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A bit cheaper than the auction price I clocked last year.

In style and quality terms, this wine is easily mistakable for the Taylor - yet compare the price!

After selling almost all the lots of claret, rioja, port etc. I bought a couple of mixed lots.
Dow 63 1 Irish Bottled (White’s if Limerick, a new one on me) three rare sherries and a 1920’s Domecq Brandy
Boa Vista 62, unknown 47 (looks identical to some Novals I bought years ago), 20 year old Setúbal, 1930’s Curtis Sloe Gin two bottles of 1970 12 year old single malt Knockandi (only 2/3rd’s full) a bottyof Duff Gordon El CID sherry and a few other bottles. The most unusual mixed lot I ever came across

Christopher wrote: ↑19:18 Thu 13 Aug 2020 I have to say around 2005/2006 was an amazing time to buy vintage port there were some amazing bargains!

I remember it well. My first serious Vintage Port purchase was in 2006:

• 6 bottles of Dow 1963;
• 6 bottles of Warre 1966;
• 2 bottles each of Sandeman 1963, 1966 and 1970;
• 1 magnum of Fonseca 1920;
• 1 bottle of unknown 1890;
• 2 bottles of White's of Leicester 1873.

All delivered personally and free of charge by the wine merchant for an average price of £40 per bottle.

Many of those bottles were shared with great friends here. Only one remains in my wine fridge.

6 bottles of 1998 ChAA for a bargain 32E [£29] a bottle from Garrafeira Nacional. Their ports seem to be 20% off at the moment.

7 x 1977 Gould Campbell in magnum
5 x 1985 Gould Campbell in 750

All at good prices, particularly the magnums. These were $235 which was less than 2x the price of a 750 (those are ~$140 in the US).

7 magnums of GC 77 suggest the party will be at yours this year...

Two decades ago, when I had deep insight into the Gentlemens' Clubs' cellars of London, GC 77 was the house port at Boodle's. In the end I think they decided it needed more time and went back to the Taylor '70 instead... (Boodle's is a remarkable place. I suspect there's always a port house representative on the, truly expert, wine committee. Their port stocks were bigger than Uncle Tom's.)

7 x 1977 Gould Campbell in magnum

I have Dow, Graham, Smith Woodhouse and Warre '77 in magnum format - don't think I've ever seen the GC '77 in a mag though..

One bottle of Quinta de la Rosa 1988.

Also, first visit to a Sainsbury’s in months and finally managed to pick up a couple of bottles of the Taste the Difference 2000.

Recent auction acquisition...


Has anyone seen or tasted before, or know anything about it?

Do you think the guarantee is still valid?

[Edit: sorry- missed the question!

“Old Port” usually means a tawny of some description and I wonder if it might be a better quality one considering the addition of the word “choice”. I wonder if the three stars were a Fonseca logo during this period or, instead, the brand mark of this particular Port?

]

A case of Gould Campbell 1985, all levels BN or better, £521 delivered, an auction purchase from Sylvie's in Belgium. I'm pleased as it's become harder to find in the UK in recent years.

Today I took delivery of 6 bottles of 2018 Barros (thanks to PCM for the heads up), a few bottles of the Niepoort 2015 LBV and a bottle of Noval 10 YO tawny all from Garrafeira Nacional in their 20% off sale. I couldn't believe the price of the 2018 Barros at less than £22 a bottle, now I'm torn as to whether to try one while it's young...

rich_n wrote: ↑12:33 Thu 10 Sep 2020 Today I took delivery of 6 bottles of 2018 Barros (thanks to PCM for the heads up) from Garrafeira Nacional in their 20% off sale. I couldn't believe the price of the 2018 Barros at less than £22 a bottle, now I'm torn as to whether to try one while it's young...

Funny, I got my order from GN today as well, including a couple of bottles Barros VP '18! If I were you I would give in and try one (and write a tasting note ofcourse ). Enjoy!!

Six bottles of Quinta de la Rosa 2015. Currently on special offer (£25) at Waitrose Cellar.

I do hope you like the Barros 2018. Please do say what you think of it. I was extremely impressed.

AHB wrote: ↑20:35 Mon 14 Sep 2020 I do hope you like the Barros 2018. Please do say what you think of it. I was extremely impressed.

As I have only 2 bottles of Barros VP '18 it's unlikely to open one soon, but I hope that rich_n (with 6 bottles) will crack one open and report back!

QH97, of which I have a 'spare' case for sale if anyone is interested (e-mailed or PM me).

AHB wrote:I do hope you like the Barros 2018. Please do say what you think of it. I was extremely impressed.

A bottle of the Barros 2018 was opened this weekend to drink with friends and celebrate a birthday and it went down very well, a luscious and fruity young VP. Thanks for the recommendation Alex! I shall post a tasting note soon.

a Tappit Hen of Warre's 1977

Making a concerted effort to reduce storage costs by making space in my cellar and having stuff delivered.

Various Port arrived today from C&B, including...
Normal size bottles of W77 included for scale purposes.

Impressive bottle, although the fill level looks really mean..

6 x Dow '94
2 x Warre '77

uncle tom wrote: ↑13:01 Wed 07 Oct 2020 Impressive bottle, although the fill level looks really mean..

I'd wondered about this as well. Think I'll get C&B to ask Symingtons for an opinion.

nac wrote:

uncle tom wrote: ↑13:01 Wed 07 Oct 2020 Impressive bottle, although the fill level looks really mean..

I'd wondered about this as well. Think I'll get C&B to ask Symingtons for an opinion.

It’s normal, They’re all filled like that. Even the 20 yr Graham’s Jeroboams are filled the same.

Andy Velebil wrote: ↑14:55 Wed 07 Oct 2020

nac wrote:

uncle tom wrote: ↑13:01 Wed 07 Oct 2020 Impressive bottle, although the fill level looks really mean..

I'd wondered about this as well. Think I'll get C&B to ask Symingtons for an opinion.

It’s normal, They’re all filled like that. Even the 20 yr Graham’s Jeroboams are filled the same.

You're right. Just checked on my 450cl of the 10yr and it's the same level.
Does look a bit "mean" though.