A South African friend gave me a bottle of this a couple of years ago after raving about it..its been sitting in my wine rack since and all i have done is give it derisory glance from time to time as i pass it over for another bottle.
Firstly, South African port? Hows that possible,are they allowed to call it port?
Secondly, has anyone had any experience of this/tasted it?
KWV - South African port?!!
You're right - it isn't Port.
Unfortunatley international law does not yet ban the use of the word port across the globe to protect our favourite juice from being imitated by lesser beasts. Some countries, such as Australia and (I think) the USA have self-imposed bans on the use of the word Port for their own versions. SA still seem to be clinging on to the belief that they have the moral right to use the word.
As for how it tastes, I don't know. Others here, particularly AHB, have some nice things to say about products best described as South African Fortified Wine that is made using similar methods to Port, but isn't Port and never will be.
If I were you I would make Spag Bol with it just on principal
Derek
Unfortunatley international law does not yet ban the use of the word port across the globe to protect our favourite juice from being imitated by lesser beasts. Some countries, such as Australia and (I think) the USA have self-imposed bans on the use of the word Port for their own versions. SA still seem to be clinging on to the belief that they have the moral right to use the word.
As for how it tastes, I don't know. Others here, particularly AHB, have some nice things to say about products best described as South African Fortified Wine that is made using similar methods to Port, but isn't Port and never will be.
If I were you I would make Spag Bol with it just on principal
Derek
"The first duty of Port is to be red"
Ernest H. Cockburn
Ernest H. Cockburn
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Alex Bridgeman
- Fonseca 1966
- Posts: 15922
- Joined: 12:41 Mon 25 Jun 2007
- Location: Berkshire, UK
Gonzo,
Alternatively, you can give the bottle to me as a late birthday present or an early Christmas present.
Actually, KWV make a very nice "fortified wine made using the idigenous Douro grapes grown in field blends and fortified while fermenting to preserve residual sugar and fruit flavours, such wines often being made by Portuguese winemakers experienced in making Port" - or known as port, for short.
I've tasted three bottles of KWV port in the last couple of years. The 1999 was too young and I gave it a rating of only 80/100 being rather put off by an odd burnt rubber small and flavour to it - it could have been a flawed bottle. The 1981 was tasted twice, getting 85 points and 90 points on the second occasion. Both the 1999 and 1981 seemed to benefit (to my taste) from 24+ hour extended decanting times.
Try it and see. I was pleasantly surprised by South African port the first time I tried it and have enjoyed it every now and then. The big advantage it seems to have over its grown up Portuguese brother is that it is a fraction of the price!
Alex
Alternatively, you can give the bottle to me as a late birthday present or an early Christmas present.
Actually, KWV make a very nice "fortified wine made using the idigenous Douro grapes grown in field blends and fortified while fermenting to preserve residual sugar and fruit flavours, such wines often being made by Portuguese winemakers experienced in making Port" - or known as port, for short.
I've tasted three bottles of KWV port in the last couple of years. The 1999 was too young and I gave it a rating of only 80/100 being rather put off by an odd burnt rubber small and flavour to it - it could have been a flawed bottle. The 1981 was tasted twice, getting 85 points and 90 points on the second occasion. Both the 1999 and 1981 seemed to benefit (to my taste) from 24+ hour extended decanting times.
Try it and see. I was pleasantly surprised by South African port the first time I tried it and have enjoyed it every now and then. The big advantage it seems to have over its grown up Portuguese brother is that it is a fraction of the price!
Alex
Top Ports in 2024: Niepoort 1900 Colheita, b.1971. A near perfect Port.
2025: Quevedo 1972 Colheita, b.2024. Just as good as Niepoort 1900!
2025: Quevedo 1972 Colheita, b.2024. Just as good as Niepoort 1900!
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Andy Velebil
- Quinta do Vesuvio 1994
- Posts: 3084
- Joined: 21:16 Mon 25 Jun 2007
- Location: Los Angeles, Ca USA
- Contact:
Gonzo,
Firstly, I keep on visualising this guy,
Now as a Cigar chomping Bulldog, I have no grounds to comment, but is that the Gonzo your refering to? Apologies if there's another, serious meaning.
Anyway, back to the South Africans. I think you should try it and let us know. You can always save the last glass for the Spag Boll. Or maybe not, if its good.
Alan
Firstly, I keep on visualising this guy,
Now as a Cigar chomping Bulldog, I have no grounds to comment, but is that the Gonzo your refering to? Apologies if there's another, serious meaning.
Anyway, back to the South Africans. I think you should try it and let us know. You can always save the last glass for the Spag Boll. Or maybe not, if its good.
Alan
KWV 1985
My TN on the 1985 wasn’t full of praise.
I`ve got bottle og South African "port" called Pearl Vintage 1971.
The taste is not near normal vintage port.
De Krans, have also tasted it, okay, but Pearl vintage is much better.
Both kinds og "port", has label on the bottle with "vintage" not "port".
The grapes used for De Krans is Tinta Barocca, Touriga national, and tinta Roriz.
I`ve tastet a bottel from Australia, with Port written on the label.
okay taste, but NOT port.
The taste is not near normal vintage port.
De Krans, have also tasted it, okay, but Pearl vintage is much better.
Both kinds og "port", has label on the bottle with "vintage" not "port".
The grapes used for De Krans is Tinta Barocca, Touriga national, and tinta Roriz.
I`ve tastet a bottel from Australia, with Port written on the label.
okay taste, but NOT port.
Any time not spend drinking port, is a waste of time.
Like most wine growing areas, So. Africa (with 360 years of experience making wine) is a substantial wine growing region. About 10% of all wines imported into the UK are from So. Africa ... so someone over there is drinking them.
I have spent a total of a few months in the winelands in 2002 and 2003, touring over 40 properties and blending four cuvees to sell in the USA. I have enjoyed many So. African ports over the years. From KWV specifically, I have had bottles of 1929 and 1939 (a couple of the former, more of the latter) Tawny ports. They were exciting wines that had the beauty of most great Colheitas of a similar age from Portugal. I had a 1924, an exceptionally rare bottle, which I brought with me to So. Africa to open for the directors of the Pinotage Assn. "blind" upon our first meeting. They were blown away with the wine and the fact that an American would own such an insanely obscure bottling (akin to what we think of as 1931 regular Noval.
From deToren, Allesverloren, Boplass and many others, the "port styles" of SA range from very disappointing to brilliant, from Tawny, "colheita" and even vintage in style. Don't get caught up in other people's impressions though. Pop the cork and judge for yourself.
I have spent a total of a few months in the winelands in 2002 and 2003, touring over 40 properties and blending four cuvees to sell in the USA. I have enjoyed many So. African ports over the years. From KWV specifically, I have had bottles of 1929 and 1939 (a couple of the former, more of the latter) Tawny ports. They were exciting wines that had the beauty of most great Colheitas of a similar age from Portugal. I had a 1924, an exceptionally rare bottle, which I brought with me to So. Africa to open for the directors of the Pinotage Assn. "blind" upon our first meeting. They were blown away with the wine and the fact that an American would own such an insanely obscure bottling (akin to what we think of as 1931 regular Noval.
From deToren, Allesverloren, Boplass and many others, the "port styles" of SA range from very disappointing to brilliant, from Tawny, "colheita" and even vintage in style. Don't get caught up in other people's impressions though. Pop the cork and judge for yourself.
Roy Hersh
http://www.fortheloveofport.com
http://www.fortheloveofport.com