#drinkport | “Who’s Obsessed with Port Wine?” (Part II)

In this second part of my conversation with Port wine subject matter expert and writer Roy Hersh, I caught up with him to learn more about his lifelong passion for Port wine, if he thinks it has the potential to go mainstream in the United States, and other musings on this underrated wine.

Catch up on the first part of our conversation here.

Read highlights from the second part of our two-episode conversation below (edited for clarity):

Q: Do you foresee Port wine being mainstream in the United States

A: I think that Port has come a real long way.

I think one of the things that really made one of the biggest differences was the introduction of pink Port. In 2008, The Fladgate Partnership chose to launch the product and targeted the U.S. market because, at the time, the image of Port was very stodgy and British (not in a bad way). Port conjured images of men sitting in men's clubs, smoking cigars in big leather chairs. In other words, it was an old man's kind of drink. That was where things were at the time.

Pink Port launched on Valentine's Day and it was the first time I believe a product of its kind appealed directly to women and younger people. And by keeping it a sweet beverage, it wasn't a big stretch to get them to try some. Mixologists and bar attendants were brought into the fold and it really started the new market for Port and got people interested in it as well.

I think pink Port made inroads and changed people's perception about Port wine.

It wasn't my thing when I first tried it, but I watched the market influence it had in the United States in particular. And it really started to open things up. People were discovering it.

Q: From your experience as a wine tourism advocate, who is drinking Port?

A: I'm very bullish on Port. People who are experimenting with Port are younger people mostly in their 30s and 40s. It's not the 50 and 60 year olds that are just discovering Port.

Many years ago, it was a secret of older generations, and you weren't finding the Gen X and younger folks who are willing to try it the way they are today.

I think that people are drinking better quality Ports in the U.S.

I think the end of the meal is still where most people are drinking it. Yes, it's great in cocktails, and you can have it before dinner. There are no limitations anymore the way they used to be where it's only for dessert. It doesn't have to be that way anymore. And I love that you're coming up with this project, too. I can't wait to see what you come up with.

Q: Do you #drinkport? You’ve sampled more than 15,000 bottles. What does your ideal scene look like drinking Port?

A: I think back to when I was living in the U.S. There were probably 20 weekends a year where I would have friends from other parts of the country fly in to stay with me. As a former restaurant chef and restaurant guy, I would host these elaborate dinners.

I had living room chairs at my dining room table so people could sit for six to eight hours and feel very comfortable. People would arrive at 6 or 7 o'clock and leave at 1 or 2 in the morning. And it was just a relaxing, very natural environment. We’d have white wine, sometimes reds, and then we'd always enjoy a dessert wine from Portugal.

Port’s the most convivial drink there is.

Listen to the first part of our conversation here.