I have always enjoyed Port (supermarket ruby and LBVs), but I really went down the rabbit hole in 27th March 2018 when I stepped into the Cockburn lodge in Porto and tried the 2011 VP. I was absolutely blown away and paid far too much on a bottle on the spot. This was my gateway Port.
I think it would be an excellent tasting if we could all bring our gateway Port and story to share with one another.
October 2026 is empty for tastings so would work well there.
Where? Boot and Flogger
When? - Confirmed 6pm, 6th October 2026
Who's keen?
My gateway Port was literally the first Port that I ever tasted - a Porto Rocha 20 Year Old Tawny Port. It was given to me for my 40th birthday in 2004, by one of my several friends who had been trying for years to find something that I liked to drink. Other than "anything that comes with an umbrella in it" aka Tiki bar drinks, they'd never been successful. Until that fateful half bottle.
Unless I'm somehow screwing up the filters in winesearcher.com, it appears that it is no longer available anywhere in the world. I would have happily ordered a bottle and had it sent to someone to add to this tasting.
why not, humm my gateway port, was a T27, but the night before there was a G63 which i enjoyed which made my host open the T27 the next evening. therefore i will bring a G63 which created the openning.
Glenn E. wrote: ↑20:35 Fri 15 May 2026
Sadly, I am unable to attend.
My gateway Port was literally the first Port that I ever tasted - a Porto Rocha 20 Year Old Tawny Port. It was given to me for my 40th birthday in 2004, by one of my several friends who had been trying for years to find something that I liked to drink. Other than "anything that comes with an umbrella in it" aka Tiki bar drinks, they'd never been successful. Until that fateful half bottle.
Unless I'm somehow screwing up the filters in winesearcher.com, it appears that it is no longer available anywhere in the world. I would have happily ordered a bottle and had it sent to someone to add to this tasting.
A lovely story - have you tried drinking VVO tawny with an umbrella in it?
I can't find that bottle but I will start searching. Would be a fantastic addition!
If Glenn’s gateway to port was Tiki bar cocktails, a whole load of his preferences immediately make sense, including the insistence on all port tastings being conducted while wearing a grass skirt.
JDAW, in The Book, p670, wrote:The author read mathematics at Queens’ College Cambridge. It was there that I first tasted Port—that evening early in October 1987 I didn’t yet have the wit to note which, but from what I later learnt of what the cellar then held, it might have been Taylor 1970. Immediately I knew that Port was the wine for me.
PhilW wrote: ↑13:08 Fri 22 May 2026
n.b. I'm in the attendees list twice, once with specified wine but unconfirmed, and once with unknown wine but confirmed. I'm not that confused.
Please add me to the reserves - I believe my gateway port would be a random 10 yo tawny that I would almost certainly have enjoyed over a meal in San Francisco when I used to go and work there. However rather than make up whichever one that was, I'd be bringing a bottle of the 10 yo Quinta de Val da Figueira since that is probably the best 10 yo generally available out there at the moment.
winesecretary wrote: ↑07:25 Tue 19 May 2026
If Glenn’s gateway to port was Tiki bar cocktails, a whole load of his preferences immediately make sense, including the insistence on all port tastings being conducted while wearing a grass skirt.
I missed this comment when I've browsed this thread before. Classic!
Hi
I am new to the forum and would love to attend an event, if another place comes up I would be keen to come along with a Taylor's 85. Otherwise if there is another tasting for some one new I would appreciate the recommendation.
I won't be able to confirm on this for at least another month or so, so I suggest you promote Greg and allow him to enjoy what will certainly be a fun evening. If anyone else needs to bail closer to the time I may be able to confirm at that point.
Great theme. In 1989 I was in a wedding party for a dear friend. He gave all of us a bottle on 1985 Fonseca....then a mere baby. Knowing nothing about Port, I opened the bottle later that year, drink cordial glassfuls over the next month and was surprised by the sludge at the end (filtered through a coffee filter after discovery). So many mistakes, yet the deliciousness stayed with me but I never ventured further until Christmas 2004 when a guest brought a Dows LBV and things just kicked in from there....memories of the F85 and the Dows....and then down the rabbit hole.
do have a fun time tho ...m
