Lovers of good vintage port will be pleased to hear that it is still easy to find a reasonably affordable bottle, but the port trade has yet to experience the meteoric rise that some sections of the wine industry have seen.

Speaking to the Wall Street Journal, Paul Symington, joint manager of Symington Family Estates which owns Graham's, Dow's, Quinta do Vesuvio and many other brands, admitted that dealing in port is "undoubtedly tough".

"Port has everything in terms of quality, prestige and collectability," he told the newspaper.

"It is served at Buckingham Palace for every state dinner, but unlike other fine wines, we haven't cracked growth markets such as the Far East."

Meanwhile, Adrian Bridge, chief executive of the Fladgate Partnership which owns Taylor's and Fonseca, expressed optimism that there is a future for vintage port, suggesting Brazil's burgeoning middle class and links with Portugal could make it the next big market.

The Drinks Business Review reported recently that Taylor Fladgate introduced a 150 year old tawny port to the US this month.