Since, in October 1987, my first taste of Vintage Port, I have been an enthusiast. My first formal tasting was as long ago as February 1988 (’55 to some ’70s).
Author of Port Vintage (2018), about which George Sandeman said: “This is the definitive reference book on old Vintage Port. Every book that comes after will rely on it.” Work has started on a second edition – subscribe to mailing list via www.PortVintages.com, to which announcements will be made.
Separately, I have also strong opinions about sovereign debt management.
There is room in life for more amusement, for more mischief. There would be marketing joy in selling Port in the UK in bottles containing 757.681⅔ml. In practice, it could be the same bottle size, with a more generous fill. Why? It’s the pre-metric two-gallon-dozen. The humourless will roll their eyes — but anyway, who wants to sit next to the humourless? Some will smile at the old-school mischief. For a small shipper, most of the mischief market is a good business proposition. Indeed, sell in the same quantity in the EU, labeled 750ml (as required by the common customs tariff), and explain on the back label that the front label cannot legally say that there’s an extra 1% free — just a sip, but at least a whoe sip — but there is that extra sip. What’s not to love?