but not whining.

Okay, I may have mentioned I've been getting more interested in wine (port, specifically) the last couple years. I'm the sort that tries to balance price and quality, and pretty much pick out of the supermarket/bevmo/trader Joe's selections without ever reading the wine snob magazines, tho I do check in on these columns from time to time: www.eastbayexpress.com/news/a...Content


Unfortunately EBXpress hasn't focused on port yet, so here are my thoughts about some of the brands I've tried:

Presidential Ruby--one of my early favorites, both for price and availability. It's got more of a sulfite aftertaste than I currently like, but a good fruitiness to the main flavor.

Berenger Cabernet Port '01-- Most port has a dash of brandy or cognac thrown in to halt the fermentation process while there's still some natural sugar left. In this case I think it totally overpowers whatever flavor the grapes might otherwise have had, and all subtlety like nut, fruit, or chocolate flavors is gone. Having all the grace of a thrown brick to the temple, its main saving grace is an absence of sulfite aftertaste. Not a choice I'm likely to repeat, which is annoying because I really like the Berenger Zin that's all over the supermarket for cheap these days. How could they let this stuff go out the door this bad? I'd be watering it to half strength, slapping a Thunderbird label on it, and and selling it to folks who think two buck chuck is highbrow.

Graham's six grapes -- a favorite main standby. It's actually the first port I ever tried, but at first $18-20/bottle seemed overboard, so I drank Presidential while sampling other things in the $10-$20 range, which is still where I keep it most of the time. Good fruit flavors, good color and body, no aftertaste to speak of.

Graham's Late Bottled Vintage Porto '01 -- for two extra bucks or so the flavors are better defined and it's all about the smooth. This is something to drink as a reward when I've been very good, along with a Partagas Purito to smoke.

Ramos Pinto Tawny -- I think this may be a new winner on the low-price side (bevmo, $12.99). It looks thin in the glass compared to the ruby I usually choose, but it tastes great. Bring on the brie, apples, smoked salmon, and crackers.

Coming soon:
Sandeman
Warre's Warrior
Cockburn special reserve
Dow's


Brands I will probably never try, because at that price I can't believe the sulfites wouldn't overpower any other decent qualities:

Christian brothers
Sheffield Cellars