BBC article on Port caught my eye

[ajfeather]

I think I am OK posting the link (guess I will find out if not).

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/programmes/f ... 420787.stm

[KillerB]

No problems posting a link like that. Thanks for finding it.

[uncle tom]

This is such a horrid article..

It does nothing to reassure the traditionalists, while at the same time doing nothing to encourage newbies to enjoy the better side of port..

Who is Tim Stanley-Clarke..? I recall the name from other press puffs..

He appears to be one of those people who sits in the shadows, doing nothing, until an opportunity for self publicity emerges..

..am I being unfair?

Tom

[g-man]

You mean over a bucket of ice?

[ajfeather]

..am I being unfair?

Tom

Not really it made me cringe and I am not interested in using tights muslin works just fine!

[JacobH]

Who is Tim Stanley-Clarke..? I recall the name from other press puffs..

He appears to be one of those people who sits in the shadows, doing nothing, until an opportunity for self publicity emerges..

Sticking his name into Google gives him the title of "UK Port Ambassador" for the Symingtons, so I think you may be indicting him for just doing his job

[uncle tom]

Sticking his name into Google gives him the title of "UK Port Ambassador" for the Symingtons, so I think you may be indicting him for just doing his job

Hmm..

Can you see Dom & Co. giving someone that job description..?

..a self-appointment, I suspect..

Tom

[DRT]

You can see Tim decanting a Graham's 1980 here.

I am 99% certain that Tim was at the New Douro tasting that AHB, JDAW, CMAG and I attended a few weeks ago and he appeared to be the principle organiser of the Symington stand and seemed very knowledgable about the products on show, as well as being a thoroughly decent chap. Paul was also at the tasting.

..am I being unfair?

Yes, you are.

[DRT]

Having met a number of the Symingtons and having witnessed first hand their obvious passion for the heritage they are part of I find it difficult to believe that this article accurately reflects the their views. In my opinion the BBC are no longer a media organisation that can be relied upon to present factual and balanced reporting. They have decsended to the lowest depths of tabloid sensationalism in their news reporting and I suspect a similar thing has happened here.

[JacobH]

I'm not entirely sure I agree with Derek and Tom about this. I think the article simply reflects what has been the marketing strategy of the major Port houses for the last 50 years or so. The traditional market for Vintage Ports will always be there; the difficulty is encouraging consumers to think that they can casually buy and drink a bottle of Port. In many respects we should welcome that attempted expansion: it caused the general availability (if not the development) of LBVs and, to a lesser extent, SQVPs. Some products--say the Pink Port which was, no doubt, the Port being chilled in the bucket in that article--might not work out in the long-term. However, others (e.g. the Warre 20 Year-Old Optima) seem to have been widely welcomed.

We should also remember that the article was from "From Our Own Correspondent"; a programme which often points out the differences in culture between the UK and other countries. I don't think it is therefore surprising that it emphasised the different treatment of Port in Portugal to the UK.

"He makes port, puts it in the glass and drinks it."
"And here the women drink it just the same as the men," said Paul.

I see nothing wrong in that. Nor in a Wine Bar where you can buy a 1983 VP by the glass that hasn't been standing around for two weeks...

[DRT]

Just to clarify my views on the article: I do believe that Paul and others interviewed will have expressed a view that the Port industry needs to keep pace with modern trends. What I don't think is credible is that they will have dismissed the traditional elements of port drinking in the manner in which the article implies. This is where I think the unnecessary sensationalism is coming in.

[KillerB]

Ermmm... I didn't think it sensationalist. In fact I found it a little dull and repeating things that we already knew, apart from a 1983 VP in a wine bar - for pity's sake give it some time in the decanter.

[Portman]

They have decsended to the lowest depths of tabloid sensationalism in their news reporting and I suspect a similar thing has happened here.

I am sorry but the lowest depths of news reporting are safely secured by the American 24 hour news channels like Fox. We would rather hear in excruciating detail about things like the "balloon boy" and "OctoMom" than anything as mundane as the economy, healthcare, or war.

[uncle tom]

..it says something when one the best English TV news channels now is Al Jazeera..

Tom

[DRT]

I am sorry but the lowest depths of news reporting are safely secured by the American 24 hour news channels like Fox. We would rather hear in excruciating detail about things like the "balloon boy" and "OctoMom" than anything as mundane as the economy, healthcare, or war.

