For The Love Of Port

The Making of Port - <this month's aspect>
- Rather than the general overview which I expect most readers would be familiar with, I'm thinking about the specific details and how they vary between houses and over history. For example, possible aspects could include:
Week 1 : Grapes; types, vines, picking procedures
Week 2 : Treading; analysis/views of mechanical treaders
Week 3 : Brandy; regulations, types, producers
Week 4 : Cask types; woods, re-use, manufacture, storage
Week 5 : Bottles; types, old non-standard, current shapes
Week 6 : Labels; styles, logos, nomenclature
Week 7 : Corks; materials, sizes, sourcing, TCA
.... i.e. pick a small specific aspect and discuss, perhaps as a series such as above across the whole process, or small aspects chosen at will examined in detail. For each such aspect I would expect there to be significant interesting detail either in the topic itself, how it has varied over the last couple of centuries, or how it varies by manufacturer, including nuggets from today's producers on current practice and latest technology.

Since you offered to give multiple magnums and may have too much port to consume yourself and to promote lots of tasting notes, consider selecting a tasting note of the month and award a bottle of port . This would encourage lots of TN from board members, which we all love.

I think the Newsletter would benefit most from a segment that generates interest and involvement from readers, informs, flexibly responds to reader needs, and is sustainable long term.
Hard to beat something along the lines of "Port/Madeira Question of the Month" (or, "Letter/Comment of the Month") which can be addressed to Roy or any of the other FLOP gurus who could, in appropriate cases source answers or input from others (for example, "I've heard a lot about leakage from 97 Niepoort - what explanation does Niepoort offer?").
Perhaps consider rewarding the question/comment selected with a hat, coffee cup, magnum of 31 Noval or somesuch, just to generate interest.
Pretty great idea, huh? Gotta be worth a bottle of something . . . .

Richard,

Good suggestion. We'll see how things pan out. I like this, though others are being considered too.

After reading about Prince Albert of Monaco's trip to Ramos Pinto and his general liking & knowledge of Port wine; it would be awesome if we could have him a guest on FTLOP for a week.

Any new ideas before a decision is made?

Roy Hersh wrote:Any new ideas before a decision is made?

Has the decision been made?

Patience.

Roy Hersh wrote:Patience.

Not one of my dominating virtues

How about the Port Guinea Pig section. For every newsletter you try something new with Port and report about it. It can be focused on different topics.... I think it can be fun, refreshing, interesting and ground breaking!

Trying 12 different glass with a few different Ports and see which combo taste better
What Port style goes better with pepper steak!?! We all think of Ruby but how does Tawny styles pair along!?!
Tasting Ports at different temperatures ...
Port in gravy... what's the best, does higher quality Port makes better gravy
Tasting weird stuff like cheap ruby from the 50 or 60's how does it taste?
List goes on!!

Do you ship to Canada?

Yes, but only to the Provinces of British Columbia and Alberta. Besides you already won your prize!

This may be too "simple", but I don't think anyone has suggested a "Featured Port" segment - could include madeira, table wines, etc. - maybe an in-depth review of a particular wine, comments of a winemaker about that specific wine, analysis of reviews/tasting notes and so on. You won't run out of topics anytime soon and it would probably stimulate discussion and be informative at the same time.