For The Love Of Port

Hi Martin, welcome to FTLOP!

Hi Martin. Glad to have you with us!

Hi Martin,

Sorry I am late to the party to welcome you. I hope you will find this Forum filled with good information and please know we are happy to answer any questions you may have as well.

Best regards,

Roy Hersh

Great to be here! Based in Australia.

I had enjoyed ports on occasion but my penny dropping moment came when a generous member of my wine group brought a 1955 Nacional to our end of year function last year - I can still taste it if I concentrate.

I most enjoy ports when they get to their ethereal stage. Am currently enjoying acquiring and drinking 1977s as I’ve generally found them to have intensely ripe red fruits and seem to be approaching a really nice drinking window.

Will H. wrote:Great to be here! Based in Australia.

I had enjoyed ports on occasion but my penny dropping moment came when a generous member of my wine group brought a 1955 Nacional to our end of year function last year - I can still taste it if I concentrate.

I most enjoy ports when they get to their ethereal stage. Am currently enjoying acquiring and drinking 1977s as I’ve generally found them to have intensely ripe red fruits and seem to be approaching a really nice drinking window.

Hi Will,
Welcome to the forum!

Will H. wrote: ↑Tue Jul 16, 2024 5:01 am Great to be here! ...
I most enjoy ports when they get to their ethereal stage. Am currently enjoying acquiring and drinking 1977s as I’ve generally found them to have intensely ripe red fruits and seem to be approaching a really nice drinking window.

Welcome Will! I think you will find many friendly and helpful voices here.

When I started seriously drinking Port ~15 years ago, I thought the 1970s were all wonderful. Today I still find good ones, but the risk factor for a lesser showing is definitely greater now. I too think 1977s might be in the sweet spot today--but we need to keep an eye on them. Best to sample regularly so we aren't caught off-guard

Will H. wrote: ↑Tue Jul 16, 2024 5:01 am Great to be here! Based in Australia.

I had enjoyed ports on occasion but my penny dropping moment came when a generous member of my wine group brought a 1955 Nacional to our end of year function last year - I can still taste it if I concentrate.

I most enjoy ports when they get to their ethereal stage. Am currently enjoying acquiring and drinking 1977s as I’ve generally found them to have intensely ripe red fruits and seem to be approaching a really nice drinking window.

Hi Will, welcome to FTLOP!



1977 Vintage Ports are enjoying a resurgence right now, so it's a good time to be buying them!

Will H. wrote: ↑Tue Jul 16, 2024 5:01 am Great to be here! Based in Australia.

I had enjoyed ports on occasion but my penny dropping moment came when a generous member of my wine group brought a 1955 Nacional to our end of year function last year - I can still taste it if I concentrate.

I most enjoy ports when they get to their ethereal stage. Am currently enjoying acquiring and drinking 1977s as I’ve generally found them to have intensely ripe red fruits and seem to be approaching a really nice drinking window.

Welcome to the Forum, Will. Do you have a favorite '77? How's the selection down under?

Thanks all for the warm welcome! The following have been in the past 6 months (fortunately I’ve been following your advice Eric).

A really good Graham’s kicked of my excitement with 1977. Beautiful strawberry fruit, rich but delicate and light. I’ve had another that was similar and another where the spirit was sticking out a bit.

Have had a 1977 Dow’s that had a similar candied strawberry fruit tone, going into spied stewed rhubarb and then glacéd cherries. Really enjoyed it.

Then a 1977 Fonseca (side by side with a 77 Graham’s) which was a different beast. Denser, spicier, less sweetness. Fabulous.

I’m 42 and have been fortunate to taste many older ports from wine group members in their 70s and 80s. After initially buying 2011s and 2016s, I realised 50+ years of age is where I like my ports so focused on buying at auction where there is surprisingly good supply of old Portuguese VPs (I’m told there has historically been good supply into Australia).

Port is one of the few things I’ll happily buy at auction and I’ve found them to be much more resilient than Pinot, Nebbiolo or Chardonnay.

