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Real Men Drink Port.and Ladies do too!
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Product Description
Product Description
In his first book for Quiller, world renowned port writer Ben Howkins guides the reader through the fascinating history of the wine, from its origins through to the present day, and in particular examines the complex persona of the port drinker . Illustrated with Oliver Prestons hilarious cartoons, historical and contemporary facts and numerous amusing anecdotes have been meticulously compiled to produce this hugely informative and entertaining tome. Real Men Drink Port also educates today s wine consumer - exploring the serious side to getting the most pleasure from the wine, by detailing fascinating facts about what goes on behind the scenes at the famous port firms, and guiding readers through eleven essential lists of previously untold must haves .
'An entertaining romp through the myriad traditions and customs that have assembled around this wonderful wine.' Wall Street Journal
'A fun Christmas present for someone interested interested in Portugal's finest fortified wine.' Drinks International
'Ben Howkins guides the reader through the fascinating history of this most glorious of wines and the complex persona of the 'port drinker'.' Countryside
'Here's a book that manages to amuse and entertain. If you want an interesting and complete overview of the Port wine industry without having to read a text book, I can think of no finer tome.' www.snooth.com Top 10 Wine Books for the Holidays
'Agreeable read extolling the myriad virtues of Port.' Circle of Wine Writers
'Port expert Ben Howkins and cartoonist Ollie Preston make this the Christmas drink gift book. In colour throughout, a fascinating guide to the wine.' Gardners Books
'I'll be sure to take Ben's book with me on my future travels - it won't be just any port in a storm as I'll know which is best!' Sir Ranulph Fiennes OBE
'One of the great myths about port is that it cannot be drunk after breakfast, lunch or dinner - it can and one feels all the better for it.' Viscount Astor
'Port was my first taste of alcohol on this earth and I will be more than happy if it is my last - especially if I have Ben's book with me!' Guy Pelly
'The French tend to drink port cold or over ice, it's at times like that that I am glad to be British.' Michel Roux, Jr
'An entertaining romp through the myriad traditions and customs that have assembled around this wonderful wine.' Wall Street Journal
'A fun Christmas present for someone interested interested in Portugal's finest fortified wine.' Drinks International
'Ben Howkins guides the reader through the fascinating history of this most glorious of wines and the complex persona of the 'port drinker'.' Countryside
'Here's a book that manages to amuse and entertain. If you want an interesting and complete overview of the Port wine industry without having to read a text book, I can think of no finer tome.' www.snooth.com Top 10 Wine Books for the Holidays
'Agreeable read extolling the myriad virtues of Port.' Circle of Wine Writers
'Port expert Ben Howkins and cartoonist Ollie Preston make this the Christmas drink gift book. In colour throughout, a fascinating guide to the wine.' Gardners Books
'I'll be sure to take Ben's book with me on my future travels - it won't be just any port in a storm as I'll know which is best!' Sir Ranulph Fiennes OBE
'One of the great myths about port is that it cannot be drunk after breakfast, lunch or dinner - it can and one feels all the better for it.' Viscount Astor
'Port was my first taste of alcohol on this earth and I will be more than happy if it is my last - especially if I have Ben's book with me!' Guy Pelly
'The French tend to drink port cold or over ice, it's at times like that that I am glad to be British.' Michel Roux, Jr
About the Author
Ben Howkins was awarded the Vintners’ Scholarship in 1963, the youngest person to achieve this award. His experience in Europe’s vineyards and working with many leading vintners inspired his commitment to educate others to the enjoyment of wine. He wrote the International Wine & Food Society’s guide to port – Rich Rare and Red, is a member of the Confreria do Vinho do Porto and the Vintners’ Company and is wine advisor at Waddesdon, to Lord Rothschild, co-owner of Chateau Lafite Rothschild.
Oliver Preston's drawings have been published in The Guardian, The Independent, and Punch and he is the regular cartoonist for The Field, The Polo Magazine, the Racing Magazine and Cotswold Life. He has exhibited at The Fine Art Society and has published numerous books and his caricatures hang in many private collections. He is chairman of the Cartoon Museum in London, and set up the Cartoon Art Trust Awards in 1995.
Oliver Preston's drawings have been published in The Guardian, The Independent, and Punch and he is the regular cartoonist for The Field, The Polo Magazine, the Racing Magazine and Cotswold Life. He has exhibited at The Fine Art Society and has published numerous books and his caricatures hang in many private collections. He is chairman of the Cartoon Museum in London, and set up the Cartoon Art Trust Awards in 1995.
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
3 of 4 people found the following review helpful
Format:Hardcover|Amazon Vine™ Review
(What's this?)
