For The Love Of Port

I am not adverse to trying port style wine from any appellation in the world. I can honestly say that I have enjoyed a number of fine vintage and tawny port styled wine from So. Africa, Australia as well the United States.

How many here will admit to drinking domestically made port?

I have written about that here in the past, as this is the correct Forum within which to include them. Missouri, Virginia, Michigan, Washington, Oregon and California all have some redeeming qualities to at least one port producer if not more. Recently a Texas, <yes I did mention the Lone Star state> wine maker contacted me and asked me if I would try his port AND madeira styled wines from vineyards up in the Texas Highlands as well as his own three acres of vines on his property by the Gulf Coast.

Additionally, a new artisan producer in CA is actually making some impressive juice in Napa, using three select Portuguese cultivars to vinify his ports and somewhat 'traditional' methods. I've been evaluating two consecutive releases ... both drinkable, enjoyable even and worthy of space in the upcoming newsletter.

But what I really would like to know is how many of you ever do drink port made in the USA?

"Drink" is not yet the right word. But I bought Meyer Family over 10 years ago. It still sits awaiting opening.

I had only one tasting with US port type wine. It was the 1990 merlot port from Pindor vineyard in Long Island, N-Y. I bought two half bottles at the vineyard when I visited with my brother. We opened one about four years ago and It was not bad at all. As far as I can remember, it was still in good shape, we were surprised. It was "oldish" like a mature tawny, very brownish color, not a very long aftertaste but quite good. I still have the other half bottle in my cellar. Next time I visit my brother we gone open it and post the result here.

Since I did not visit the forum for some time, I wish to you Roy, to all the staff of FTLOP and to all the members the best for 2008 and the best port money can buy.

I've had a fair number of them, some decent and some not so decent. Stewart and I tasted a fair number of them last year in Napa. Here is the link to that thread.

http://www.fortheloveofport.com/ftlopfo ... =napa+trip

The best so far was the Prager Port Works Tomas, although quite over priced it was tasty.

I admit to it. I taste as many different California ports as I can get my hands on, especially the ones made from fruit grown in the Sierra foothills. I’ve also had the odd bottle of domestic ports from wineries here and there outside California, but not nearly as many as the number of sampled California ports.

Bryan,

Would you please share with us, your top 10 CA ports? I think that would be great for those that have access to the domestic bottlings. I get to try them when I judge down at the New World International Wine Competition in Ontario every year. Lots are entered. Ficklin typically comes out on top. But I'd enjoy looking at your listing.

Thanks!

I have had one, I believe that it was Meyers. I had it at a work function at Auberge de Soleil in Napa. I was ready to be dissapointed, but it was actually pretty decent.

Jay

Roy Hersh wrote:Bryan,

Would you please share with us, your top 10 CA ports? I think that would be great for those that have access to the domestic bottlings. I get to try them when I judge down at the New World International Wine Competition in Ontario every year. Lots are entered. Ficklin typically comes out on top. But I'd enjoy looking at your listing.

Thanks!

I can do that. I’d like to think on it a bit, so it may take me a couple days.

Back in the States.
I'm impressed by the recent releases of Ficklin. I think they've put more emphasis on quality, and they have old stocks of reserve wines which they're starting to release. They're an old name, for California, but worth a revisit.

Eric,

I am so pleased you are back from the war zone. We all owe you a debt of gratitude for your service, regardless of our own opinion's of this "war on terror." Thank you and I am personally very relieved you are back at home, safely!

Eric,

Welcome back and glad to hear you made it home safely. I've only the Fickling a couple of times (nothing with age though) and have been impressed by the quality of this California producer.

My report and TNs on the MILLER "Teodoro" port wines is now available in the just released FTLOP newsletter and also found on the homepages' ROY's RECENT TASTING NOTES section, along with two other Portuguese new releases.

Thanks for the welcome back. Being in the medical field, I was able to do some humanitarian work as well; so while some things were difficult, it was still a worthwhile experience for me.
Looks like I'm going to have to track down some of the Miller Teodoro and give it a try.

