Hello from Porto
Posted: 09:29 Thu 08 Apr 2021
Greetings all,
I am a retired academic librarian from the United States who has relocated to Portugal. My wife and I are here on preliminary residency visas, and hope to obtain permission for permanent residency in the coming weeks. I am a rank novice when it comes to port.
In contemplating our move in retirement, we visited Porto in November 2019. The port heritage and industry are, of course, quite prominent here, and I was drawn to learn more about them.
My introduction came as a ticket for a free tasting at the Sta. Eufémia house that was a perquisite for riding the Teleférico de Gaia. That proving most enjoyable, we opted to continue our exploration a night or two later with a tour and tasting session at the Calem lodge, on recommendation from a writer at Jancis Robinson’s website. My course was then set to read and taste more of port throughout the (pandemic-lengthened) process of application for our visas. We finally arrived in Porto a month ago.
Until our landing here, my first-hand experience with port was mostly limited to such modest tawnies and rubies as I could find, and felt I could justifiably afford, in our small city in upstate New York. Each succeeding bottle was delightful, but the high point was a Churchill crusted (I didn’t record the details), which struck me as distinguished, wonderful, and proof of the great variety and reward the vast world of port had to offer. Here in Porto, I am determined to further educate my palate, with an initial aim for vintage ports of humble reputation, and aged but similarly uncelebrated tawnies.
It’s a privilege to be in this charming and beautiful city, for however long a period it turns out to be. At present, I’m particularly intrigued by the bottles of vintage port, from producers whose names are not readily visible on the lodges across the river, that one can find on the shelves of small, neighborhood grocery stores. I hope to be buying and drinking several of them in the coming weeks. I’m really looking forward to enjoying those wines, and augmenting that pleasure with the conviviality and information generously offered by your group.
Regards,
Paul Coleman (aka “Altrurian”)
I am a retired academic librarian from the United States who has relocated to Portugal. My wife and I are here on preliminary residency visas, and hope to obtain permission for permanent residency in the coming weeks. I am a rank novice when it comes to port.
In contemplating our move in retirement, we visited Porto in November 2019. The port heritage and industry are, of course, quite prominent here, and I was drawn to learn more about them.
My introduction came as a ticket for a free tasting at the Sta. Eufémia house that was a perquisite for riding the Teleférico de Gaia. That proving most enjoyable, we opted to continue our exploration a night or two later with a tour and tasting session at the Calem lodge, on recommendation from a writer at Jancis Robinson’s website. My course was then set to read and taste more of port throughout the (pandemic-lengthened) process of application for our visas. We finally arrived in Porto a month ago.
Until our landing here, my first-hand experience with port was mostly limited to such modest tawnies and rubies as I could find, and felt I could justifiably afford, in our small city in upstate New York. Each succeeding bottle was delightful, but the high point was a Churchill crusted (I didn’t record the details), which struck me as distinguished, wonderful, and proof of the great variety and reward the vast world of port had to offer. Here in Porto, I am determined to further educate my palate, with an initial aim for vintage ports of humble reputation, and aged but similarly uncelebrated tawnies.
It’s a privilege to be in this charming and beautiful city, for however long a period it turns out to be. At present, I’m particularly intrigued by the bottles of vintage port, from producers whose names are not readily visible on the lodges across the river, that one can find on the shelves of small, neighborhood grocery stores. I hope to be buying and drinking several of them in the coming weeks. I’m really looking forward to enjoying those wines, and augmenting that pleasure with the conviviality and information generously offered by your group.
Regards,
Paul Coleman (aka “Altrurian”)