Unfiltered
Tawny - I don't drink enough to have an opinion
Colheita - Kopke for the sheer range of years they have and make available, all of which are excellent quality AND Portal for the range of relatively young but very enjoyable colheitas that they are now releasing
Vintage - Noval Nacional for the power and delicacy of these wines, despite the blip in the '80s which the wines seem to be recovering from! AND Ferreira for the lovely wines that they produce that have the ability to age gracefully for many years but which are very modestly priced.

Alex

[David L.]

I agree with Gustavo, especially regarding his options from 2 producers:
S. Leonardo Tawnies from Quinta do Mourão (10Y, 20Y, 30Y and 40Y): Regarding the VP, this producer just has for now, the VP2000. Have you tried it Gustavo?

Quinta de Baldias White and Extra Dry... what a positive surprise!!! But if we look for the rest of the products we can see high level also in the Tawny, LVB 1987, LBV 1995 and VP2003. VP2003 from Quinta de Baldias is till now the VP that I don't feel for saving in the wine cellar... although it's young it's a pleasure to drink it.

More and more I believe in "small" producers and it's from them that I usually bye the majority of my Port!!! But Port is Port and definitely is the best drink in the world...

My choices for the quality that it's shown every year always in top condition:


Vintages:Fonseca, Niepoort, Noval(Nacional only )

Tawnies: Vallado, Romaneira and mostly Sao Leonardo (excelent in all Tawnies)
Ruby Reserve: Quinta Javali, Quinta do Tedo and Quinta Casa Amarela
Crusted: Churchill's
LBV; Quinta da Prelada (incredible LBV2000!!) and Quinta do Javali
White: Quintas de Baldias(they make 2 white with 10y one sweet and the other really extra dry!)
Colheita: The champions: Romaneira and Niepoort, no doubt!