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Help me graduate beyond "six grapes" port ...

john_sf

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I love port ... not a fan at all of tawny ... and my default choice is "six grapes".

I think it's very good, and if there is no reason to switch, I won't ... but I'd love to upgrade a bit.

Perhaps something better and a little subtler ? Again, I don't like tawny, so I don't want to go down that fork at all.

I've tried 6-7 other bottles, with pricing between $15 and $50 and while one of them was as good as six grapes, none were better.

I have also tried some of the Grahams "Vintage" ports, although I don't remember the year ... again, good, but no reason to switch from six grapes.

What should I try that would really knock my socks off ? Priced less than $100, please...

Thanks.
 

itsstillmatt

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So you don't like two classic genres of port, tawny and vintage, but like cheap sweet six grapes? You are lucky. Save your money.
 

john_sf

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I thought the vintage (the single vintage that I tried, grahams, year unknown) was fine - just not markedly better than the six grapes...
 

Piobaire

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What is it you like about Six Grapes? You need to be able to answer that before anyone can point you intelligently towards something else.
 

john_sf

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I like how thick and black it is, good mouth feel, and not cloyingly sweet or syrupy in any way.

I also like how it is not oaky or tawny, etc. That's not what I am looking for.

I also like a stopper top, as opposed to a regular cork - it confuses me that a lot of bottles of port I have purchased have plain old corks, when port can last quite a while open, and is consumed in smaller amounts, etc. Do finer ports tend to have plain old corks ?

As I said, I am perfectly happy with it, and given the price point I suspect I will always have a case on hand ... but if there was something "like six grapes, but better" I'd be interested.

I think the particular 1994 vintage that was suggested above, as well as the Quinta dos Malvedos are a good start, but certainly the world of fine port is larger than just what Grahams makes...
 

Piobaire

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You know that 6 is made by Graham's right? And they refer to it as being in same style as their vintage ports?


I always thought of it as the daily drinker of ruby ports.
 

Piobaire

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It's pretty good stuff, IMO.


+1. IMO, LBV is fine for the occasional sip. Still, the occasional bottle like that 83 I produced is nice.
 

CBrown85

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I had a sip of Penfold's Grandfather at a place in Vancouver... so I saved up and bought a bottle. Hahah, it'a almost gone! Do you guys know of anything like that? It's a tawny and I think I like tawny's.
 

Piobaire

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Maybe try a Warre's Warrior? I think that's a reference point 10 year tawny.

Here's a pic of something from my cellar I brought into work today. It's going to be a wedding gift.


2012-08-16065139.jpg
 
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