Latest buy

Anything to do with Port.
Mike J. W.
Taylor’s LBV
Posts: 159
Joined: 17:41 Sun 31 Jan 2021
Location: New Jersey, USA

Re: Latest buy

Post by Mike J. W. »

Andy Velebil wrote: 15:21 Thu 29 Apr 2021
Mike J. W. wrote: 18:22 Tue 27 Apr 2021 6 x Porto Rocha Three Centuries - 500 ml bottles at a VERY good price.
Don't hold these for any long period of time. They are still very nice but have been going a bit flat with age in bottle for some time now. And be prepared for the worlds smallest 500ml bottle cork. IIRC, they were bottled about 15 years ago, around the mid 2000's.
Thanks for the heads up Andy. I'll put them in the rotation for the next few years.
JKristiansen
Cockburn’s Special Reserve
Posts: 29
Joined: 22:55 Tue 05 Jan 2021

Re: Latest buy

Post by JKristiansen »

Received a Graham's 90 and Graham's Single Harvest 1969 today - have been looking forward to receiving these bottles for a while now.. ImageImage

Sendt fra min SM-G998B med Tapatalk

PhilW
Dalva Golden White Colheita 1952
Posts: 3503
Joined: 14:22 Wed 15 Dec 2010
Location: Near Cambridge, UK

Re: Latest buy

Post by PhilW »

Very nice indeed - congrats. I heard very good things about the Graham's 90, though sadly never had the opportunity to try it.
User avatar
nac
Fonseca 1980
Posts: 1808
Joined: 14:21 Fri 16 Dec 2016
Location: Kent & London
Contact:

Re: Latest buy

Post by nac »

12 x Smith Woodhouse 1991
1 x Malvedos 1979
JKristiansen
Cockburn’s Special Reserve
Posts: 29
Joined: 22:55 Tue 05 Jan 2021

Re: Latest buy

Post by JKristiansen »

A 4,5 L Graham's Single Harvest 1990 Lodge Edition..

So now the trio is together.. I do not think I have enough chocolate for all 3 bottles..

But it is always nice to have one bottle for when you are alone, one for when you get guests or one for when you get a lot of guests..ImageImage

Sendt fra min SM-G998B med Tapatalk

MigSU
Warre’s Otima 10 year old Tawny
Posts: 634
Joined: 13:22 Wed 17 Feb 2021
Location: Douro Valley

Re: Latest buy

Post by MigSU »

Great buy!

Although in my opinion they should rethink that bottle, the fact that the neck has such a large empty portion just looks...wrong.
User avatar
uncle tom
Dalva Golden White Colheita 1952
Posts: 3518
Joined: 23:43 Wed 20 Jun 2007
Location: Near Saffron Walden, England

Re: Latest buy

Post by uncle tom »

Although in my opinion they should rethink that bottle, the fact that the neck has such a large empty portion just looks...wrong.
Poor original fills in larger format specials have recently become commonplace - whatever the reason for it, it doesn't look right..
I may be drunk, Miss, but in the morning I shall be sober and you will still be ugly - W.S. Churchill
Andy Velebil
Quinta do Vesuvio 1994
Posts: 3028
Joined: 22:16 Mon 25 Jun 2007
Location: Los Angeles, Ca USA
Contact:

Re: Latest buy

Post by Andy Velebil »

uncle tom wrote: 19:21 Wed 12 May 2021
Although in my opinion they should rethink that bottle, the fact that the neck has such a large empty portion just looks...wrong.
Poor original fills in larger format specials have recently become commonplace - whatever the reason for it, it doesn't look right..
Before you toss anyone under the bus, there's a legitimate reason. Port, being roughly 20% ABV, requires about a 1/3 more headspace for expansion than does a still wine at, say, 12% ABV. Very large bottles like that can also have some slight internal variations. So they are filled by actual liquid measurement and not by level into the neck. So some may be slightly higher or lower as a result.
User avatar
uncle tom
Dalva Golden White Colheita 1952
Posts: 3518
Joined: 23:43 Wed 20 Jun 2007
Location: Near Saffron Walden, England

