Why is port pre eminent?

[Overtired and emotional]

The gastronome Brillat-Savarin is said to have cried out, feeling the sands of life slipping away, "Bring on the pudding, I am about to die". Being a Frenchman, he probably said this in his native tongue, and whether his closing exclamation lost or gained anything in the translation, history does not relate.

But I digress, for which my bishop has often reproved me. Most members of this forum would, if caught in Brillat Savarin's predicament, call for the port, always assuming that they are not such big girl's blouses as to call for a doctor.

This supposes, by the way, that the dying man is at home and, unless he has done very well for himself, need not waste his dying moments deciding between the Lafite 61 or 82 which he probably does not possess.

Now, my question is not which port, although that question is worth asking, but why port? Although I might call for vintage Madeira in these circumstances,I know that port has the gravitas for such a moment. Equally, it has the warmth of character I would want when facing the end. I suppose that to meet one's maker whilst holding a champagne flute would be asking for trouble, a table wine could just look mundane, but port, well, the Almighty would probably hope to join you in a glass, although the same can probably not be said for St Peter.

The Tsars of Russia were, when on their deathbed, given a drop of Tokaji Essencia on their lips, one notable Romanoff soak feigning death seventy eight times before anyone caught on. The Russians, I think, had the same idea which I try to convey. A noble wine is a suitable farewell to this world, and, one hopes, a taste of the next.

One snag, I suppose, is that if the grim reaper approaches stealthily, then decantig times could be a problem which might themselves hasten the end, but I leave others to comment. It is, perhaps, an argument for always having some port ready.

[DRT]

why port?

For me, the answer to that question is quite simple. I enjoy drinking port more than I enjoy drinking any other alcoholic substance so if I get the chance to have a final drink before departing this world my choice would be a glass of Vintage Port.

Which port? Not an easy one to answer as it would very much be dictated by avaibalility and the speed and nature of my departure. Perhaps my best hope should be that it all comes to an end when I fall down the stairs into Tom's cellar about 6 hours after he's decanted a Fonseca 1927

Derek

[Alex Bridgeman]

What a wonderful thread to start - a very entertaining post which has brightened up my day.

I know exactly which port I will call for on my death bed, but you will have to be there to find out (the reason being that I will have hopefully drunk it before we get to the stage where I have to rush to open and decant it).

Why port? Purely and simply because nothing else ... oops, let me correct that before my wife and children read this post ... no other alcoholic drink brings me as much enjoyment as a glass of a good vintage port. I would like my last memory (of a drink, dear) to be of the sweet complexity filling my tastebuds and leaving that long and lingering aftertaste behind.

Just if anyone in the heavens is in control of these things, please let it not be corked...

[jdaw1]

This has brought to mind a related question: how much port do you want to own at the time of your death?

• Lots must be wrong, as I want to have drunk at least most of it.
• None must be very wrong. None has two sub-cases, both of which are bad.
  • Either one dies long after consuming the last bottle, implying a dry dotage—unacceptable.
  • Or one dies immediately after consuming the last bottle—one would presumably decant the ‘death bottle’ with considerable foreboding.
• So I think my objective is most, but not quite all.

[Alex Bridgeman]

This has brought to mind a related question: how much port do you want to own at the time of your death?

My answer is simple - I don't actually know yet!

The calculations that I did elswehere to work out how much the port I would drink in my lifetime would have cost, also indicated that I will need to buy something in excess of another 2 pipes of port to keep my habit fed. This means that I still have a considerable amount of choice as to the amount of port that I leave behind me. Statistically, my wife is likely to survive me as we are almost exactly the same age, but she is unlikely to drink more than one or two bottles a year once I am gone, so I shall leave around two dozen bottles for her for personal consumption and gifts for friends. If neither of my children show a significant interest in port then I will probably aim to leave no more than a couple of cases of birth-year port for each of them.

However, if my children (or even grandchildren?) become interested in port to the same extent as I am then I suspect that I will have a fully stocked cellar and will aim to leave a collection of port that is balanced well for current and future drinking for them. I can think of nothing more wonderful (to a port lover) than inheriting a decent cellar of port with a good representation of vintages, young and mature. The only thing I would expect in return would be the occasional toast as a particularly good bottle is opened and enjoyed.

But for now, my hardest decision is which bottle to open next.

Alex

[Conky]

This has brought to mind a related question: how much port do you want to own at the time of your death?

None.

You used the word want. Which suggests a choice. I dont believe in this leaving it to completely uninterested kids, or leaving a Port Museum lark. So if at all possible I would drink any gems, and give away the rest to any and all of my friends whom I'm confident would drink and enjoy whatever I had. If those friends included any of my children or other relatives, all the better.

Co-incided with this plan is the fact that I dont have a cellar as such. Only a stock of around 40 bottles under the stairs. Just enough for a handful of specials, a dozen favourites and a dozen or two anytime bottles.

Being taken suddenly, which would Balls all these thoughts up, is not what I want, as far as Port goes. Would be preferable on other fronts. The heart packs up, whilst I sleep, not long after my 100th birthday party and the day after full Alzeimers kicked in.

Alan