In article >, jo554joJOpot654
%^ERTet says...
>
>Tom,
>
>Buy whatever your retailer has, the State stores here in PA carry about 25
>Ports (a lot are not true Ports). Keep a record of how you enjoyed/tolerated
>them. Of all things (and I will be flamed on this), I find Taylor's Tawny a
>very reasonably inexpensive ($15.99 a gallon) sipping Port wine! If your
>budget allows, & you don't become addicted to the pleasures of Port, well of
>course experiment, Forget the reviews, WHO knows what they like better then
>themselves?
[SNIP]

I'm assuming that you are referring to the "Taylor Port" from the Canandaigua
Wine Company [capitalization not mine]. I have not tasted any of their "port"
products in many, many years, and might be surprised to find that they are
drinkable. I'm sure that the formula has been changed over the decades (I do
not recall any "Tawny" way back then), but way, way back, we used this liquid
as a base for our "beach-party bash" refreshment. The choice was an easy one,
back then. It was cheap at ~US$1.90/gallon. It was alcoholic - a prerequisite
for any "base" for our punch, and it was sweet, which went with the "seasonal
fruit," that we bought from the A&P Foodstore to go into the mix, along with
whatever other alcoholic beverages we could coerce someone's older brother
into buying for us. I see that the price increased, but not to the levels of
some grape products.

Along those lines, many years ago, while dining with some good friends, the
wife, who was very well versed on things vinous, ordered a glass of "Taylor
Port," as an after dinner drink. I was floored. Here, after all those years,
my "wino" friend had ordered the same stuff that we used to use as a base for
our beach party punch! I was incredulous. When I inquired of her choice (this
was after a bottle or two of fairly young, but nice Bordeaux had been ordered
and consumed), she smiled and ordered me a glass also. Her I was with a glass
of the very same wine I had spent almost $2/gallon, and I saw on the dessert
menu, that it was going to cost me $12.00!!!!!! Again, she smiled, and said,
"there is Taylor, and then there is Taylor. There is Port and then there is
port." This went totally over my young head, but I tried this root beer
colored liquid and.... Oh My God, what a revelation I had. This was a Taylor
Fladgate & Yeatman 20 Year Tawny, and it was delicious. I nursed it, and
smelled it, and swirled it, and couldn't part with the empty glass, until the
waiter finally pulled it from my hands. The next afternoon, I went to the wine
shop in a tony part of town and found their Port room. After I had examined
bottles for about 10 minutes, the owner asked if he could help me in some way.
My only response was, "I want to learn about Port." For the next two hours, I
was "grasshopper," to his "Master." I ended up dropping about $200 for his
recommended minimum sampling case, and have to admit, all these many decades
later, that it may have been the best value I have ever received from a mere
$200 investment.

There will be no flame. I have not tasted Taylor (Canandaigua Wine Company)
Port [again, their capitalization], in over 40 years. It might well be better
than my failing memory allows for it. However, I would urge anyone, who has
the slightest interest in Port (Oporto) wine to experience all that they can
through the great range of the real Port wine. While I do sample many port-
style wines from around the world, nothing comes close IMHO. Some are quite
good, but that is about as far as it gets. Yes, the real stuff is more
expensive. However, there is such a broad range produced, and most of it is so
good, that it IS worth the price. The only problem that I find is (to
paraphrase an unknown philosopher) "... so much Port... so little time!"
Because of the love that I have found for the stuff, I usually pass on the
dessert wine list, unless there is something really spectacular on it, in
favor of traipsing off to my cellar and grabbing a bottle from there for the
guests at the table.

Thank you for the trip down memory lane. I do not mean to disrespect your
suggestion, as every person, contemplating news wines should try as much and
as many varied examples, as they can, so they can form their own opinions. I
just could not help reminiscing about MY introduction to Port.

Hunt