I was given a glass of Port in Las Vegas at the Luxor Steak House
and fell in love. I have been searching ever since to find that
port. I made the mistake of not looking at the label when it
was served. I have come close with Boardroom. But I really
don't like the sweeeet koolaid Ports. Can you suggest something
in the same direction or taste of Boardroom. The Port in LV
was a suggestion from the server after eating steak and tail.
No dessert, just Port. Very red and perfectly balanced. Not to sweet
and no bad aftertaste. It went down warm almost hot burn in the
throat. Chilled perfectly. I want more. I have tried to call
the Luxor, but they will not return my call.

In article .com,
says...

I was given a glass of Port in Las Vegas at the Luxor Steak House
and fell in love. I have been searching ever since to find that
port. I made the mistake of not looking at the label when it
was served. I have come close with Boardroom. But I really
don't like the sweeeet koolaid Ports. Can you suggest something
in the same direction or taste of Boardroom. The Port in LV
was a suggestion from the server after eating steak and tail.
No dessert, just Port. Very red and perfectly balanced. Not to sweet
and no bad aftertaste. It went down warm almost hot burn in the
throat. Chilled perfectly. I want more. I have tried to call
the Luxor, but they will not return my call.

If the name was "Boardroom," then it was Dow's Tawny Boardroom Port. One thing
that I find a bit strange, however, is that Tawnys are more in the amber color
range. The Boardroom is Dow's "entry-level" Tawny and is done in a house
style, and is not aged as, say their 20yr Tawny would be. This may account for
the red color - less wood aging. As I have never had the Boardroom, I cannot
attest to its flavor profile. OTOH, if you liked this (and it is their
Boardroom Tawny), you might well find aged Tawnys to your liking. Most major
houses do a general Tawny, then 10-20-30 & sometimes 40 yr "aged" Tawnys. If
the "sweetness" is not to your liking, Cockburns does a 20yr aged Tawny that
is a bit lighter than other houses', though there is a note of "spirits" in
it. In the aged Tawny area, Taylor Fladgate's 20yr is at the top of my list.
Fonseca's, Cockburn's, Dow's and Porto Barros are all close behind. I find
Graham's good, but toward the sweeter side. All of these are wood aged Tawny
Ports and should be available throughout much of the US, and certainly in
Europe/UK.

Some houses do "tawny-style" Ports, that do not get the benefit of much wood
aging, and are released at the low end of the Tawny Port scale. Some houses
will blend white Port with their branded Ruby to get to the lighter color and
style. I do not know if the Boardroom is wood aged (but without an average of
aging time), or if Dow's blends it. It runs about US$20/.75ltr. An aged Tawny
from a major house will only be a bit more, in the US$30/.75ltr. range.
Unfortunately, if one is looking for a particular style, then dropping $30/
btl, until you find it, might not be the best thing to do. However, if one
sticks to the major houses, they will taste some very fine Tawny Ports!

Hunt

PS, maybe someone can give you an exact description of the Boardroom, as to
whether it is an aged, or blended (nearly all Ports are blended in some way,
but I'm referring to the "creation" of a Tawny here) Tawny.

in article , portismmm
at wrote on 2/7/05 1:19 PM:

I was given a glass of Port in Las Vegas at the Luxor Steak House
and fell in love. I have been searching ever since to find that
port. I made the mistake of not looking at the label when it
was served. I have come close with Boardroom. But I really
don't like the sweeeet koolaid Ports. Can you suggest something
in the same direction or taste of Boardroom. The Port in LV
was a suggestion from the server after eating steak and tail.
No dessert, just Port. Very red and perfectly balanced. Not to sweet
and no bad aftertaste. It went down warm almost hot burn in the
throat. Chilled perfectly. I want more. I have tried to call
the Luxor, but they will not return my call.


I wouldn't give up on the Luxor. If the restaurant itself won't do it while
you wait, try going through the Concierge. It would be quite surprising if
they can't get you an answer. If the Port was on their wine list you might
get someone to find one and read it to you over the phone. I'm sure their
list of Ports is a lot smaller than one of all those familiar to this group.
I've often had surprising luck with such personal requests of businesses.

Then again..... trying the list of possible suspects you'll get here could
be more fun.

Thank you all for your posts. I will keep hunting and maybe
try the next step up $$ according to your notes.

"...... One thing
that I find a bit strange, however, is that Tawnys are more in the
amber color ....."


yes this Boardroom pours more amber than it looks in the glass. Yup
$20.US
It says Dow's Boardroom Porto Reserve Tawny.
Are you saying you don't think it was a Port I drank in LV because of
the color?

I agree with you on 6 grapes.
I think I will splurge and try
Taylor Fladgate's 20yr.
Describe it.

In article . com,
says...

