A weekend in Porto (28 - 31 May 2010)

[benread]

Have just returned from a weekend in Porto and Pinhao. All organised with recommendations from TPF friends and 'friends of friends'. Many thanks to all of you in that respect.

The highlights? An excellent tour and tasting at Graham's lodge on Friday, that included the Vesuvio 1994. Dinner at Quinta do Passadouro including tasting a number of their ports. Most of all though, an excellent day out with Oscar Quevedo that included lunch at the old train station in Ferradosa (what a fantastic location for lunch - on the old platform), great vistas from an elevated look out, and a fabulous tasting that included an opportunity to sample a range of the Quevedo ports. This included an offer to express our opinion on the yet to be finalised blends for their 2008 Vintage. I understand the final decision on exactly which blend is to be submitted is yet to be made. Assuming the final blend shares the characteristics of the two we tried, I would expect it will have the immediate approachability of some of the 2007 vintage wines, with the tannins that suggest it has a long future ahead of it. It also has some orders waiting for the official release! (It shall be the port I lay down for my son)

For those of you that like colheita, Quevedo have just bottled a 1996 that is fabulous. I have brought a bottle home for further tasting, at which point I will share some notes. I also have a bottle of the 2003 LBV to taste.

[Alex Bridgeman]

Ben

I'm pleased to hear your trip went well. Do we have any new converts to the Joy of Port as a result of what sounds to have been a terrific trip?

Alex

[benread]

3 of 4 were avid fans anyway. 2 of them came home with bottles acquired whilst away. 1 of them has requested that I organise 3 (12 bottle) cases of the 2008 Quevedo when it becomes available. The remainder is a port fan anyway! I count that as success, albeit I am not sure any of them have the obsessive nature to join us here regularly!

Most importantly, I think (with help from friends on this website and in Portugal) they have all enjoyed learning more about Port and some of the less mainstream producers and products.

One of my favourite moments was in Graham's lodge, when a couple of them got very excited with the 6 grapes and ruby reserves...until they tasted the 1994 Vesuvio! That was a nice moment, although tempered for them when they saw the price Graham's wanted for a bottle from the lodge - EUR100 (approx)!