Portman,

Don't let the BBC's old reputation fool you - for the past few weeks, whilst our soldiers are dying in a war that gets very little coverage and the world's leaders have been trying to come up with a solution to the effects of nature, the BBC have spent more time covering Celebrity Come Dancing (UK equivalent to Dancing With The Stars) than everything else put together. Trash TV - no more, no less.

[KillerB]

... and I can't believe Ali came third

[Glenn E.]

I am sorry but the lowest depths of news reporting are safely secured by the American 24 hour news channels like Fox. We would rather hear in excruciating detail about things like the "balloon boy" and "OctoMom" than anything as mundane as the economy, healthcare, or war.

Portman,

Don't let the BBC's old reputation fool you - for the past few weeks, whilst our soldiers are dying in a war that gets very little coverage and the world's leaders have been trying to come up with a solution to the effects of nature, the BBC have spent more time covering Celebrity Come Dancing (UK equivalent to Dancing With The Stars) than everything else put together. Trash TV - no more, no less.

Which is funny, because by far the best newscast in the US is... wait for it... BBC America. Just news, no sensationalism, and they cover the real news rather than the fluff that the US networks cover.

[RonnieRoots]

..it says something when one the best English TV news channels now is Al Jazeera..

Tom

That also says something about Al Jazeera. They are doing a very good job, they are usually also my preferred news channel. BBC world comes second.

[DRT]

KillerB,

Is the fact that the British Broadcasting Corporation is highly regarded for their non-British news channels worthy of inclusion in the irony thread?

[JacobH]

..it says something when one the best English TV news channels now is Al Jazeera..

I can't imagine their coverage of the Port world is any good, though...

[SushiNorth]

I don't disagree with a point made in the article, though. Port needs younger people drinking it, and in more situations than they did in the past. In many regards, with the port marketing unable to cope with that, it becomes our duty to find people, indoctrinate them into port, and get them to our tastings.

[ajfeather]

it becomes our duty to find people, indoctrinate them into port, and get them to our tastings.

Got me thinking what would you do to "convert" people to port?

My 5 cents, 3 different bottles it is positively fun to spot the differences and most people can pick the quality difference between say a ruby, a LBV and a VP. Self re-inforcing.

[Alex Bridgeman]

...am I being unfair?

Yes you are. Tim is a nice guy, who loves port just as much as you and I. He puts a lot of time and energy into promoting port in the UK and in organising port or Douro wine related events.

By all means express a difference of opinion with what he has written, but please avoid personal comments that could be interpreted to question another person's integrity.

I should mention that the first time I met Tim was over a bottle of Warre 1958 at the end of a London tasting where we tried exactly the sort of range of types of port which ajf has suggested.

[SushiNorth]

it becomes our duty to find people, indoctrinate them into port, and get them to our tastings.

Got me thinking what would you do to "convert" people to port?
My 5 cents, 3 different bottles it is positively fun to spot the differences and most people can pick the quality difference between say a ruby, a LBV and a VP. Self re-inforcing.

Well, specifically I showed up at a Westchester NY Tasting group's holiday event (featuring champagnes and dessert wines) with a bottle of Churchill 1985 VP and stole the show. I also brought my new business cards (thanks JDaw1), of which I have printed 500 (for $50) and am distributing them at such events. Next on the agenda is to go to all local wine retailers with decent supplies/prices for Port, along with some Portuguese restaurants in the area, and provide 10-15 of the cards for them to distribute to top clients.

The message is very simple. If you like port, contact me and you can taste more. If you sell port, send people to me and they'll come back to buy more -- 3-5x more.

[g-man]

it becomes our duty to find people, indoctrinate them into port, and get them to our tastings.

Got me thinking what would you do to "convert" people to port?
My 5 cents, 3 different bottles it is positively fun to spot the differences and most people can pick the quality difference between say a ruby, a LBV and a VP. Self re-inforcing.

Well, specifically I showed up at a Westchester NY Tasting group's holiday event (featuring champagnes and dessert wines) with a bottle of Churchill 1985 VP and stole the show. I also brought my new business cards (thanks JDaw1), of which I have printed 500 (for $50) and am distributing them at such events. Next on the agenda is to go to all local wine retailers with decent supplies/prices for Port, along with some Portuguese restaurants in the area, and provide 10-15 of the cards for them to distribute to top clients.

The message is very simple. If you like port, contact me and you can taste more. If you sell port, send people to me and they'll come back to buy more -- 3-5x more.

what you should have done, is server teh 85 vp blind, I wonder if it's more of a wow age factor at times.