[Houdini]

Can't get enough Port of late and have rapidly worked my way through the cheaper offerings:

Barros tawny (plain nasty).
Cockburns Ruby Port (old sump).
Cockburns Finest Reserve (krankenhaus wasser).
Taylor's Late Bottled Reserve (bordering on drinkable).
Tesco's LBR (as above).
Graham's LBR (Quite rich/berried, drinkable).

Clearly you get what you pay for: of the above, the Graham's @ £11 is the only one worth buying.

Where do I go from here?  I'd pay £25 a bottle, tops. 

Sloper?  Yoss?

(Also - what chesses go best?)

[Monolith]

Excellent shout. I look forward to hearing these recommendatons...

[Yossarian]

I wrote a nice article about port a few years back, but the bastards I used to work for have deleted it and replaced it with some insipid rubbish by someone who has never even drunk the stuff.

LBR - is that the same as Late Bottled Vintage? I can't remember. I think "reserve" can be a bit of an ambiguous term when it comes to this kind of thing.  Anyway, I've only consumed one particular port over the last few years, which is Taylor's 1977. It is sublime, but I wouldn't want to be buying it now.

[webbo]

i think we got a couple of bottles in the drinks cupboard.i'm not sure what they are as the missus buys it.she did buy a bottle one year that came with a stilton in a pot.she later admitted she only bought it because of the the pot which was denby and matched one of the several dinner services we have.
although we always seem to have port kicking aroud i tend only drink it when i've run out of beer,wine or whiskey.

[Jim]

port is also excellent when drunk with guinness.
I think port is best drunk with the stronger cheese's. I like it with roquefort, a truly stinking cheese

[notbadforafatlad]

Tanners is well worth a visit if passing Shrewsbury. Tanners Crusted Port is worth a go, despite the name.

http://www.tanners-wines.co.uk/TannersSite/pages/home/default.asp

[Houdini]

Nice link Fatty, I now know my £25 won't go very far!  Taylor's '77 hmmmm...

People keep recommending a cocktail called Cheeky (or) Dirty Vimto (Blue WKD plus port) I haven't the heart to try it though - seems like such a heathen thing to do to port.

[Sloper]

I lik eport but only really drink it at Chritsmas when I can open a bottle of decent vintage stuff.  My advice (as ever) is to go to your local independent wine merchant and buy a 'quinta' just make sure you stand it up for at least 24 hours before decanting.

[chappers]

People keep recommending a cocktail called Cheeky (or) Dirty Vimto (Blue WKD plus port) I haven't the heart to try it though - seems like such a heathen thing to do to port.

indeed this drink is all wrong. i spent my 21st drinking this. (it is possible, or was a few years ago, to get a keg of blue WKD) then twin that with come cheap port, and a load of pint glasses. oooof. horrible.

i enjoy port though, particually good for when i see my brother once a year at christmas and have a port drink-off on christmas eve.

[Karl]

Loads of twat's who used to frequent the bar i worked in drunk cheeky vimto. fucking horrid.

Don't do it, you'll only regret it. 

[Houdini]

I took the empty bottles to the bottle bank t'other day....  There were 16 empty port bottles and another half-empty bottle on the side, there must be another half dozen empties left at friends' houses.  There are two empties and two full in the hotel I'm staying in.  You could say I've taken to port... That must be 3 or 400 quid over the last 2 months.

If only I was on a barrister's wages... That £400 would have gone on 7 great bottles...


Warres:  A new brand for me and damn good value for money.  There bottom of the range/bog standard port is currently  down to £6 from £11.  A fantastic buy.

The Warres Otima 10 year tawny is half as expensive again, and, well, I just can't dig it.  It tastes attenuated, distant.  I can't recommend it.  But then I didn't drink it chilled as recommended.