Hi Will H.

Late to the party to welcome you to the Forum!

In addition to stocking up on the 1977 Vintage, which occasionally has been problematic due to faulty corks, when spot on bottles are found .. this vintage can produce some great bottles. Have you found any Gould Campell or Smith Woodhouse from that vintage yet?

Do not overlook 1980, which can typically be found for less money and they are also showing younger than the 3 years of difference from 1977. The 1980 VPs are spectacular at the moment, although "only" 44 years of age.

Hi Port Lovers !
I'm Clément, from Paris, France. Quite new to the world of port, I've discovered it's wonders in 2021, visiting Porto and the Douro region. First introduction to the world of vintage was through some fruit bomb SQVP at Quinta do Bomfim, and I've been starting a little collection of young and not so young VP since. Not an easy task in France...
I'd love to know if there are some gallic port lovers here, and how they find some nice old bottles !

Clement R wrote:Hi Port Lovers !
I'm Clément, from Paris, France. Quite new to the world of port, I've discovered it's wonders in 2021, visiting Porto and the Douro region. First introduction to the world of vintage was through some fruit bomb SQVP at Quinta do Bomfim, and I've been starting a little collection of young and not so young VP since. Not an easy task in France...
I'd love to know if there are some gallic port lovers here, and how they find some nice old bottles !

Welcome to the forum!!

There's a lot of collective Port wisdom here, feel free to ask questions!

Welcome Clément! There are not many (maybe none) members of FTLOP in France but you’re not too far from London where there is a very active group of Port lovers who get together once or twice per month to share their favourite wine over dinner.

Al B. wrote: ↑Sat Feb 08, 2025 4:59 pm Welcome Clément! There are not many (maybe none) members of FTLOP in France but you’re not too far from London where there is a very active group of Port lovers who get together once or twice per month to share their favourite wine over dinner.

So close yet so far! Add to this the choice (and prices!) for vintage port in the UK, I feel somewhat envious of my English neighbours... Are the get-together open to new faces, when time comes for me to have more free time? My little boss in diapers is quite demanding at the moment

Clement R wrote: ↑Wed Feb 12, 2025 6:05 am

Al B. wrote: ↑Sat Feb 08, 2025 4:59 pm Welcome Clément! There are not many (maybe none) members of FTLOP in France but you’re not too far from London where there is a very active group of Port lovers who get together once or twice per month to share their favourite wine over dinner.

So close yet so far! Add to this the choice (and prices!) for vintage port in the UK, I feel somewhat envious of my English neighbours... Are the get-together open to new faces, when time comes for me to have more free time? My little boss in diapers is quite demanding at the moment

Absolutely they are open to new faces. There’s usually 14 seats round the table and sometimes the seats go quickly, but not always.

One of the guys at dinner last week is sleep training his 3 month old - he looked so tired! Good luck with the little boss.

Hi Clement,

Nice to welcome another person from France. There have not been many over the years, but I have met some when visiting your country with Port loving friends. We have a LOT of people come here to Porto/Vila Nova de Gaia from Paris and many parts of France. Part of that is due to the fact that two massive companies in the Port trade are owned by a French parent company. There are other reasons, and an entire Port tasting room that is dominated by French clientele, exists and is typically quite busy.

However, your question was about Paris. So I am here to share that you can find some great Ports at: Portologia, Paris; La Maison des Porto, which is located at: 42 Rue Chapon, 75003 Paris, França. They have very knowledgeable employees and an owner that has shops here in Gaia and Lisboa too. But this shop is excellent and I spent three hours there tasting through a nice flight with my ex-wife and daughter. If you don't find what you are looking for, I am positive they will be able to source it for you. Don't be afraid to ask them.

Welcome to our Forum and I hope you find it worth reading and with a diversity of opinions.

I’ve been known online as “jdaw1” since 1987: it is an identity easily traceable back to me. Really, it is not canine anonymity . Is it allowed? I.e., what is the current real-name policy on FTLoP?

Thank you.