Warres Port and Mohamed Ali

Michael Warre. 1922 to 1987. educated at eton college.
Reach for the Sky. 1956 alongside Kenneth More.
henry V. 1944 alongside Laurence Oliver.

The scenes with Laurence Oliver are perhaps the most memorable of all film clips and surely need no introduction.
One of the many inspirational true stories told about WWII, this is the story of Douglas Bader, an undauntable character who was involved in an accident which cost him both of his legs. Despite this, he became a WWII squadron commander and was a hero during the Battle of Britain. Shot down over France and held prisoner by the Germans, he still survived and returned to England leading 3,000 planes over London in a victory flight.
This as reminded me of my grandfather and his exploits during the first world war, he worked at the Rail Carriage Works and when the first world war needed aircraft the works provided Sopwith Pups and Sopwith Camels. My brothers and I have always had a fascination for flight because of the family connection, grandad kept the tip of a Sopwith's propeller and turned it into a portrait frame for a photo of my grandmother. Graham, malcolm and I would spend ages drawing designs for a small light aircraft and a auto-giro, we so wished to construct a flying machine, the film 'Those Magnificant men in their Flying machines' was all that we dreamed and when possible we would travel to the Shuttleworth Trust to see the old bi planes flying for real. The thrill was unmatchable, totally exhillarating, that could not be said for Grahams love of old vintage cars, Lee Francis was a special one of his loves. When he wished to go to a rally he would require us to go and stand holding flags in the cold wind, we were required to raise the flag in order to show if a car had crossed an imaginary barrier. Graham being 12 years older than myself very much had my grandfathers influence when he was young and it was not until I was about 11 years old that I got the true delight of my grandfather helping me with woodwork, not a natural teacher but one with a lot of patience. My nan was to help me with the piano.


Warre's is widely regarded to be the oldest of the British Firms shipping Port, with records dating back to the 1670's. John Clark is the oldest known member of the company, later followed by Thornton, and finally being joined by William Warre in 1729. Before Mr. Warre came on board, the company had been steadily growing as the demand for Port became greater after the Methuen Treaty was signed in 1703. This treaty confirmed that England would defend Portugal in the war of Spanish succession. In exchange for preferential treatment for English textiles, it was agreed that the duty on Portuguese wines would be a third less than that levied on France.

William Warre, a new resident to Oporto in the same year of 1729, had been born in 1706 at Fort St. George in Madras in India. He became a partner in the Port company and from then on it was known as known as "Messrs Clarke, Thornton and Warre". Mr. Warre was the first British national to acquire land in Vila Nova da Gaia, across the river from Oporto, which is where the heart of the shipping business was to be established (and which today, wine lovers can visit the beautiful historic lodges). Warre married Elisabteh Whitehead, the sister of John Whiehead, architect of the famed Factory House and the Consul in Oporto.

When first arriving in london I worked with Terry Murphy and several other friends, we painted scenery, built scenery and set up scenery, often getting extra cash by helping as stage hand or simply loading and unloading sets from the lorry. During this time I came friendly with a very young chap that arrived to find work and experience, Jason Warre was the son of Michael Warre, child star actor and film actor of great note. I remember on October 30, 1974 going to Jason's house in London for supper and the whole family, with Michael Warre, sat around the television and we whatched the 'Rumble in the Jungle'. I must confess that I have in the past been keen on boxing and it now seems strange to think back and know that I would religiously whatch the great boxing events, remembering on the 18 June 1963 the second that Henry Cooper's punch landed and we all thought that he was about to pull off a miracle.

Principal Grape Varieties

Tinta Roriz….Iberia's premium winegrape. The fruit gives medium to high sugar production although acidity can be on the low side. Tinta Roriz reaches its full potential at a high degree of maturity, delivering deep, intense wines with an aromatic profile consisting of mulberry, blackberry, black cherry and jam. The nose is often aromatic, reminiscent of rockrose and spices. The thick tannins which stabilise the colour and impart a fine astringency mean that wines made from Roriz withstand long ageing in wood or bottle without losing their structure. Since these tannins also protect against oxidation, the wines retain a reddish hue even when quite old.Touriga Nacional

Touriga Nacional is widely considered to be the finest of the Port grapes. The wines it produces are usually intensely aromatic with an impressive depth of fruit and complexity. Black fruits such as cassis, mulberry and raspberry predominate and are complemented by the resinous aromas of violets and rockrose. High tannin levels and good natural acidity mean that the wines have an excellent potential for ageing without loss of structure or balance.

Touriga Franca (was Touriga Francesa\)….The wine made from Touriga Franca is robust and rich in colour and structure. To realise its full potential, the fruit demands to be grown in hot and dry conditions, and it is no coincidence that the great Vintages are usually declared in years that favour the ripening of Touriga Franca. It has particularly lifted, exotic floral aromas which add an essential complexity to Port blends, as well as intense red fruit flavours, rockrose, and sometimes blackberries.

Tinta Barroca….Tinta Barroca is an excellent all-round performer, with impressive Baumés virtually guaranteed in any year. Whilst it appears to be an early ripening variety, in fact the high sugar levels which it reaches early on are actually due to a concentration effect caused by dehydration through the thin skin of the berries. The wines are noted for their strength, elegant aromas and long finish. Whilst the colour of Tinta Barroca wines is not especially intense, it has a low tendency for oxidation and therefore lasts well with ageing.

Tinta Cã…..A low yielding, hardy variety valued for its delicate contribution to the wines' palate and its potential for long ageing. Whilst it has less colour and structure than some of the other varieties, it is sweet, floral and fruity on the plate, with an aromatic and elegant profile. Riper fruit contributes fresh spicy and peppery notes.

Tinta Amarela….Although it can be a difficult variety to grow from a viticultural point of view due to its sensitivity to disease, Tinta Amarela is traditionally popular on account of its high yields. It is appreciated for the fragrant, scented wines with excellent acid balance that it yields