Thanks to the efforts of singer Charlotte Church, port is starting to gain a following outside the Christmas period. But, as Rosie Davenport reports, pubs should be doing more to capitalise on the higher profile of this fortified wine
Unlike Madonna and real ale, the ranks of famous port drinkers are unlikely to feature in any marketer's dream team of brand ambassadors.
The fact that Charlotte 'voice of a fallen angel' Church, former prime minister John Major and chain-smoking Dot Cotton are all fans probably explains why the trade has always relied on cheese to keep port at the forefront of punters' minds.
John Major's politics rule him out as a likely candidate for a big promotional push while Cotton's usual of a port and lemon in the Queen Vic makes the days of rationing sound glamorous.
Mixing 'de-seasonalises' port
Church's port experience is at least a bit more contemporary, drinking it, as she apparently does, mixed with WKD Blue to make a far from angelic concoction called a Cheeky Vimto. Although Church didn't actually mastermind the mix, the fact that she confessed to drinking it raised its profile to the extent that some Mitchells & Butlers pubs now list it on their menus.
Remarkably, the drink has managed to reverse consumers' behaviour to the point that, in pubs, only 26% of port's sales are at Christmas, compared to 52% around this time in supermarkets, according to market researchers AC Nielsen.
'We attribute this shift to Cheeky Vimtos in pubs,' says Jo Smith, brand manager of Cockburn's, which has a 52% share of the on-trade port market.
'It has definitely helped to 'de-seasonalise' port and it's getting quite a lot of listings on the high street - it means that young people are drinking port too.'
But like other consumer inventions, such as the Turbo Shandy - Smirnoff Ice mixed with lager - Cockburn's does not want to make a big song and dance about it.
'It's not something we are planning to actively promote,' adds Smith. And what about Miss Church? 'She doesn't really fit with Cockburn's target market.'
Although Cockburn's is not rushing to sign up the Welsh warbler as the spokesmodel of its brand, it is trying to suggest new connections to consumers that go beyond the timeworn favourite, Stilton.
The port and cheese after-dinner combo has helped port stay buoyant in the take-home trade, where volumes are up 3.7% year-on-year to £65,000 and consumers are still willing to buy a bottle, even just as a treat at Christmas.
Service needs to be consistent
However, in pubs port is less about indulgence and more about the Dot Cotton cocktail experience.
'There are varying degrees of service in the on-trade. I've ordered it before and it's come with a slice of lemon. Another time it came with ice,' says Smith.
While port isn't currently a big cash generator for pubs, selling just over £32,000 a year, the advantage it has over other dust-covered curiosities - such as sherry - that peer out at customers from the backbar, is that port already has a place on most pub wine lists.
To make the sales required to justify having port on a list, Smith argues that pubs need to help drinkers understand more about what's on offer.
'People don't understand the category and wine is replacing the port occasion. Although it's a small market, in food-led pubs, port could be an incremental purchase, an alternative to tea or coffee at the end of a meal, which is a really good reason to push it.
'Education is really important to help pubs to serve port correctly.
'Ideally it should be served in a wine glass, rather than a small 50cl glass or in shot quantities in a shooter glass.'
Presentation and price are also areas of concern, according to Cockburn's.
While listings for table wines generally break down by colour, then either country, style or grape, port is usually left in limbo.
Offer port by brand or style
'Although port is normally listed, it's very rarely offered by brand or style,' adds Smith.
Assuming that customers are happy to order port without knowing exactly what they are getting, price could still deter them.
'Pubs should price port like a wine rather than trying to take the same margin they would for spirits. In some outlets, a glass of port will cost you the same amount as a bottle in the off-trade.'
Match it to dishes on the menu
Another option is to suggest pairings on the food menu, such as foie gras, which would match well with port. However, while food matching is a core strand of Cockburn's strategy in the UK, which remains the third biggest market for port after the US and Canada, Smith is also keen to suggest other ways of making port more accessible.
White port is still a relatively unknown style here, but on home turf in Portugal it has made some inroads as an aperitif. In the UK, one potential opportunity for white port could be as an alternative to a gin and tonic, as a Portonic, says Smith - when it is served chilled with tonic and lemon.
'Port has an old-fashioned image, which can be both a good and bad thing,' says Smith. 'When people talk about it they use words like 'traditional' and 'crafted', things they do not say about many other categories.'
Cockburn's aim is to make a younger audience - those aged above 29 - see port in a new light, and feel that, despite the traditions, it's still an accessible choice.
While the trade searches for a suitable celebrity to endorse this message, Cockburn's hopes licensees will take up the flag waving. As Smith says: 'Port is definitely undertraded in pubs and we really need staff to get behind it.'
Keeping port fresh
Misunderstandings about how long a bottle of port should be left open have also made drinkers unsure about ordering it in a pub, as experiences can often be disappointing, says Cockburn's brand manager Jo Smith.
'If people see the bottle is open on the bar, they don't know what they are going to get. There is a massive opportunity for half (37.5ml) bottles and we already do these for our tawny port and also for the Special Reserve.
'The idea is that a group of friends can order a bottle after a meal and share it either on its own or with cheese and desserts. Port usually features on a wine list, but staff need to remind consumers that it's there and also encourage port and food matching.'
While Smith advises pubs to keep port in the fridge with an unopened bottle on display, another storage issue is leaving bottles next to coffee machines or under lights where it can become warm, losing the subtleties of its flavour and effectively cooking.
Perfect port pairings
Cockburn's Light White Port
l Chilled as an aperitif
l With all types of cheese, roasted almonds, orange and apple cakes
l With Jamon Iberico (smoked ham) or a good pate, as they do in Portugal
l Combine one-third Cockburn's Light White Port, two-thirds tonic water, ice and a slice of lemon to create a Portonic
Cockburn's 10 and 20-Year-Old Tawny Ports
l Slightly chilled after a meal
l Well chilled as an aperitif
l With creamy cheeses such as the Portuguese Serra
l With Stilton or other blue cheeses
l With risotto
l With apples and melon or nuts, such as hazelnuts and chestnuts
Cockburn's Special Reserve Port
l After a meal with cheese
l With peppered steak, duck à l'orange, coq au vin or game
l With roasted walnuts
l With fresh fruit
Cockburn's LBV Port
l After a meal with cheese
l With pork liver pate
l Exquisite with chocolate and red fruits
Cockburn's Vintage Ports
l Serve young vintage port with foie gras - the firm tannins cut through the 'fat' - or with dark, bitter chocolate