Port tong supplier

[Charles Ferrin]

Hello everyone-- I'm new to the forum. I'm looking for a reputable supplier/producer of port tongs. I'm opening a wine shop in South Florida, and I want to have a good port section, including port tongs. There is a small but dedicated port following down here, especially due to the Latin influence, but no port tongs anywhere as far I can tell. I also want a pair for myself

[DRT]

Hi Charles,

Welcome to

I think you might struggle to find a quality producer of Port tongs these days. Those that I have seen tend to be more decorative than functional due to the fact that the practice has all but died out.

If you do find a producer of good quality tongs please let us know as some people here would probably be interested in acquiring some.

Derek

[jdaw1]

Quinta do Noval have, or at least used to have, tongs branded with the QdN name. If somebody else’s are within reach, it might be marked with a manufacturer’s mark.

Or you could write a nice note to QdN, asking.

[Andy Velebil]

Quinta do Noval have, or at least used to have, tongs branded with the QdN name. If somebody else’s are within reach, it might be marked with a manufacturer’s mark.

Or you could write a nice note to QdN, asking.

No producer branding on my Noval ones (on box or the tongs)

[JacobH]

Hello everyone-- I'm new to the forum. I'm looking for a reputable supplier/producer of port tongs. I'm opening a wine shop in South Florida, and I want to have a good port section, including port tongs. There is a small but dedicated port following down here, especially due to the Latin influence, but no port tongs anywhere as far I can tell. I also want a pair for myself

If the Latin influence is anything like the Iberian way of drinking Port on this side of the pond, won’t they mostly be drinking tawnies, rubies and whites out of bottles with t-corks?

Assuming that you’re not going to sell very many of these, I wonder if there’s a blacksmith in your area who might be willing to make a few for you?

[Charles Ferrin]

Yes, the Latin community in South Florida does mostly stick to tawnies and rubies, as do the French Canadians, Brazilians and Russians who also provide demand for port in our local economy. I doubt there are many people in the world these days who actually need port tongs for their ancient bottles of vintage port. That being said, port is still much appreciated here, and the port tongs add an element of theater to opening a wine bottle that few other instruments can equal.

I'm beginning to think that I will need a blacksmith for my port tongs, and perhaps a coppersmith for those Moscow Mule mugs I want. Never thought I would really need a metalsmith in these modern times, but I guess a few stones haven't been overturned by the all-seeing eye of industrial manufacturing.

If anybody knows any good metalsmiths in the US looking for work, let me know.

[pgmguy]

Hi guys! It's relatively easy to find them here in Portugal. I don't know if they ship abroad, but check the link http://www.domvinho.com/produtos/962-Tenaz and drop them an email

[JacobH]

Yes, the Latin community in South Florida does mostly stick to tawnies and rubies, as do the French Canadians, Brazilians and Russians who also provide demand for port in our local economy. I doubt there are many people in the world these days who actually need port tongs for their ancient bottles of vintage port. That being said, port is still much appreciated here, and the port tongs add an element of theater to opening a wine bottle that few other instruments can equal.

That was what I was wondering about; I’d always got the impression that Port tongs were something that was very much associated with ‟British” drinking of Port (i.e. ancient bottles, crystal decanters, and elaborate rituals involving feathers and candles)...

[Charles Ferrin]

Hi guys! It's relatively easy to find them here in Portugal. I don't know if they ship abroad, but check the link http://www.domvinho.com/produtos/962-Tenaz and drop them an email

Thanks for the link. Is that price of 39 euros correct? If so, that's the lowest price I have seen for port tongs, by far.

[pgmguy]

Hi guys! It's relatively easy to find them here in Portugal. I don't know if they ship abroad, but check the link http://www.domvinho.com/produtos/962-Tenaz and drop them an email

Thanks for the link. Is that price of 39 euros correct? If so, that's the lowest price I have seen for port tongs, by far.

Yup, the price is correct. I've seen other Portuguese online shops and it runs around that price. A very famous wine house in Oporto (Garrafeira Tio Pepe) sells it for 42.5 € (http://www.garrafeiratiopepe.pt/produto ... 9&inicio=4)

[Charles Ferrin]

I've seen a few websites in Portugal that carry port tongs, and I've e-mailed the ones linked here on the Port Forum. I know a little Portuguese, so I write my e-mails in that language. But I haven't got any responses. Is it possible that they think my e-mails are spam?

[pgmguy]

I've seen a few websites in Portugal that carry port tongs, and I've e-mailed the ones linked here on the Port Forum. I know a little Portuguese, so I write my e-mails in that language. But I haven't got any responses. Is it possible that they think my e-mails are spam?