This Ben Howkins volume is an amusing, enlightening and diverting little lightweight. His obvious knowledge comes to the fore throughout the length of the book. He doesn't delve too deeply into any aspect of Port, its production, or history, however, what he does show is more than enough to whet the appetite should any reader wish to explore further the mysteries of this rich and long-lived wine.
The more I read the more I became convinced that I should never be a real Port man, if for no other reason than I don't smoke cigars, more damningly though I could never manage to imbibe six plus bottles per day, this just shows you what an insubstantial individual I am. I found the author's anecdotal style of delivery allowed me to easily absorb the facts and figures, curious how history reflects Port vintage years. I am chagrined to learn that for years I have been enjoying Port in the wrong glass, how loathsome that must have seemed to the wine, it must be truly insulted in the average wine bar, never mind the local pub (A small Port wine please...with lemon.aaargh!) as for the things they used to slosh it into in Working-mens Clubs one shudders to think. Recently I was with a group of friends in a reasonable hotel when ordered the Port came in chunky spirit glasses, I, therefore recommend that this book becomes required reading for all bar staff.
The more I read the more I became convinced that I should never be a real Port man, if for no other reason than I don't smoke cigars, more damningly though I could never manage to imbibe six plus bottles per day, this just shows you what an insubstantial individual I am. I found the author's anecdotal style of delivery allowed me to easily absorb the facts and figures, curious how history reflects Port vintage years. I am chagrined to learn that for years I have been enjoying Port in the wrong glass, how loathsome that must have seemed to the wine, it must be truly insulted in the average wine bar, never mind the local pub (A small Port wine please...with lemon.aaargh!) as for the things they used to slosh it into in Working-mens Clubs one shudders to think. Recently I was with a group of friends in a reasonable hotel when ordered the Port came in chunky spirit glasses, I, therefore recommend that this book becomes required reading for all bar staff.
3 of 4 people found the following review helpful
Format:Hardcover|Amazon Vine™ Review
(What's this?)
It depends what you are looking for; if you seek simply a list of port wines; their producers; ratings for different years' production; and an idea of how the stuff is made and marketed, you will find all that in here BUT this is not to my mind intended mainly as a work of reference, it is more a literary salute to the drink. The book is full of fascinating historical cameos, of references to characters of the past who were "big" in port, along with snippets of their side-history and their personal characteristics, and of the author's opinions about what makes a port drinker, the sort of people they are and their values. The drink carries with it an image of a whole way of life, some of it long gone and some still persisting, and the book accurately paints that image. It is no doubt a little uncomfortable for those whose socialism conflicts with these values; however, in my experience, both rich and poor socialists are partial to the best port they can afford, so maybe we're all really in it together!
If all this makes the book sound pretentious, forgive me because it isn't, but if you buy the book you need to know what you're in for. There are no apologies for the upper-crust image of the drink, the book re-enforces it. There is no reference to Mavis Bloggs having a quick swig before working the tills at Tescos, but masses of references to those of privileged English upbringing who evolved and espoused the drink in the higher echelons of society. It is written in a most engaging style and the fact that it is peppered with anecdotes makes it strong. This is best explained by my quoting just one of them, which hopefully will give you some idea of the style and content.
This extract refers to blind tastings of vintage port held at a lunch session by one of the wine merchants, Justerini and Brooks, where famous people from sport, commerce, politics and the nobility attend and must guess the year of the port.
"The late Queen Elizabth, The Queen Mother, last lunched there in December 1998. Not for her the nominal £1 bet per person. She upped the ante to £10 per person and promptly guessed the vintage to be the year of her birth, 1900, and happily shovelled her winnings into her lady-in-waiting's handbag."
By such odd events, companies manage to maintain the social image of the drink (my words, not those of the author).
You get a description of the great port houses, vintages, smitten politicians, and, some background history - but essentially this is a sociological romp through the drink, and it's good read. It strikes me as an ideal present for those who love a nice port. And no, I don't know the author and I have no financial interest in the book! Steve Riches, Northampton, UK.
If all this makes the book sound pretentious, forgive me because it isn't, but if you buy the book you need to know what you're in for. There are no apologies for the upper-crust image of the drink, the book re-enforces it. There is no reference to Mavis Bloggs having a quick swig before working the tills at Tescos, but masses of references to those of privileged English upbringing who evolved and espoused the drink in the higher echelons of society. It is written in a most engaging style and the fact that it is peppered with anecdotes makes it strong. This is best explained by my quoting just one of them, which hopefully will give you some idea of the style and content.
