Wine:Warre and other port producers want to bring younger drinkers back to the fold, writes Joe Breen
"Pass the '82 port please. Yes, that's 1882. Thank you."
Hard to believe? Well you could have pinched everyone at Bar Pintxo in Temple Bar recently when Johnny Symington pulled this 1882 rabbit out of the hat at a recent tasting.
Symington, whose family owns the shipping company Warre's, is a wonderful raconteur who speaks with a mildly plummy accent that hints at his Scottish ancestry and English public school education. Warre's is the only British port company entirely owned by one family. In 1882 Andrew James Symington made his first tawny, and the amber liquid swirling in my glass was part of a half hogshead (a cask holding 52.5 imperial gallons/238.59 litres) that remained of the original wine.
Warre produces 38 per cent of the world's premium vintage and tawny ports. But it is 38 per cent of a declining market. Port has been going through the doldrums since the heady 1970s and 1980s when vintage port was a must for any wine enthusiast. Now it is rare to find vintage port on the table outside of the Christmas season, and then it's only for mom and dad or perhaps the grandparents.
Warre and other companies are fighting back with lighter, new-style ports aimed at a younger market, such as Otima tawny (see bottle of the week). The deep, dark richness of vintage port is only a step away, then.
Meanwhile, the tasting at Bar Pintxo was exceptional. Apart from the 1882, the oldest wine was a 1955 vintage port, still elegant but starting to fade. Then came the 1963, considered important as it "kickstarted" the port trade after the post-war gloom led to almost all the original British Port families selling up to big companies. But it was a 1970 which was the evening's highlight, a perfect balance of alcohol and fruit, of weight and concentration, of silky texture and awesome length. The 1980, the 1994 and the 1995 Quinta da Cavadinha (single estate) were all impressive in their own right, as was the new Quinta Do Visuvio. If you have any or all of the above, especially the 1970, consider yourself very lucky. jbreen@irish-times.ie
PORT RITES
Johnny Symington explained some of the gilded rituals that go with port. The decanter should always be passed to the left until it returns to the host. If it gets held up on its journey expect "the Bishop of Norwich" to be cited aloud in memory of a prelate from the past notorious for hogging the port. Vintage port should always be decanted, adds Symington. Leave the bottle stand upright for 15 minutes to allow the sediment to sink to the bottom and then decant it carefully.
THE PERFECT BLEND
Port comes from Northern Portugal. The region of Porto encompasses both the Douro valley - where grapes such as Tinta Roriz and Touriga Nacional are grown - and Vila Nova de Gaia, where many of the port shippers are located. Unless it is a quinta (single estate) port is a blend of many vineyards. Vintages are only declared on average every three years if the quality of the fruit merits it. "We have our reputation to uphold," says Symington.