Ask any bartender about their sherry selection and their eyes will light up with a feverish passion. And port, once the preserve of red-nosed captains of industry straight out of a Dickens novel, has finally taken its rightful place on cocktail lists alongside the vermouths and quinquinas who have reigned as undisputed champions of the fortifieds for far too long.
“Long hours, physically and emotionally demanding work, patchy pay… It’s not difficult to see why there was an exodus of seasoned hospitality professionals, and those that have stayed are more aware of their worth and what they will tolerate.”