WSJ article on the Douro and Port

[Andy Velebil]

I think you need a subscription to see all of it, but there is a large chunk of it that is a good read using the link below.

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB1000142 ... 89552.html

[Eric Menchen]

Link worked for me without a subscription. A very nice article IMHO.

[Mahmoud Ali]

Nice article, I too was able to read it without subscription. There were however a few points that I would quibble over.

I don't think it fair to compare the price of vintage port with the price of "fine wine" in the Far East and First Growth Bordeaux. If the price of vintage Port were to reach anything near those of serious Bordeaux then the vintage port market would be restricted to the wealthy. In the case of Bordeaux there are plenty of less expensive chateaux and the consumer has a fairly broad spectrum of wines to choose from in both quality and price. In the case of port it would mean it might mean that the average punter would have to give up on vintage port and shift to LBVs. Good for the port shippers I guess but not for Port lovers.

I also don't think that the fact that a wine can age well is a reason for a wine to be expensive. There are plenty of inexpensive wines that can age for decades and many expensive wines that won't. Cost of production should be reflected in the price, however there is very little that we can do about the impact of scarcity and demand.

Cheers.............................Mahmoud.

[Andy Velebil]

Nice article, I too was able to read it without subscription. There were however a few points that I would quibble over.

I don't think it fair to compare the price of vintage port with the price of "fine wine" in the Far East and First Growth Bordeaux. If the price of vintage Port were to reach anything near those of serious Bordeaux then the vintage port market would be restricted to the wealthy. In the case of Bordeaux there are plenty of less expensive chateaux and the consumer has a fairly broad spectrum of wines to choose from in both quality and price. In the case of port it would mean it might mean that the average punter would have to give up on vintage port and shift to LBVs. Good for the port shippers I guess but not for Port lovers.

I also don't think that the fact that a wine can age well is a reason for a wine to be expensive. There are plenty of inexpensive wines that can age for decades and many expensive wines that won't. Cost of production should be reflected in the price, however there is very little that we can do about the impact of scarcity and demand.

Cheers.............................Mahmoud.

+1, well said!