Tuesday, November 28, 2006

Pants Down Port Drinkers to convene on Thursday, December 28 at the Public House.


Thursday, December 28 is the likely date for the annual gathering of the Pants Down Port Drinkers of New Albany, Southern Indiana, Oz and points afar.

Coverage from last year's stellar event can be viewed here: Port wine is a holiday tradition.

Basically, the tasting is open to all comers, provided you bring a bottle of Port and a snack (absent a hunk of cheese, a fine cigar for the hosting Publican might buy your way inside). Co-conspirator Tim Eads and I would like an informal and non-binding RSVP by December 14, for the sole reason that we'd like to have the option of assigning different Port styles based on who is coming and which Ports are likely to be brought.

Briefly googling in preparation, we find:

Into Wine: Enjoying Port

The Vintage Port Site (operated by the Symington Family Port Companies)

Prior to my only visit to Portugal in 2000, the Danish journalist Kim Wiesener, a longtime friend, recommended Richard Mayson's "Port and the Douro" as the finest overview of all things Port. Indeed, it is excellent, and if you're interested in Port, it's a must-have.

There's a new edition available, and I'm sure that Randy Smith at Destinations Booksellers would be able to track it down for those interested.

Here's a capsule description:

Mayson recounts the history of this great fortified wine up to the present day, including an assessment of major vintages back to 1896. He examines the physical condition of the region, grape varieties and vineyards with an appraisal of each of the main quintas, providing a directory of individual producers and shippers.

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