Category Archives: Recommendations

Port, From the Vine to the Glass, Geoffrey M. Tait (1936)

E3C5465F-BE28-4AE1-A7CB-362740E7CBD9-256This is an expanded version of the author’s earlier Practical Handbook on Port Wine (1925).

This book is partly historical but principally deals with the technical aspect of the port production process with a fair smattering of statistics and seven pages dedicated to the quality of port vintages from 1800 to 1934, each of which is rated on the scale: Very Bad, Bad, Ordinary, Fair, Very Fair, Good, Very Good or Very Fine Indeed.

A very interesting little book, but unfortunately scarce and expensive to acquire.

 

 

Publisher: Harper & Co., London

Edition: 1936

Pages: 174

My Rating: ★★★★★

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Practical Handbook on Port Wine, Geoffrey M. Tait (1925)

E7E3A1CC-68E9-415C-8E5E-466E24CC21EB-256This is perhaps the earliest book written entirely on the subject of Port wine, with earlier books focusing more on the trade, personalities, politics and history rather then the wine itself.

The author was Technical Director and Manager of Van Zellers & Co., Ltd., of Oporto.

This is a fascinating read for anyone interested in Port but, unfortunately, copies are scarce and quite expensive to acquire.

 

 

 

Publisher: Harper & Co., London

Edition: 1925

Pages: 60

My Rating: ★★★★★

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Rich, Rare and Red, Ben Howkins (2003)

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A very good starting point for port lovers to begin reading on the subject, but also an enjoyable read for the more experienced. Originally published in 1982, with revised editions published in 1987 and 2003.

 

 

 

Publisher: The Wine Appreciation Guild, USA

Edition: 2003

Pages: 169

ISBN: 1-891267-63-9

My Rating: ★★★★★

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Real Men Drink Port, Ben Howkins (2011)

964FB40B-B42A-472E-AD31-AAC24AB26CAE-256An amusing and informative romp through the world of Port, beautifully illustrated by Oliver Preston.

I am pleased to report that I was one of the “Port heads” (p166) interviewed by the author prior to the publication of this entertaining little book. A good option for someone looking for something to pass the time on a flight to Oporto!

 

 

 

 

Publisher: Quiller

Edition: 2011

Pages: 176

ISBN: 978 1 84689 112 0

My Rating: ★★★★★

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Lusitanian Sketches of the Pen and Pencil, William H. G. Kingston (1844)

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Published in two volumes, this is a fantastic old book for anyone interested in Portugal or the Port trade, giving an account of the author’s tours of the north of the country over a two year period, including visits to the Douro and the Port Shippers’ lodges of Vila Nova de Gaia.

The original volumes are extremely rare but facsimile editions are available.

 

 

 

Publisher: John W. Parker, London

Edition: 1844

Pages: Vol I 352 pages, Vol II 364 pages

My Rating: ★★★★★

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The Oliveira Prize-Essay on Portugal, Joseph James Forrester (1853)

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This book represents an important time in the history and development of the port trade and was written by one of its most controversial and charismatic characters. The copy, published in 1853, includes a fold-out of Forrester’s Map of the Wine District of the Alto-Douro. A very rare gem and a very heavy read!

This book is also available in PDF format depending on which part of the world you live in.

 

 

Publisher: John Weale, London.

Edition: 1853

Pages: 290

My Rating: ★★★★★

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Port Wine and Oporto, Ernest Cockburn (1949)

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Published in 1949, this is a serious collector’s item. Very rare and a mine of information going back to the middle of the 19th century. According to André L. Simon this book was not professionally edited, and it is not difficult to agree with that assessment as there is no usable index and the subjects are covered in a “brain-dump” fashion throughout the book. That said, it is packed with information that will be of interest to port enthusiasts.

Copies of this book are not cheap, but are worth the expense for those with serious interest in the subject.

 

 

Publisher: Wine and Spirit Publications Ltd.

Edition: 1949

Pages: 132

My Rating: ★★★★★

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The Port Companion, Godfrey Spence (1997)

0C3E8ADF-016B-481B-B7F1-1F9B806595F3-256Published in 1997 and re-printed in 2002 without amendment, this is great little book for those new to the world of port. This was the first book I owned on the subject and read it from cover to cover many times. You just can’t have a port book collection without one of these.

Although now quite outdated in terms of the advancements and development in the trade, vintages and production process this is still a very useful introduction to the subject and is an easy read.

 

 

Publisher: Apple Press

Edition: 2002 Re-print

Pages: 224

ISBN: 1-84092-374-1

My Rating: ★★★★★

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Facts About Port and Madeira, Henry Vizetelly (1880)

20CD621A-A719-49C4-8ED1-C967BBE3CC52-256This is an excellent book which gives a detailed account of the author’s journey to the Douro, Oporto and Madeira where he visited a number of quintas and lodges. The book contains vivid descriptions of the tortuous journey from Oporto to the heart of the Douro valley and also contains the author’s impressions of specific ports tasted at the lodges in Vila Nova de Gaia.

Also included throughout this book are one hundred engravings depicting the scenes witnessed on this epic journey by the author’s son, Ernest A. Vizetelly.

This is a must-have for any serious collection of books about port and is widely available as a facsimile re-print or in PDF format. The original is extremely rare but facsimile reprints are available.

 

 

Publisher: Ward, Lock and Co.

Edition: 1880

Pages: 211

My Rating: ★★★★★

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Memoirs of the Marquis of Pombal, John Smith Athelstane Carnota (1843)

1D995449-6EFC-4F47-9FFA-804919941107-256Published in two volumes, this is a fascinating chronicle of the career of Sebastião José de Carvalho e Melo, 1st Marquis of Pombal, one of the most influential characters in the world of port wine and in the history of Portugal.

Pombal’s time in office as the most prominent minister in government spanned the years 1750 to 1777. His greatest achievements include the regulation of the port wine industry through the formation of The Port Wine Company; overseeing the restoration of Lisbon following the earthquake of 1755, and; the suppression of the Jesuit order and the Inquisition across the Portuguese empire.

This original set is extremely rare but both volumes are available in facsimile editions.

 

 

Publisher: Longman, Brown, Green, and Longmans

Edition: 1843

Pages: Vol. I 343 pages and Vol. II 388 pages

My Rating: ★★★★★

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