This extract refers to blind tastings of vintage port held at a lunch session by one of the wine merchants, Justerini and Brooks, where famous people from sport, commerce, politics and the nobility attend and must guess the year of the port.
"The late Queen Elizabth, The Queen Mother, last lunched there in December 1998. Not for her the nominal £1 bet per person. She upped the ante to £10 per person and promptly guessed the vintage to be the year of her birth, 1900, and happily shovelled her winnings into her lady-in-waiting's handbag."
By such odd events, companies manage to maintain the social image of the drink (my words, not those of the author).
You get a description of the great port houses, vintages, smitten politicians, and, some background history - but essentially this is a sociological romp through the drink, and it's good read. It strikes me as an ideal present for those who love a nice port. And no, I don't know the author and I have no financial interest in the book! Steve Riches, Northampton, UK.
1 of 2 people found the following review helpful
Format:Hardcover|Amazon Vine™ Review
(What's this?)
I've read some drivel over the years. Some good drivel, wallpaper for the mind, and some bad drivel, nasty little narratives with creepy messages. This tome falls squarely into the latter. As a description of Port it falls flat on every level, aiming for a historical route based on the personalities around Port rather than events or underpinning reasons. As a vignette of an apparently revolting sub section of people it's a tour de force.
Celebrations of drunken lechery and appallingly sexist behavior abound. The decidedly creepy and repellent phrase, and I quote, "she says `no, no, no, no' but she means `yes, yes, yes, yes'" is repeated several times and is even on the back cover. Once one has finished with the volume, and trust me that won't take long, the overwhelming urge to wash one's hands thoroughly to remove the greasy taints of hateful smugness from one's fingers is hard to resist. The tone, contents and illustrations are fist achingly vile. The book is so bad, it even damages the thing it purports to venerate. I've not bought a bottle of port since I had the misfortune to open this book and if that makes me "definitely not a port person" then I'll sleep all the better for it at night. Avoid.
Celebrations of drunken lechery and appallingly sexist behavior abound. The decidedly creepy and repellent phrase, and I quote, "she says `no, no, no, no' but she means `yes, yes, yes, yes'" is repeated several times and is even on the back cover. Once one has finished with the volume, and trust me that won't take long, the overwhelming urge to wash one's hands thoroughly to remove the greasy taints of hateful smugness from one's fingers is hard to resist. The tone, contents and illustrations are fist achingly vile. The book is so bad, it even damages the thing it purports to venerate. I've not bought a bottle of port since I had the misfortune to open this book and if that makes me "definitely not a port person" then I'll sleep all the better for it at night. Avoid.
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Most Recent Customer Reviews
Please Pass the P**T
Real Men drink Port....and ladies too
Ben Howkins
Forget the jokes about real men eat quiche and let's concentrate on this little gem of a book. Read more
Ben Howkins
Forget the jokes about real men eat quiche and let's concentrate on this little gem of a book. Read more
Published 4 months ago by Dr. I. Cox
Nice Present
"Real Men Drink Port" is a beautiful book, visually. It is good quality, well-printed and the illustrations by Ollie Preston are a delight. Read more
Published 4 months ago by Mrs. M. Stamp
Unfortifying
A coffee table book at best (unless you have run out of fuel for the fire in which case that is a better use) given to me as a gift as I'm a bit of a "port person" (who also likes... Read more
Published 4 months ago by huddsbaggie
It's okay
This is rather a niche book and it's not quite clear who it's intended for. Those who enjoy a glass of port now and then will find some enlightenment, but it doesn't necessarily... Read more
Published 4 months ago by Tyke
OK but...
This is a mildly informative and mildly diverting little book. But I am struggling to see the point of it. Read more
Published 4 months ago by Simon Tavener
Port is red!
This is not intended as a concise history of port, it just leaves out the dull and uninteresting bits. Read more
Published 4 months ago by Mr. B. W. Haynes
A curate's egg
Whilst this book has some interesting and amusing content, it suffers from the lack of a clear structure and focus. Read more
Published 5 months ago by Setter man
A fun read with an unexpected serious side
The thing that struck me time and again when reading this book was that is has been presented in completely the wrong way. Read more
Published 5 months ago by Stephen Citynskyj
Posh guide to posh drink
The perfect Christmas Gift for the Port Fan in your family - everything you need to know about this oddly English based drink (even though it is from Portugal)
The book... Read more
The book... Read more
Published 5 months ago by M. R. N. Shackelford
A good present
This is a fairly lightweight book but it is interesting and amusing. It would make a great stocking filler for anyone interested in wine. Read more
Published 5 months ago by Mr. Christopher Harris
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