White Port - was it any good?

[Simpo Two]

About 30 years ago my mother was given a bottle of white port, which I think was pretty old even then. I recently had the job of either drinking it or binning it, and as it had been opened, not surprisingly it was only fit for the sink. But I'm curious to know if it had been any good once upon a time - any ideas Port fans?

[Kneetrembler]

White Port is very good normally kept in the fridge and served cold.

Not sure about that particular one though

[anonymous-user]

My understanding (which could well be very wrong - suspect I may have been when it was relayed to me) is that Port was originally white and that the red colouring was 'added' through the brewing process to make it appeal to the lucrative English market, which was up until that time used to Mead and other dark drinks. It seems we were always the pissheads of Europe!

Right or wrong, I do know that I far prefer white Port, served very cold with some good cheese. Still get the the next day though....

[uncinqsix]

White port is very nice - quite different to "normal" port though. It's more of an apertiffy kind of drink.

As you found out, it doesn't age at all well. Even if it hadn't been opened it would have been well past it.

[Simpo Two]

Thanks folks. I was wondering if it was a rare vintage that might have been worth a fortune even in that state - hopefully not as it's now gone!

[VTECMatt]

Would be knackered.

White Port is underated, I drink lot's in the summer, fantastic with Tonic, really refreshing, better than that Pimms crap.

Edited by VTECMatt on Friday 6th November 13:27

[smack]

I have had it when visiting mates who live in Porto, the bottle didn't last very long. And I think they served when I did the tour of Taylor's, which is actually in Gaia (all lodges are), not Porto.... Got some photos of the place somewhere if people are interested...

[VTECMatt]

The offices are in Porto they look on to the Dom Luis bridge, we had lunch with the owners back in 06, whist we were Port tasting 26 different varieties IIRC including some superb Fonseca's, was a bit tipsy by the end of the meal. They keep quite a lot of the Port there, but IIRC the lodges were originally in Porto. (I might be wrong)

We stayed with Joae at Quinta do Vallado just on the Douro Valley, they produce some excellent wines and drank a fair few bottles of Tawny, my top tip is try there Touriga Nacione Red, they do produce Port but focus on the wines, Portugese wines are superb, it is a shame you don't see them in them in the uk.

Edited by VTECMatt on Friday 6th November 23:09