De Noval Unfiltered @ £11 - £17 a bottle.  This is fantastic, rich and brimming with flavour.  Don't bother decanting, I can tell you that straight from the bottle works just fine!  Certainly the best of all I've quaffed, irrespective of price.  Essential party fuel that mixes well with all drugs.

Dows Master Blend @ £11 a bottle. A fine tipple, but just too sweet for one so bitter, nevertheless - not bad.

Taylor's - There's been a few, but the bog standard LBR is most palatable.

The N. Wales port syndicate has been officially christened "Gout Club" - which I chair.  The research continues.

[Bubba]

Here's a glimpse into your future

[GCW]

The link between Port and Gout is very tenuous Bubbs.   

Don't worry lads, drink away 

I seem to remember some Sandeman's was quite good?

[Houdini]

Sandemans too huh?  It's added to portquest.  Thanking you.

The gout club ribbing I've been taking of late really does make me wonder whether my friends ever passed the 11+.....
Build up of uric acid crystals in the joints, isn't it? 

What really causes gout, GCW?

[GCW]

common chronic diseases associated with gout include alcoholism (which is where the port reference comes from), obesity, hypertension, and hypertriglyceridemia;
Also:
increased dietary purine intake
lack of enzymes to metabolise purines
Some pills (especially diuretics)
Diseases affecting purine biosynthesis:  Polycythaemia, Myeloma, sickle cell
Some evedence that genetic aspects have a (minor) role to play, but family history isn't always that strong.

You're right in that the disease is deposition of monosodium urate crystals in poorly perfused tissues- joints and soft tissues.

SCIENCE!!

[Paul B]

I've been making good inroads on a bottle of Taylor's 2000 LBV which we got in a christmas hamper. Very nice it is too. Also splashed out on a vintage bottle for someones upcoming birthday. Supposedly scores 94/100 on some scale  ???

[Paz]

The Portugese Mafia chez-mois recommend the white ports from Portugal (are these the ones which are clarified using egg white (the yolks go into their gooey pastry) or do they do that to them all).  I don't even like Porter Ale.  I had a mild preference for Claret when given the choice for free (as the lesser of two evils when you just want to get smashed) but I can highly recommend the Port Wine Gums by Maynards - I think they're the black ones.

[andy popp]

I've been making good inroads on a bottle of Taylor's 2000 LBV which we got in a christmas hamper.

And you've still got some left?

[Paul B]

It was only opened the other night. Totally forgot about it.

[andy popp]

That's even worse. Cheers all!!

[c.j.d.]

Oddy - you really are a fussy cunt.  The bottle we got from Cost Cutter for eight quid did not bother you in the slightest.  Along with a slice of Dairy Lee, I think you only turned up your nose for the first quaff then forgot all about your delusions of grandeur  Bloody foreigners.

[Houdini]

youll find im a flashy cunt, chris. 

[Houdini]

Blimey!  So many C-words!  I'm off to wash my mouth out with Port!  Really must stop using WAP in the boozer! 

delusions of grandeur

Temper temper cjd, it wasn't I that stormed out of the Fricsan after Nodder suggested that perhaps, just maybe, you might never climb Mememto!!  I blame that wank Stella you were drinking, if only you'd been on the port...

I doubt you could find a bottle cheap enough for you here, but its worth a try.  With thanks to Soapy, who's still out there, I'm glad to say.

"Port, either in bottle or decanter, is traditionally passed from right to left or clockwise around the table. There are a number of explanations for this, one of which is that it was seen as a sign of friendship and peace to the person sitting on their left. Pouring a glass of Port with your right hand would prevent you being able to draw your sword or revolver."

[c.j.d.]

Actually Mr Barker, I went to my automobile to fill my empty pint glass up with wine, promptly fell asleep in the drivers seat, and woke up with a giant piss stain on me pants.  Hi ho.  Woke up at about 3.30am, probably about the same time of the morning Hockstrap nicked Nodders car to get home in...

[webbo]

my,my the way you young men carry on in these frontier towns.i'd have thought meths would be more your style.