The venerable port house, Croft, has introduced a pink port. Anybody ever tried it? Roy?
Pink port? You sure it’s not Sid & Marty Krofft?
I’m going to be harsh - pink port is a joke. Maybe it’s meant to be blended, but otherwise it’s worse than white Zinfandel. I’m a total port lover, but not of this category. As for Croft, I’m a fan of their vintage ports.
Well I have actually tried it… It’s fine as an aperitif, simple, a little cloying, unexciting, but not a joke.
I have tried it as well and I have the same feelings for it as I do for White Port. Interesting to try once, but basically just a gimmick of a Port and not to be taken very seriously. At least White Port can be aged in wood a la Tawny for some interesting flavors. I think aging Pink Port in wood would, um, un-pink it and kill the point of the gimmick.
There’s an older thread about it on the forum of Roy’s website. Not many like it. For that reason, I’ve gone out of my way to avoid it.
I wouldn’t go out of my way to avoid it just because others don’t seem to like it. In fact, that’s often a way to find great value, or avoid getting hosed. The only thing you need to remember is that “often” doesn’t mean “always”.
As we can see from the case of the Port in question. The problem with pink Port is largely the fact that it’s pink Port. In many ways, this is similar to the problem with white Port, which is that it’s white Port. In both cases you see, the problem lies with the product itself. You look at it, sniff it, taste it, look up and say WTF?
So while you can do well sometimes by betting against the crowd, sometimes the crowd just gets it right.
They actually introduced it several years ago. While some Port lovers hate it, it has caught on and most producers now make one. I akin it to most basic white Ports. Most are not very good on their own, but using it to blend with they work perfectly. Croft’s website has many recipes you can use. A favorite of mine is green tea and Pink Port, which I had at Taylor’s hotel in Gaia. It made the perfect light sipper on a warm evening.
I’ve had this wine and frankly, it’s an abomination. As a substitute for a regular port at the end of the meal, it’s thin and single-dimensionally sweet. I wouldn’t recommend it as an aperitif either for the same reasons. There are much better fortified aperitifs with some sweetness, like a sherry. I recommend that you stay away and save your money.