While not domestic to the USA, Sumac Ridge in BC, Canada produces a nice little port-style dessert wine called Pipe. The owner of the winery has a great respect for the Ports of Portugal and thus has named his own attempt at a port after the pipes the Port is aged in.

Despite not using any of the traditional varietals used in Portugal, if you are expecting a disappointment in a 'port-style' wine, you may be in for a surprise. It was very good, and at a reasonable cost, I was able to bring a few bottles home with me the last time I was in Penticton for Ironman Canada. It even appears to be relatively unfiltered and may age and get a bit better with a few years.

I believe the oak casks used to 'age' the Pipe is newer oak, it is used to produce their leading dry reds and once service is over can be re-used for port production. Of course, there is a relatively low yield of Pipe, so we're not talking about a whole bunch of availability, it isn't even available here in Edmonton - I had to order direct from the winery.

A decent offering though.

Todd

I've only tasted one or two port from USA. One was was made from 5 portuguese grapes. I can't remember the name, but I think it was named after the blend of 5.

It was ok, but definitively aging faster than its formely portuguese LBV for the same year.

Last week, I spent time evaluating a port and madeira style of wine made in Texas, by a producer named HAAK. I must say that when you read my TNs in the upcoming newsletter that you will be SHOCKED. But please don't go running out to buy them, until you decide AFTER reading about them.

If you are in the Seattle area and can make it to one of the farmer's markets, look for Rockridge Orchards and try the Sweet Raspberry Wine. A little on the sharp end, but very tasty. Goes extremely well with creme soda or ice cream, also.

they should send me a bottle to try and I'd be glad to include it in the newsletter. If you know them, let 'em know!


Roy

While I originally wanted to do a top 10, I’m going to start with a top 5 California port makers. After thinking about it, I have decided to exclude all wineries that only release port in 375ml bottles. There is some very good California port in 375ml bottles, but the small bottles are a pet peeve of mine. So, here is my first ever listing of top-5 California winemakers who bottled methode Portugee fortified wines in 750ml bottles.

1) V.Sattui – Napa

V.Sattui does not believe in distribution. Seeing as distributors markup can be as much as 50% of the cost of a bottle of wine, I say good for V.Sattui. If they can sell everything they can make without a distributor taking a huge chunk, more power to them. Provided you live in a state they can ship to, V.Sattui sells wine on their website.

link...


2) Quady – Madera

Quady is mainly known for their muscats: Essensia, Electra, and Elysium. While not as easy to find as the muscats, they do make a couple ports, and in fact it was a port-style wine that was their very first wine. Their ‘Starboard Vintage’ is made from Amador grown Touriga Nacional and Tinta Cao. Their website is currently showing 1996 vintage available, but if you call them, they may still have some 1994 available. However, I am a bigger fan of their LBV style ‘Starboard Batch 88’. Included in the mix is Tinta Amarella, which gives the Batch 88 a cherry note.

link...



3) Prager – Napa

The only reason I have Prager ranked this low is the price. They make ports from the usual suspects of Portugese grapes, as well as Petite Sirah ports, and even a sweet white port made from Chardonnay. All of it is good.

link...



4) Renwood – Amador

Renwood makes a vintage style port from five varietals: Tinta Cao, Alvarahao, Souzao, Bastardo, and Touriga Nacional. The fruit is really good, and the wine is really good, but it could use some more age. Their vintage port is released 5 years younger than V.Sattui's, and a full 10 years younger than Quady’s. While Renwood is the only Sierra Foothills winemaker on this short list, don’t sell the region short. Many Sierra Foothill winemakers would be on this list if only they’d use a proper sized bottle.

link...



5) Ficklin - Madera

Ficklin is the Grandfather of the California port-style wine makers. Some of their vines are 60 years old. As far as I know, they are the only California winery with an available 10-year aged port. They also have wine aging for a 20-year aged port, but it is not ready yet. Two wines that I found really interesting were their varietal ports. They have a 100% Touriga Nacional port, and a 100% Tinta Cao port available in their tasting room. While not the best ports they have to offer, they are interesting for tasting the component grapes. They may have the varietal ports available on their website, but their website was down at the time I wrote this so I don’t know for sure.

link...

Pedroncelli. The best domestic port I've tried. One of their vintages.