why is port usually cheaper than wine?

Question

To answer some of your questions - I live in Australia. I'm talking about bottom-end wines and ports here, in terms of price - not the expensive bottles which can be very pricey for both wine and port. There seems to be a huge amount of very cheap bulk port down here at the moment - just wondering why the wine isn't quite so cheap - though thinking about it there are alot of very cheap 'clean-skin' wines here at comparable prices to the cheap ports (but not quite as cheap). Clean-skin wines are going for around AU$5-6 for 750ml, while port can be picked up for AU$4-4.50 per Lt.
Thanks for your suggestions :)

Answer 1

You were correct in explaining your definition of cheap as opposed to inexpensive, much credit for understanding the difference. The cheaper ports and fortified for spirits added to them, so there is less actual wine involved in the process, making the cost a bit less. Also, brands like Taylor use much lower standards than brands like Taylor-Fladgate. This is one section of the wine world where it's actually true when they say "you get what you pay for". Those cheaper ports are good for cooking or sitting on the corner in a brown bag only!

Answer 2

Hey where do you live? In most of the world you can buy wine far cheaper than port.

In Europe you can buy wine from as little as $1.50 a bottle, not brilliant but usually drinkable. Average wine prices people buy at is between $5 and $15. Good wines cost above that and prices can of course go into the thousands.

Port and sherry both usually cost more than cheap wine although there are cheap ports and sherries.

A port would normally start at about $5 a bottle and the price more normally paid would be from $8 and higher.

Both port and sherry take alcohol into the system much quicker than most other forms of alcohol and therefore less is required to get drunk and the drinker gets drunk faster. That makes it the favourite of drunks, winos and and housewives who are secret tipplers!

Answer 3

Port is not usually cheaper than wine. It very much depends on the country you live in, and on the quality of both the port and the wine you compare it with.

Answer 4

I dont think this is quite true, good port is usually much more expensive then a bottle of wine. check that what you are comparing it too, check it is port and not a cheaper bottle of fortified wine.

Answer 5

That's not always true. There are many good ports that are very expensive, as expensive as a fine bottle of wine.

As an example, check out a bottle of Graham's 2000 port. Its about $80 a bottle.

Answer 6

Port is a fortified wine. You're right, you can find it very cheaply--if you don't mind the taste! Good vintage ports can cost hundreds of dollars. I bought a bottle of mid-range quality port (Sandeman) about a month ago for $30.

Answer 7

Ice Wine is definately the sweetest, yet a classic sized bottle of reliable ice wine will run you around 80 greenbacks!! I also have a 187ml bottle (particularly one million/4 of a often happening bottle) and it cost 22 greenbacks. no longer purely the cost, yet i could desire to down this finished little bottle in approximately 5 seconds and that i wont even sense a buzz. attempt reisling, its like white grape juice with alcohol. reliable ones available for 10-20 funds. chuffed ingesting!!

Answer 8

Not true for Southern Africa!