Vila Nova de Gaia-only Shippers

Anything to do with Port.
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JacobH
Quinta do Vesuvio 1994
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Vila Nova de Gaia-only Shippers

Post by JacobH »

I was contemplating some of the lodges and tasting rooms I've been into in VNdG and was wondering if some of them only really have a presence there since I've never really seen their Ports for sale in other places.

Cruz is the obvious example: huge presence on the waterfront; rather nice new building (with a rooftop bar); but I've rarely seen the Ports for sale. Maybe they are sold a bit domestically, though?

Further down the waterfront is Vasconcellos. When I was last there, the chap in the tasting room said that their lodge is the only place you can buy their Ports. It was unclear to me if that was marketing talk or not! If that's the case, I'm surprised they generate enough cash to keep going since they weren't charging for a tasting and it is a big building.

I've also had a tasting at Quinta dos Corvos' place. I really liked their Ports but have never otherwise seen them for sale.

The final one that comes to mind is Augusto's Port but I've never been inside since one of the companies operating down that alley has a tout which really puts me off.

I don't really know why this interests me but I'm just a bit curious about it!
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Doggett
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Re: Vila Nova de Gaia-only Shippers

Post by Doggett »

Isn’t Cruz one of, if not the largest producer by volume, Although mainly available in France and surrounding European countries?
Glenn E.
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Re: Vila Nova de Gaia-only Shippers

Post by Glenn E. »

Yes, Porto Cruz is one of the largest shippers by volume. Mostly low-end Port to France presumably for cooking, but they do also have some very nice older stuff in their cellars.
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JacobH
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Re: Vila Nova de Gaia-only Shippers

Post by JacobH »

Doggett wrote: 10:47 Sun 11 Jul 2021 Isn’t Cruz one of, if not the largest producer by volume, Although mainly available in France and surrounding European countries?
Glenn E. wrote: 16:20 Mon 12 Jul 2021 Yes, Porto Cruz is one of the largest shippers by volume. Mostly low-end Port to France presumably for cooking, but they do also have some very nice older stuff in their cellars.
Opps. :oops: That’s exactly why I made this post. Please tell me, though, that Vasconcellos isn’t the largest seller-by-volume in South America or something!
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Andy Velebil
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Re: Vila Nova de Gaia-only Shippers

Post by Andy Velebil »

JacobH wrote: 10:12 Sun 11 Jul 2021
Further down the waterfront is Vasconcellos. When I was last there, the chap in the tasting room said that their lodge is the only place you can buy their Ports. It was unclear to me if that was marketing talk or not! If that's the case, I'm surprised they generate enough cash to keep going since they weren't charging for a tasting and it is a big building.
Avoid this place like it's a Covid hot spot, LOL. The only place where prices were not listed and they changed them based on who the person was. I have no idea if they have changed their ways since the last time I was there, but I will never go back and never recommend anyone go there.
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JacobH
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Re: Vila Nova de Gaia-only Shippers

Post by JacobH »

Andy Velebil wrote: 17:24 Wed 14 Jul 2021Avoid this place like it's a Covid hot spot, LOL. The only place where prices were not listed and they changed them based on who the person was. I have no idea if they have changed their ways since the last time I was there, but I will never go back and never recommend anyone go there.
!! I went there for the first time on my last trip to Portugal. They had a price list which they showed me. I don’t remember it being particularly excessive, although they weren’t bargain-basement prices.

I would have happily paid for a tasting but they seemed to be operating it more on a shop basis than a tasting room: the chap said he’d give me a glass of anything I wanted to try, free of charge. I asked for the 30-year-old tawny which was ok but not as good as many of the competitors. I could probably have asked for more but since I didn’t have much intention of buying any by the bottle, I thought that would have been rude.

The chap selling the Port seemed nice enough; he’d just sold half-a-dozen of the 30YOT to ship to some Frenchmen.

I presume its owned by the Christie family who also own Butler and Nephew.

My impression was more that no-one has really thought to update and improve their offering as tourism has taken off. It rather reminded me of the tasting rooms from when I first visited Porto in the late 2000s.
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uncle tom
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Re: Vila Nova de Gaia-only Shippers

Post by uncle tom »

Cruz is massive in France, and everything they do in Gaia is on a scale ten fold greater than anyone else.

Cruz is to port in France what Tetley and PG Tips are to tea in the UK - massive volume buyers trading at the bottom of the global market.

Thanks to Cruz hoovering up the rubbish and flogging it to the French, we can enjoy the better juice!
I may be drunk, Miss, but in the morning I shall be sober and you will still be ugly - W.S. Churchill
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