It's my stepdads birthday coming this Friday and he really loves his Ports.
From past birthdays, Father's Day and Christmas, I had given him Penfolds Father, Grandfather and Great Grandfather tawny. He doesn't have the heart to open the latter 2 - unless it's for a verrrrrrrrrry special occasion.
What's something that's similar to those Ports? I don't mind if it's a little pricey but not too pricey.
Thank you in advance
IMHO this a good lower mid range port (note links are for id purposes only, buy where you see fit)
Brown Brothers Australian Tawny
https://www.danmurphys.com.au/product/DM_73383/brown-brother…
Comparable to Father
Galway Pipe 12 Year Old Grand Tawny
https://www.danmurphys.com.au/product/DM_73121/galway-pipe-1…
Morris Oak is an old Australian company and has a fine range from cask port to aged tokays and beyond. Even the cheap cask port is great, but the aged ports are exceptional.
http://www.morriswines.com.au/fortifieds.php
Morris have great foritifieds, I got gifted a Rare Liqueur Muscat and it went straight to the pool room.
Their regular Classic Liqueur Muscat is a good drop as well for $18
https://www.danmurphys.com.au/dm/search/dm_search_results_gallery.jsp?filterAttribute=webregionoforigin&filterValue=rutherglen&filterText=Enjoy%20some%20of%20our%20favourite%20Rutherglen%20wines&sortDirection=-&sortAttribute=sales_units_30_days#criteria=region:[rutherglen]+Category:[fortified]
Have a look at this link, its for Rutherglen (Vic) fortified wines. They make some friggin great Topaque. I grabbed some for my dad for Christmas one year, and he's been buying it ever since
https://www.danmurphys.com.au/product/DM_140747/stanton-kill…
This is some of the good stuff!
Sorry don't know how to do the clickable hyperlinks thing
Rutherglen is definitely the region to be looking at for fortified wines.
Touring around the wineries there I remember All saints as being one of the standouts, also available at Dan Murphys from $22
If you seriously love your stepdad (or you are willing to share costs over this + xmas present, or with siblings) then pick up a 15 litre Port Barrel and fill it with bulk port from a winery. It's not cheap to begin with ($300-$400 for the barrel, then another $100-$200 for 20 litres of Port), but will pay for itself (monetarily and in quality) - in spades.
Look for an aussie made barrel (can be new or secondhand with enough research - tubbies is one brand i'm aware of, I think Seppeltsfield can make them… just don't buy the ones at Dan Murphys - cheap unseasoned american oak made in mexico), then buy some bulk port (I've been buying Seppeltsfield for my dad, but the range looks low at the moment http://seppeltsfield.com.au/index.php/shop/cellar-home/barre… ).
Since the barrel is smaller and there is more contact of port with wood, the wine generally ages faster and gives a better result for the money you pay. Just last night I had some of my dad's muscat (he's had his barrel a good 3-4 years now) and his stuff was hands down better than the de Bortoli 8yo show reserve I had beside it to compare.
Look into it, even if not for now, then maybe next christmas/birthday. It's the gift that keeps on giving, and it gets your stepdad active in his passion. It's a conversation piece, something he'll be proud to share with family and guests and becomes a family heirloom down the line. One of the best presents i've ever given to my dad or anybody.
I think they want to love them to death not drown them… 😀
As for the other suggestions above, I have to give them all a thumbs up. Most things coming out of Rutherglen (for Muscat and Topaque) and the Barossa (for Tawny port), aren't going to be bad. Once you aim above $20, you'll find most everything more than drinkable.
Australian fortifieds punch well above their weight in the price/quality stakes. Since you've already got him some of the better known examples of Port, you could always go for the Seppeltsfield centennial collection (i.e. a birth year port) but be prepared to stump up some serious money ($500 and up). Otherwise, look for a port that is designated 'Rare', which I think is 20 years or older (Grand from memory is 10 years or older).
Lastly you could also get a Portuguese Vintage port, although much research is needed for this. Firstly, it's a different style of Port to Australian port (you treat it like a wine - since it has not been oxidised like a Tawny Port, you need to drink the bottle within about 24 hours) and secondly, it's only made in certain years (hence 'Vintage'). It's built to age, so if you know the year of your stepdad's birth, you may be able to research if Portgual called a Vintage that year. (I bought a bottle each of vintage Portugues port for some mates who had firstborn sons, to lay down for their 30th birthdays). I was lucky enough to find a 1983 Taylors Port for sub $100 a couple of years ago, and it was sublime.
Have you considered a port from his birth year?
http://www.seppeltsfield.com.au/index.php?option=com_platffo…
Expensive, but a fairly epic gift. My dad got this for his bday and loved it.
Gotta say thanks to all who've posted their thoughts here. Excellent to broaden my outlook.
Yes I agree. Thank you all for taking your time to give me yOur 2 cents. I have made up my mind and going to get him a wooden barrel to store his fortified.
Is it just port that he likes? Would he be open to trying something a little different, like say, Topaque (formerly Tokay)?
If yes, I would recommend this, which is not too pricey - Seppeltsfield DP57 Grand Topaque 500mL
Sweeter than port, but rather yummy.