Bridge: Port industry witnessing ‘a moment of major change’
The Port industry is witnessing “a moment of major change” driven by the table wine movement, and is becoming increasingly polarised, according to Adrian Bridge of Taylor’s.
Speaking to the drinks business during a recent trip to Porto, Bridge said: “Port’s value sales are growing but volume is declining. In the past Port has been the cheapest wine available in some markets, which is not good or sustainable.
“The Port industry is witnessing a moment of major change, driven by the table wine movement, and is becoming increasingly polarised.”
While many Port houses, including Symington, Quinta do Noval and Niepoort, have moved into table wine production, major player Taylors, which produces one in every three bottles of Port drunk around the world, has chosen to stick steadfastly to Port.
“Our business grew by 7% last year and we’re making hay while the sun shines.
“To serve this growth we need to make more Port and we need all the grapes our suppliers grow.
“We need to make a lot of Port today in order to be able to sell it in a decade, and we don’t have a surplus of grapes,” Bridge said.
“If we were to make a dry wine there is a reasonable expectation that it should be close to a 100-point wine quality wise, and in order to achieve this, it would have to be made from our best grapes.
“We’re choosing to make Port as we have experience in it, but are going against the grain as less Port is being made each year.
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“The average price for a pipe of grapes in the Douro is around €650 and table wines tend to sell for a third of the cost of Port,” he added, though isn’t ruling out the idea of dry wine completely.
“It doesn’t mean that we won’t ever make table wine, as Port growth might slow and the beneficio system might be gotten rid of. It’s a social subsidy for small farmers and I think it will go sooner or later as grape prices should only be tied to quality,” Bridge said.
As for the growing popularity of Porto as a tourist destination, Bridge said a lot of its success is down to low cost airlines flying to the city.
“People thought I was crazy building the Yeatman in 2010 as tourism wasn’t big in Porto then but we charge €260 a night and are full. If you build it they won’t necessarily come – you need to generate demand and we’ve put €450,000 into promoting Porto as a tourist destination,” Bridge said.
“Low cost airlines flying to Porto have been hugely positive for the region as they have brought people to Porto. People think low cost means low quality but that’s not true,” he added.
Bridge is expanding the Yeatman with 26 new rooms, including a “mega suite” featuring a private pool and a barrel bed.
I thought I was going to read something profound with the heading of this article, A bit disappointed that it is just an ad for Taylor’s.
Port is way underappreciated and relatively unknown in America. Every time I serve Port to friends who haven’t experienced it, they love it and wonder why it’s not more popular. American’s have a sweet tooth and premium wine sales keep growing.
Mr. Bridge, you mention that “if you build it” one must generate demand. Taylor’s makes a beautiful product. Advertise and promote Port in the US!
Adrian is correct in everything he says. From my perspective as the fine wine buyer for Spec’s in Texas, I have more people wanting to sell me dry Douro red than I have customers wanting to buy it. On the other hand, Colheita Port (which he doesn’t mention) is in demand and there is interest in lower-priced “Vintage Port alternatives” such as Crusted, Traditional LBVs (such as Smith and Warres), and even single quinta Ports. Wine tourism will help and so will any market swing toward luxury. I would much prefer the Port houses put their energy and resources into building their Port business instead of tryin to create a category the consumer doesn’t want.
And then we have the popular low ended, ubiquitous Port known as Goan Port made initially in Goa-a concoction really-selling for around 1.5 euro a bottle. The Port was registered in India as a GI in 2013 but no action is being taken against 100s of small producers-its really a cottage industry in Goa. Even big producers are all involved in making a big chunk of it -as it sells due to the low price. Sad part is a lot of people think this is real Port What a shame!!