"...... One thing
that I find a bit strange, however, is that Tawnys are more in the
amber color ....."


yes this Boardroom pours more amber than it looks in the glass. Yup
$20.US
It says Dow's Boardroom Porto Reserve Tawny.
Are you saying you don't think it was a Port I drank in LV because of
the color?

I agree with you on 6 grapes.
I think I will splurge and try
Taylor Fladgate's 20yr.
Describe it.

Not necessarily. Some Tawnys, especially if they are "created," rather than
fully aged in wood, do exhibit more of a ruby tinge. I even noticed more ruby
in the recent Porto Barros 20yr, than before, AND they changed the bottle shape
to that of a traditional Vintage Port (basically Bdx-style) from their original
more squat bottle. At first, I thought my friend had bought the wrong Port
(since I cannot get this one in AZ, I have to have it shipped in from
Colorado). Regardless, it was still quite good, however lacking the "candied
pecan" notes that I remember. The Tawnys (wood-aged) that I've had run from the
light root-beer amber of the Cockburn's 20yr to the ruby-tinged darker amber of
the Porto Barros.

As the Boardroom is a readily available "starter" Tawny, I think that it is
probably what you did have in LV. Do you recall the /glass price? US$12+/-?
That would usually put it (with LV markup) in the Boardroom price range.

Yes, do try some of the others, as well. I may be alone in this, but place the
Taylor 20yr at the top of my list. The 30 & 40 are good, but even without the
increased price factored in, give the nod to the 20.

Unfortunately, there are quite a few types of Port, each with its own
characteristics, and though the Port trade is bound by about the strictest laws
in all of winedom, there are some strange divergences in naming.

If you like a lighter style, with less "sweetness" the Cockburn's 20 is another
one to try.

Good hunting,
Hunt

In article . com,
says...

"...... One thing
that I find a bit strange, however, is that Tawnys are more in the
amber color ....."


yes this Boardroom pours more amber than it looks in the glass. Yup
$20.US
It says Dow's Boardroom Porto Reserve Tawny.
Are you saying you don't think it was a Port I drank in LV because of
the color?

I agree with you on 6 grapes.
I think I will splurge and try
Taylor Fladgate's 20yr.
Describe it.

Not necessarily. Some Tawnys, especially if they are "created," rather than
fully aged in wood, do exhibit more of a ruby tinge. I even noticed more ruby
in the recent Porto Barros 20yr, than before, AND they changed the bottle shape
to that of a traditional Vintage Port (basically Bdx-style) from their original
more squat bottle. At first, I thought my friend had bought the wrong Port
(since I cannot get this one in AZ, I have to have it shipped in from
Colorado). Regardless, it was still quite good, however lacking the "candied
pecan" notes that I remember. The Tawnys (wood-aged) that I've had run from the
light root-beer amber of the Cockburn's 20yr to the ruby-tinged darker amber of
the Porto Barros.

As the Boardroom is a readily available "starter" Tawny, I think that it is
probably what you did have in LV. Do you recall the /glass price? US$12+/-?
That would usually put it (with LV markup) in the Boardroom price range.

Yes, do try some of the others, as well. I may be alone in this, but place the
Taylor 20yr at the top of my list. The 30 & 40 are good, but even without the
increased price factored in, give the nod to the 20.

Unfortunately, there are quite a few types of Port, each with its own
characteristics, and though the Port trade is bound by about the strictest laws
in all of winedom, there are some strange divergences in naming.

If you like a lighter style, with less "sweetness" the Cockburn's 20 is another
one to try.

Good hunting,
Hunt

........ I have come "close" with Boardroom.........

The Boadroom taste is a bit lighter
than the one I was served in LV.
The one in LV was deep/thick with flavor.

............Do you recall the /glass price? US$12+/-? ......

No , it was chosen by the host and sommelier.
I'll just have to go back to LV if I don't find it!
What a shame ;\......
D

In article . com,
says...

....... I have come "close" with Boardroom.........

The Boadroom taste is a bit lighter
than the one I was served in LV.
The one in LV was deep/thick with flavor.

............Do you recall the /glass price? US$12+/-? ......

No , it was chosen by the host and sommelier.
I'll just have to go back to LV if I don't find it!
What a shame ;\......
D

Hm-m-m, sounds more like a Ruby, or maybe an LBV (Late Bottled Vintage), than
a Tawny. Over the years, I have had more Port poured incorrectly (not being
what was listed, or what I had ordered), than any other wine type. I'm not
sure why that is, but have had some pretty bad substitutions, that only came
out, when I questioned the waitperson. I did a check for the wine lists at the
various Luxor restaurants, but only found food menus - no wine.

We are in LV about six times per year, and since I am not into gambling, I
haunt the restaurants and wine bars. Next trip I'll poke around the Luxor, and
see what shakes out.

Hunt