Help needed please

[Steve]

Hello and thank you for welcoming me to this forum. Not sure if I'm at the right place.

Let me say straight away that I have no knowledge of port. Clearing out my recently deceased father's house I have come across one bottle of Sandemans 1937 vintage port. The front of the bottle says 1937 Coronation, George VI. On the back it says George V Jubilee vintage port 1935. It has a red wax seal saying 1935 vintage port. There is a 3 cm gap between the top of the liquid and bottom of the cork.

Can anyone tell me if this single bottle has any value? Hope you can advise me or suggest who I should ask. Many thanks. I'm in Lancashire.

[smisse]

Hello Steve and welcome to the forum!

I'm also no expert but checked your bottle on http://www.wine-searcher.com and did find some results.
The bottle seems to be worth between 300 and 500 EURO depanding on the condition.

This website has some for sale:
http://www.wyliefinewines.co.uk/wines/port1939.htm


rgrds,
Dries

[Steve]

Thank you very much for that info. Will check out that website.

[AHB]

Steve

Welcome to the website, we are always delighted to help people who have enquiries like yours - it's always fun to hear from someone who has had the good luck like you have to find a real gem.

Sandeman '35 was / is a great port. Whether your particular bottle will be is a question of how it was stored. Do you know whether your father stored the bottle on its side and in a cellar? If well stored, you could reasonably expect to sell this bottle for around £300 at auction, which would net you something a little over £220-230 after the auctioneers fees.

Or, of course, you could drink it. If you do, it would be a wonderful experience and one which you should share with people close to you as the bottle should be simply delicious.

However, if you do decide to sell the bottle then please let us know. There are many people on this forum (including me) who would love to buy the bottle from you if you did not want to open it for yourself and your family and friends.

Alex

[Steve]

Alex thank you for your most informative reply.

I know that this bottle has been only stored in the upright position, in a dark cold pantry of the old fashioned type, not on it's side or in a wine cellar. However, there does not seem to be evidence of any evaporation between the bottom of the cork and the level of the port.

I would be interested in selling this bottle. Thanks again for your help.

[AHB]

Steve, I've sent you a private message. You can pick it up by clicking on the link in the top right corner of the page where it says "1 new message"

[Zelandakh]

I enjoy port but this would be best enjoyed by experts (see above!). I'd be interested in how others enjoyed it whilst enjoying a glass of something rather less exceptional...do post tasting notes, if it goes to a forum member.

[Roy Hersh]

Hi Steve,

I was confused when you mentioned a red wax seal. From what I know of the 1935 Sandeman, the was applied at Sandeman for that Jubilee bottling, was always purple. I wonder if it may have been bottled elsewhere or they ran out of the purple during bottling and changed over to red. Very odd.

I owned 2 cases of this Vintage Port and have now consumed 12 bottles over the last 8 years, actually 11 ... as I gifted one. Part of the agreement for being able to buy these in OWC and their straw handsewn sheathes, was that I would sell the 2nd case. My wife made sure that happened. This is a delicious Vintage Port, fully mature and on a wonderful plateau. Make sure your bottle goes to someone who would appreciate it.

I assume you are in the UK and if so, you should do your best to try to offer it to one of the many Port lovers here, who would appreciate your bottle.