Port

Many
consumers no longer shun the drink because it’s sweet, say
several industry insiders. This itself is progress, since to
dismiss a good Port simply because it’s sweet would be like
avoiding a rich molten chocolate-filled torte topped with
ginger-laced ice cream just because it contains a little
sugar. Moreover, the image that Port drinkers are
exclusively old men in silk robes, smoking a pipe in a
leather chair beside a sleeping dog also seems to be on the
way out. Some of the most popular brand name products, such
as Fonseca’s Bin 27, Graham’s Six Grapes and Warre’s
Warrior, are selling quite well, as Americans move beyond
the most basic Ports.

Most people
first try Port after dinner at restaurants, especially if it
is matched intelligently with food or dessert pairings. “The
market today is very mature and Port is a standard item in
any restaurant. Restaurants know how to use it, pairing it
with the right foods. It’s part of the mainstream and I
think consumers expect to see it,” says Bartholomew
Broadbent, President of Broadbent Selections, a major
importer of Port to the United States. “Port isn’t seasonal
anymore,” he continues. “I think it was seasonal when it was
a very elite few who were drinking it. Since then, it’s been
successfully marketed to a broader audience who just know it
as a drink. Tawny has become very popular.” Another reason
for Port’s success here lies in its higher alcohol content
and bold flavors, he points out. “Americans are used to
drinking more highly alcoholic wines. Going from a young
table wine to a young vintage Port makes sense. The market
here is more versatile and people don’t just have the idea
of having Port with Stilton,” says Broadbent.

“Port is a
steady and growing market. It’s a niche market at this
point, but we’re finding our sales are growing at a slow and
steady rate over the last few years,” says John Hafferty,
Fine Wine Portfolio Director for M.S.Walker. “There seems to
be a revived interest in Port, with more being sold
off-premise. But in terms of placement, the more interesting
brands are on-premise, he says, noting that Port is a
must-have category for any restaurant touting a well-rounded
wine list. Not all Ports are enjoying renewed interest,
however. “The standard ruby and tawny Ports are certainly
stagnated,” Hafferty says, observing that: “A lot of people
are entering the market at the special reserve level, such
as Graham’s Six Grapes. The straight rubies and tawnies are
perceived as something you cook with.” As for the typical
Port drinker’s demographic profile, it seems to appeal to
many different people. “It’s shifting toward the
3O-something set. They start drinking Port at restaurants,
then they start to buy it when entertaining at home,” says
Hafferty. “It lends a certain level of sophistication to the
table; it says ‘I see you as an important guest’,” he says.
In terms of overall sales, however, Broadbent does note
that, “The dramatic growth was from about 1993 to 2OO3. Now,
sales have reached a plateau and it’s a staple
item.”

“Everybody seems
to buy it, from those in their 2Os to older people,”
comments Kurt Reming, owner of Beverly Wine and Beer Company
in Beverly. Ten- and 2O-year-old tawny Ports, such as
Warre’s Otima, are among his best sellers, he adds. Another
extremely popular item is a Port from Australia, Jonesy Old
Tawny Port, which he sells for $13. It’s a bit heavier and
darker on the palate, and it gets a lot of critical acclaim
so customers recognize it, he comments. Many distributors
offer special deals on combination packs of various types of
Port, some tawny, some vintage, etc. This makes it a good
deal for off-premise accounts, notes Reming. Otherwise, he
says, it’s difficult to justify buying a case of 2O-year-old
vintage Port, especially when the vintage segment is such a
small part of the overall Port market. Nearly all the Ports
he sells are ready to drink immediately, he remarks,
pointing out: “You can only afford to buy a current vintage
and you can’t drink it for 2O years, so what’s the point?”
Combination packs also help distributors place more SKUs at
an account, adds John Didio, a sales representative with
Horizon Beverage.

“We see
tremendous growth in Massachusetts, and it’s been long term
growth,” says Jeff Brooks, New England Manager for Kobrand.
Their portfolio includes Croft, Delaforce, Fonseca, and
Taylor Fladgate. “In the 198Os and 199Os the Port market
more than doubled, and it continues. In the recent past
we’ve seen significant growth in aged tawny sales. The rate
of growth in wood aged Port exceeds that of bottle aged.
Where we don’t see the same rate is in simple ruby and tawny
Port, which has to do with Americans’ preference for fine
wine. American taste is to consume aged tawny and vintage
after a meal,” he continues. And, while virtually all wine
sells more in the holiday season, “Port is much less
seasonal than you might think. It is a year ’round business.
My sales from wholesale to retail in June were about the
same volume as in March, and consistent.” Like others,
Brooks believes Port’s popularity parallels American tastes.
“Port is the easiest wine to fall in love with. It’s sweet
and rich, appealing to a wide range of tastes. Even fine
wine drinkers can enjoy the nuances of Port and will find
their way. New consumers are discovering Port.”

And, even though
vintage Port is not a casual purchase, “It’s what brought
more consumers to Port. Relatively speaking, vintage Port is
undervalued. Consumers are driven and encouraged by scores.
Vintage Ports that score 9O and 1OO points are available for
around $1OO a bottle. When you compare these to other highly
scored wines from around the world, the others are either
not available on the market or are vastly more expensive.
These ports are available,” he says, adding “It’s encouraged
consumers to try them because they can find and collect
them, and feel perfectly confident the wine will be in good
shape after 1O or 15 years and appreciate in value.” Another
factor is that more restaurants are selling Port by the
glass, as well as training their staff more thoroughly about
Port, he says.

At L’Espalier in
Boston, Port and other wine suggestions are listed with the
cheese course, says Erich Schliebe, the restaurant’s
sommelier. “If people are really interested in a cheese
course, a sweet wine works better than a rich red,” he
explains. Ten-year tawny is extremely popular, he says,
because at $1O to $12, “it doesn’t require a huge
investment”. Along with genuine Ports, L’Espalier also sells
De Bortoli Tawny from Australia, which Schliebe describes as
having a creamy style that goes perfectly with creme
brulee.

Of all the
products in the wine market, Port has shown a strong and
surprising resiliency. Of course, it’s great in cold
weather, but it’s also refreshing over ice in warmer
seasons. Port seems to be on the cusp of American style and
tastes – interesting, new and off the beaten track of
ordinary wines in the eyes of many consumer groups. As
Bartholomew Broadbent recalls his thoughts during a Port
tasting he hosted for 3OO women a few years ago, “I realized
it was not an old man’s drink anymore, but now for women and
men and young and old people. It had crossed all
boundaries.”