best port style wines?

[John F. Newman]

In my area of the world, it seems that wineries tend to add a lot of fruit to their wines, and I've had some of the worst port (IMHO) with fruit and berry additives. And my humble opinion would extend that to taking away the term "port" from many of these wines... it doesn't matter what you call it - it's not good!

So my questions are:

(1) are there any non-porto port wines that anyone here can honestly recommend?

(2) what do you think of these fruity port wines? (are they an pretty good, an abomination, or something that needs to be judged without the term "port" next to its name?)

[Michael T]

Wouldn't that be properly called a "port style" wine and not a true port?

[John F. Newman]

Wouldn't that be properly called a "port style" wine and not a true port?

yes, that is what I was getting at... best "port style". I changed the subject line to reflect that.

[Bradley Bogdan]

I've had a couple blueberry/blackberry based fortified wines that have been enjoyable. Very straightforward, but with enough tannin to balance the sweetness, acidity and alcohol. Very affordable as well.

As for other fortified wines, I've had Williams-Selyem's port-style wine, and while too pricey for my enjoyment, it was a good example of what California might call an LBV. Ficklin also makes delicious, but still Californian, wines as well. Both use traditional port grape blends.

[Paul Fountain]

I can't say that I've seen any wineries making fortified wines from blackberry, blueberry or fruit other than grapes, although some of the berry farms do this sort of thing. I've not tried any of it, and while I suppose I'd give it a go, I'd not do so with any confidence that it would actually be good.

I've got a few domestic (my domestic that is - I don't get to see any US styles ) port styles that I am happy to drink and that I think are good quality. They are the Grant Burge 10 yr old and 20 Year old Tawnies, and the Seppeltsfield Para tawnies, both from the Barrossa valley and the Stanton & Killeen Vintage port style from Rutherglen. It was a Para sigle vintage tawny from 1978 that I tried a few years back which made me go have another look at Australian tawnies after not touching them for years. They also release a 100yr old every year, not that I get to try that. I opened a 1981 Stanton & Killeen on the weekend that was enjoyable enough that I accidently drank the whole bottle in one night without any assistance.

[Andy Velebil]

There aren't many port-style wines I feel are anywhere near up to the level of true Port from the Douro Valley. But here are some that get quite close.

Heintz
Prager Port Works
Roxo

These all have at least one line of "port" that uses traditional Portuguese grape varietals and get about as close as you can to the real deal.

[Miguel Simoes]

I opened a 1981 Stanton & Killeen on the weekend that was enjoyable enough that I accidently drank the whole bottle in one night without any assistance.

Nice!

[Jim R.]

Another wine to try is the York Creek CA port. I have had several different years and found them to be good with the capability to age. I have only seen them in 375 ml size. Usually at KL Wines. Good hunting and let us know what you think when you find and try one.

[Glenn E.]

There aren't many port-style wines I feel are anywhere near up to the level of true Port from the Douro Valley. But here are some that get quite close.

Heintz
Prager Port Works
Roxo

These all have at least one line of "port" that uses traditional Portuguese grape varietals and get about as close as you can to the real deal.

Ficklin also uses traditional Portuguese grapes, as I recall, and makes a pretty good imitation.

[Eric Menchen]

Ficklin also uses traditional Portuguese grapes, as I recall, and makes a pretty good imitation.

I thought the Ficklin ringer we had at the 1983 retrospective was an excellent wine, but only a fair imitation.

[Andy Velebil]

Ficklin also uses traditional Portuguese grapes, as I recall, and makes a pretty good imitation.

I thought the Ficklin ringer we had at the 1983 retrospective was an excellent wine, but only a fair imitation.

Same. It was very different than the real Ports, but good in its own right.

[Eric Ifune]

Ficklin is my favorite port-styled wine. They use some of the traditional Port varieties and probably have the oldest vineyards of these varieties in North America. They are different than real Port and diverge even more so with increasing age, still they are an appealing fortified tipple. I believe the oldest I still have is the 1986. The also do some nice tawny styles.

[Glenn E.]

Ficklin also uses traditional Portuguese grapes, as I recall, and makes a pretty good imitation.

I thought the Ficklin ringer we had at the 1983 retrospective was an excellent wine, but only a fair imitation.

In my experience that was about as good as they get. I can usually pick a Cali Port out of a lineup blind and have even done it double blind when I had no reason to suspect one was present.

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