Q:

Hello,  I have a friend who is not computer literate and has asked me to enquire about a bottle of vintage port that he has in his possession. The details are as follows:  Malvedos 1982 Vintage Port, Bottled in 1984, OPORTO, Portugal.

Can you give me any information about this port?  Anything would be of use.  I can forward a photo of the bottle if required.  Excuse me for being ignorant about Port, but I am just trying to help an old friend who used to know the wine trade in the 50's and 60's.

Q:

I´m working on an architectural project of a port winery, for a spanish university. I´d love to know some doubts I still have after looking out throughout millions of websites. I´d really appreciate it if you could answer them to me.

1.  I´ve seen one of the improvements in wineries is to carry out the process by using only gravity, instead of using hydraulic pumps.  Is this system suitable for making port wine?

2.  Do the tanks for keeping the must after fortification have to be in a separate room (because of the temperature and humidity) from the tanks where the fortification is carried out in? I mean, the temperatura and humidity are different in both cases?

3. How do you fill the "pipas" from the tanks? Is it neccesary to use pumps for doing it?

4.  How do you fill the "balseiros" and "toneis"? The same way to fill the "pipas"?

5.  How do you transport the must from the "pipas" to the bottling line?