For The Love Of Port

While visiting the 60+ year old Ficklin vinyard of port grapes, I was wondering if there were other such vinyards outside of Portugal. How old are the vinyards on the Douro? Is anyone else making table wines out of these varieties?

I vaguely remember something about Aussie farms that have specialized in Portuguese rootstock.

Prager Port Works in Napa also grows traditional grape varietals....just dont ask me for how long right now. See Roys birthday thread for my excuse.

There are a number of traditional Porto varieties grown outside of Portugal.

Part of the problem, at least in California, is that most are not "tracked" by the California Agricultural Statistics Service -- the total acreage is just too small. That said, CASS reported in 2005 that there were 120 acres of Touriga Nacional planted in the state, along with 54 acres of Souzão, 775 acres of Tempranillo (Tinta Roriz) -- but any others are generally included in the "other red/white" categories . . . .

Cool, maybe they will come up with a "Californial" limited edition port. :? sorry it's a friday

There are also a number of producers around Cape Town who have been growing portuguese varietals for a fair number of years and use these to make a fortified wine in the style of vintage, LBV or colheita ports.

I've tried a few South African ports and have enjoyed most of them.

Alex

Al B. wrote:
I've tried a few South African ports and have enjoyed most of them.

Alex

I agree Alex, I've enjoyed all the S.A. fortified's that I've tried.

Heitz Cellars has traditional port varieties planted in Napa Valley. Their Ink Grade Port has been on the market for at least ten years now. They release a vintage and non vintage Ink Grade. Nice quality in a softer style, reasonable pricing for the non vintage.

Prager Port Works has their 2004 Tomas for sale now, I believe it is their second vintage of traditional varieties. It could fool people with its quality. I think many would guess it to be a lighter style Portuguese vintage. But it is more expensive than the Heitz ports.

St. Amant in the central valley of California has planted and used port varieties. I have not followed them recently unfortunately, and do not know what they are doing now.

Robert Mondavi Winery had port varietals planted at its Woodside Winery, and they made a port some years. I think the vineyard was ripped out.

As mentioned, Ficklin has some traditional varieties. A big, big question I have is - what is Tinta Madeira?

Paul Masson had made a terrible Rare Souzao.

Hey, Shawn -- good to "see" you here . . .

As mentioned, Ficklin has some traditional varieties. A big, big question I have is - what is Tinta Madeira?

That's the variety Ficklin lists in their literature. Negra Mole?

Port-style wines are being made with great success in South Africa and Australia, both from Port grape varieties and from others (typically shiraz and grenache in Australia). Tinta Barroca is fairly wide-spread in both countries, and is also being used to make excellent, characterful table wines. Verdelho (out of Madeira) is ubiquitous in Western Australia, where it produces both lovely wood-aged, fortified "stickies" in the northern part and lovely apricotty, citrussy dry white table wines.

On top of that, one of the world's most ubiquitous grape varieties, malvasia, which is also a minor Port grape and well-known in Madeira, produces lovely wines throughout the world, including in the former Soviet Union. I've had a 1928 Massandra Malvasia from the Crimea that was close to perfection.

Now homologisation (the exact naming of specific grape varieties) is only in its infancy, so no-one can guarantee that any of the above names are actually the real thing where they grow.