It's unlikely. It's probably related to the fact that from mid-July until late August is typical vacations period in Portugal.
As for Portuguese, let me know what you're saying and I'll double check if it's correct Portuguese (I'm Portuguese, by the way

[Andy Velebil]

I will only say be careful what you get. Some of these, especially the cheaper priced ones, are more for decoration than actually heating up. I've been told first hand accounts of the cheap ones literally falling apart when heated.

[Charles Ferrin]

Good to know. I'm still trying to find a blacksmith or farrier in the US who can make port tongs and wants to do it. It would be great to order them from Portugal as well. Both approaches have proved to be challenging, and I haven't found a solid lead yet. I will post whatever I can find.

[jdaw1]

SushiNorth made a port garrotte, which worked about as well. Perhaps PM him?

[differentdave]

So I have been on a "quest" for sometime to get old school port tongs (not the wire type but original style metal tongs) Found one place that sold it in Europe for a hefty price with an even heftier shipping charge.
On a complete lark, I went to a wine distributor website who I knew imported lots of Portuguese wines especially Port. Got the name/number of person responsible for that region. Left a nice voice-mail for them about how I have been buying the wines they import for years, know there salespeople from tastings, wine events on the island and dropped a few other clues to show them I was serious about wines. I then asked if they could assist me in procuring said tongs and pretty much forgot about the voicemail.

2 weeks ago got a return call out of the blue, they put a set of tongs in a cargo container on a ship destined for New York and should be here sometime in September or October. Unsure it tongs will be vertical or horizontal (going over the neck or around the neck)but am excited.
I am planning/hoping of being able to pick up tongs at their offices so I can bring a nice bottle of vintage port to try out the tongs and share the wine.

[jdaw1]

Good work. Enjoy.

[differentdave]

Hope all is well with you and your family, any plans on coming to this side of pond for a visit?

[Andy Velebil]

Coolio. Lets just hope they were the "real" deal and not some touristy knock-off they got from a producer's Lodge in Gaia.

[djewesbury]

Are the upright ones sold in the Gaia lodges all rubbish then? Because I've seen identical ones used in the Vintage hotel in Pinhão (where all the bottles on display have been tonged).

[RonnieRoots]

Are the upright ones sold in the Gaia lodges all rubbish then? Because I've seen identical ones used in the Vintage hotel in Pinhão (where all the bottles on display have been tonged).

No they're not. We bought tongs from the Graham's lodge years ago, and they served us well numerous times. If their tongs are still of the same quality, I can recommend those. Avoid Noval's though, they fell apart at first use.

[Andy Velebil]

Are the upright ones sold in the Gaia lodges all rubbish then? Because I've seen identical ones used in the Vintage hotel in Pinhão (where all the bottles on display have been tonged).

No they're not. We bought tongs from the Graham's lodge years ago, and they served us well numerous times. If their tongs are still of the same quality, I can recommend those. Avoid Noval's though, they fell apart at first use.

Yup, some carry good ones and some the cheap ones that fall apart when you use them.

[differentdave]

I am unsure which I will be getting. I am hoping to get the on the side versus over the top style. I figured after I receive and practice on a few bottles I will return to distributor with a well aged vintage port to display the use of the tongs and to serve the wine as gratitude.

[Andy Velebil]

I am unsure which I will be getting. I am hoping to get the on the side versus over the top style. I figured after I receive and practice on a few bottles I will return to distributor with a well aged vintage port to display the use of the tongs and to serve the wine as gratitude.

I have a couple of both designs. IMO, the over the top ones are almost always a very good quality. The side ones (with two rings, one larger than the other) is a toss up on quality.

That said, both styles work very well and it comes down to which one fits best the neck of the bottle I'm trying to open. As they aren't all the same size diameter.

[jdaw1]

Some tongs, such as yours and these, have a ring that is perpendicular to the handles. Others, such as these*, have the ring parallel to the handles. Parallel is better: one can lie the tongs on the cooker, make millimetric adjustments so the gas is heating the right place, and wait a few minutes for the tongs to turn red. The perpendicular model must be held by hand, and our hands are not steady enough over a period of several minutes, so it takes longer, and weariness makes things worse.

* This model comes painted black, for reasons not explained by modern science. If buying these then, before first use, remove the paint, perhaps by heating in an open fire.

New link to picture of tongs with ring parallel to handles.

Also worth not losing might be the thread entitled Port Tongs.