Matthew, I couldn't have hoped for a better response/education. I
will read your column after my morning meetings and pick up some
port(s) later today. Thank you VERY much for taking the time to
answer my questions. Dan

On Feb 6, 9:13 pm, Short Cellar > wrote:
> Hey Dan -
> I'm glad that you've found a wine that agrees with you!
> Let me take a look at your questions one at a time:
>
> Will you like the $5 port as much as the $15? Well, there is only one
> way to find out, and it involves risking $5. My guess, however, would
> be no. There are many good ports that are available for about $15.00
> (Fonseca Bin 27, Kopke Ruby) and a couple that are under $10.00
> (Warre's Warrior, for example) but none that I have heard of for
> $5.00. However, if you are just getting into the business of drinking
> port, it's all worth a try.
>
> Is a Port a Port? No. There are ports and then there are ports. A true
> Port is from Portugual only - in much the same way that a true
> Champagne is only from the Champagne region of France. However, just
> as there are Champagnes from Champagne and Sparkling Wine from many
> other places (like California), there are Ports from Portugal and
> other fortified wines made in a "Port" style (mainly from California
> and Australia). What is a fortified port style wine? It is a red wine
> (usually made from the sort of robust grapes that grow in the Douro
> region of Portugal) that has been fortified with neutral tasting
> brandy. Adding the brandy to the fermenting wine suddenly kills the
> all the yeast before they have finished converting the natural sugars
> in the grapes to alcohol. In practice, that means that you are left
> with a sweet and alcoholic beverage.
>
> Are there real differences between a good Port from Portugal and less
> expensive versions from California? I think so. There are many
> different kinds of Port from Portugal, but the best (even for $15 or
> so) will be rich, well-textured and complex. I find cheap port-style
> wines from Australia to have a messy, over-done flavour that reminds
> me of a woman with lipstick smeared around her lips and leopard print
> leotards.
>
> I just wrote a column itemizing my favourite cheap Ports. If you are
> interested, you can find it he
>
> http://www.lawandstyle.ca/index.php?...task=view&id=1...
>
> Hope this helps!
>
> Matthew
> The Short Cellarwww.lawandstyle.ca/shortcellar