WineLovers Discussion Group

Just a little request if someone can indicate a californian Port if exists first of all!!
I would also be very interested in visiting some estates that might be preferably either Port producers, Marsala, Sherry, Passito, or other producers of meditation wines as I'd call them(not for sweets(deserts), but that go well with cheeses and savoury products).
Cheers
John

J Nolan wrote:Just a little request if someone can indicate a californian Port if exists first of all!!

Yes. California Port, not to be confused with "Porto", does exist. I have visited the Prager winery which makes and sells Port near St. Helena, California. Prager is the only Calfornia Port producer that I have first hand knowledge of, but I would assume that there are many others. I can't really give an educated opinion on the quality of Ports from CA, having sampled only one.

Echoing Sam, Prager is certainly worth a visit if you are out that way as it is the most unique tasting room I've been to and the Pragers are just fun to hang out with. The "ports" are ok but I've found more pleasure and more value in a good traditional LBV ports than I have in most of the ports I've had from Prager. At $80 for their vintage port, you can instead get a great true Vintage Porto.
Heitz Vineyard makes a nice grignolino port and there are a handful of zin ports from CA as well. Edgewood used to make a decent one.

Bill Buitenhuys wrote:Echoing Sam, Prager is certainly worth a visit if you are out that way as it is the most unique tasting room I've been to and the Pragers are just fun to hang out with. The "ports" are ok but I've found more pleasure and more value in a good traditional LBV ports than I have in most of the ports I've had from Prager. At $80 for their vintage port, you can instead get a great true Vintage Porto.
Heitz Vineyard makes a nice grignolino port and there are a handful of zin ports from CA as well. Edgewood used to make a decent one.

I third Prager. I was there about 4 years ago? Man - time flies. Amazing stuff - very intimate and cozy winery - owner was quite hospitable and his wines very intriguing. I remember having a wine that had incredible elegant notes of hazlenut. Definitely a must go winery.

Ficklin produces a Californian Port using the traditional grape varieties. Their basic wine is a good substitute for a ruby port. Their Vielle Vignes is more like a late bottled vintage.

You bet there are some great California Ports from Madera, California. IMO Ficklin Port is the best and Quady is second. Ficklin has been growing port varietals since the 40's and has won many awards. Go to http://www.ficklin.com For information on Quady go to http://www.quadywinery.com

I'm going to take note of these and get down to business in a couple of weeks cheers to all

I doubt if anything could be more Californian than a Zinfandel port!

Shaji wrote:I doubt if anything could be more Californian than a Zinfandel port!

Sorry to say that I haven't found many of the Zinfandel ports that can stand up to a good Ficklin or Quady.

Sam Platt wrote:

J Nolan wrote:Just a little request if someone can indicate a californian Port if exists first of all!!

Yes. California Port, not to be confused with "Porto", does exist. I have visited the Prager winery which makes and sells Port near St. Helena, California. Prager is the only Calfornia Port producer that I have first hand knowledge of, but I would assume that there are many others. I can't really give an educated opinion on the quality of Ports from CA, having sampled only one.

Exactly.

There are several wineries in California who do produce very good Late Harvest wines....not the least of which include Zinfandel and [surprisingly enough] Chardonnay grapes.

Jodene Hayward wrote:

Shaji wrote:I doubt if anything could be more Californian than a Zinfandel port!

Sorry to say that I haven't found many of the Zinfandel ports that can stand up to a good Ficklin or Quady.

Right on, Jodene!

Quady's Orange and Black Muscats are just fabulous wines.

Quady's Orange and Black Muscats are just fabulous wines. [/quote]

Yes they are, but I was refering more to both Ficklin and Quady Ports that are made from Tinta Madeira, Tinta Cao, Tinta Touriga and Souza grapes. Ficklin also produces their Old Vine Tinta Port from a Soleras system and a 10 Year Tawny.

Jodene Hayward wrote:

Shaji wrote:I doubt if anything could be more Californian than a Zinfandel port!

Sorry to say that I haven't found many of the Zinfandel ports that can stand up to a good Ficklin or Quady.

Maybe, the palates may differ. But, doubt if anything could be more Californian than a Zinfandel port!

TimMc wrote:Quady's Orange and Black Muscats are just fabulous wines.

Jodene Hayward wrote:Yes they are, but I was refering more to both Ficklin and Quady Ports that are made from Tinta Madeira, Tinta Cao, Tinta Touriga and Souza grapes. Ficklin also produces their Old Vine Tinta Port from a Soleras system and a 10 Year Tawny.

No quarrel here.

Both Ficklin and Quady vint some excellent desert wines.


But I must confess, I have had more than a few fine cigars over a glass of both.

No argument that they both produce good dessert wines. I know that Roy(Portolover) enjoys a good Ficklin Port. And of course a good cigar always goes well with a great Port.

Who makes the "Starboard" dessert wine, I can't remember at the moment?

Actually, California "ports" are some good dessert wines but they're nothing like a real vintage Port from a good producer, in my opinion. The quality of LBV and even ruby Ports has been increasing over the past few years so there are some excellent values out there now.

Regards,

John

John DeFiore wrote:Who makes the "Starboard" dessert wine, I can't remember at the moment?

That's Quady (mentioned by several people above).