UKH

Hi

I usually treat myself to a nice port to go with the huge stilton over the festive period.  I usually go for a safe option.  I thought I would look to the UKC collective for a good recommendation for around £30.

cheers

4 bottles from Lidl & pocket the change

Or 3 from M & S and some luxury mince pies with the change!!

https://www.bbr.com/products-53427-berry-bros-and-rudd-william-pickering-ta...

I haven't tried this one, but in my experience BBR are extremely reliable, I buy most of my wine from them online.

The bad news is you won't get any bargains on vintage in December, the discounts will be on the lower grade stuff which they can chuck out volume at this time of year.

Graham's 20yr Tawny is £30 from £40 in Waitrose. It's not worth £40 but £30 is a good price. £2 more gets you the Sandeman equivalent.

Tanners (indie wine shop Herefordshire/Shropshire - sells online) does a 2006 crusted port for £22. Use the £8 you saved to upgrade your stilton!

As for the Stilton. If you can find it, get Stichelton (https://www.nealsyarddairy.co.uk/products/stichelton)

Although not Port, I love Fairview Sweet Red from south Africa for Christmas cheese. A lot less than £30 but difficult to buy singly. Very moreish.

Tanners Wine Merchants, also in Chester and Llandudno Junction. Very good and reliable.

Any that will still let you through...

From experience, my Christmas port recommendation is not to drink too much, especially if heading for the hills the next day. Purgatorial!

Felixstowe.

Sometimes use Tanners for mail order wines, will second the above comment. 

With Johnstonand the Huns in Charge - a port as far away aspossible - Port Moresby maybe?

I have no idea about what a good port should taste of but really enjoy the Aldi one. 

They also have a 40 year old vintage in at the moment should you wish to push the boat out 

I'd try Dover or Folkestone, while you're still allowed 😶

I was more looking for a drinkable one, I’m not sure if Dover or Felixstowe are into port making.  Maybe a post Brexit challenge!

I was pleasantly surprised yesterday to find a Stilton in my  local supermarket ( Intermarché). It was produced by Thomas Hoe Stevenson, ( Long Clawson Dairy )Melton Mowbray at around 30 euros a kilo.  I found it very tasty indeed.; accompanied by a 'vin blanc liquoreux' , a local Cotes de Gascogne, which is  easily the equal of many fine Sauternes.

I enjoy a glass of Port but  have have little knowledge about them. 

USB

Thanks for the cheese recommendation 

As another non-Port suggestion, I'm very partial to a glass of Madeira.  For good quality Madeira, look for the words Malmsey (or Malvasia) or Bual - these are the classic grape varieties.  Malmsey is the sweetest, but I prefer Bual, which is still very rich, but with the sweetness cut by a really clean tasting acidity.  A ten year old Bual from Blandy's or Henriques & Henriques should cost about £20 (I see Waitrose is doing a 15 yr old for £25, albeit a 50 cl bottle).

Vintage Madeira isn't seen that often but it's sublime if you can find it (I found a 1993 Bual in a wine merchant in Birmingham a year or so ago, and it was excellent); I think it's a good general rule that at any given price point a Madeira is better than the corresponding Port.

Have you tried Stilton with a fine single malt? Give it a go. 

Had a tasting session at Blandy's on the island a very long time ago. The guy who showed us round was a dead ringer for Brezhnev. He liked his job.

I expect I'd like his job too.

Riga is good at this time of year

My boss gets me a 50cl bottle of M&S Special Reserve Port decanter most christmases if it's available. I very much enjoy it, but sure there are better ports out there. This stuff is less than a tenner a bottle however and does taste very good.

Agree with Richard J about the Madeira. A family friend is from Madeira and whenever she comes to visit always brings a bottle of fortified Madeira wine and a traditional Madeira honey cake. Both are absolutely fantastic and I highly recommend them. They go very well together.

TJB.

The most disappointing thing about Madeira for me is that the dry version, Sercial, is not actually all that dry, compared to a fino or manzanilla sherry, for instance.