Re: Latest buy

Post by uncle tom »

Before you toss anyone under the bus, there's a legitimate reason. Port, being roughly 20% ABV, requires about a 1/3 more headspace for expansion than does a still wine at, say, 12% ABV. Very large bottles like that can also have some slight internal variations. So they are filled by actual liquid measurement and not by level into the neck. So some may be slightly higher or lower as a result.
Sorry Andy, I don't know who gave you that explanation, but it's nonsense. I've got loads of VP in varying formats, and plenty with fills that I classify as IN++ - which means a level within 3/8" (10mm) from the cork. Mags and double mags often have excellent levels.
I may be drunk, Miss, but in the morning I shall be sober and you will still be ugly - W.S. Churchill
User avatar
JacobH
Quinta do Vesuvio 1994
Posts: 3300
Joined: 16:37 Sat 03 May 2008
Location: London, UK
Contact:

Re: Latest buy

Post by JacobH »

Andy Velebil wrote: 21:58 Thu 13 May 2021Before you toss anyone under the bus, there's a legitimate reason. Port, being roughly 20% ABV, requires about a 1/3 more headspace for expansion than does a still wine at, say, 12% ABV. Very large bottles like that can also have some slight internal variations. So they are filled by actual liquid measurement and not by level into the neck. So some may be slightly higher or lower as a result.
I’m sure you are right that the quantity is being measured accurately but I agree with Tom that it looks bad. I’m not even sure it is a fortified wine thing: large format table wines in clear bottles often look as bad. If it is necessary to have a big gap between the cork and liquid (which I assumed was mostly due to a need to lower the pneumatic pressure caused by pushing in the cork), it would look a lot better, I think, if they either increased the size of the bulb or did what the champagne producers do and increase the amount of foil / wax to cover more of the gap.

That said, I usually see very large format Port in restaurants being sold by the glass. It seems to me quite a different product from, say, large format champagne which is bought to be drunk at a special occasion in one go. So the visual fill level is probably less important.
Image
PhilW
Dalva Golden White Colheita 1952
Posts: 3503
Joined: 14:22 Wed 15 Dec 2010
Location: Near Cambridge, UK

Re: Latest buy

Post by PhilW »

uncle tom wrote: 09:55 Fri 14 May 2021
Before you toss anyone under the bus, there's a legitimate reason. Port, being roughly 20% ABV, requires about a 1/3 more headspace for expansion than does a still wine at, say, 12% ABV. Very large bottles like that can also have some slight internal variations. So they are filled by actual liquid measurement and not by level into the neck. So some may be slightly higher or lower as a result.
Sorry Andy, I don't know who gave you that explanation, but it's nonsense. I've got loads of VP in varying formats, and plenty with fills that I classify as IN++ - which means a level within 3/8" (10mm) from the cork. Mags and double mags often have excellent levels.
I suspect it's all a question of risk, considering the temperature changes you expect the bottle to be exposed to.
Interesting snippet from S. Barry's paper on "Temperature driven air flow through wine corks":

The typical wine expansion coefficient is β = 2 × 10−4/K [2, 6, 7]. For a
standard 750 ml bottle of wine the volume increase over 30 degrees is reported
to be in the range of 4.73–7.4 ml compared with a head space volume in the
order of 5–15 ml. Hence the upper limit of proportional mass loss due to wine
expansion is of the order of 30–100% and is hence very comparable to the
changes due to pressure increases within the head space. This also implies
that overfilled bottles, with little headspace, are particularly prone to wine
expansion effects if temperate changes are large. Anecdotally, manufacturers
have reported international shipments of wine where temperature changes
have been large enough for the pressure to expel a third of the corks. Almost
certainly this is due to insufficient headspace to allow for wine expansion.

While I can't speak to Andy's statement regarding the different expansion for the higher ABV, the above would at least suggest that if the neck were proportionally wider in the larger formats, then the same fill level would be acceptable; however typically many larger formats (especially magnums) have a higher main-bottle width to neck width ratio, suggesting the acceptable max-fill level for the same pressure risk would be lower.

Therefore, some quick maths:
Measuring a random 750ml port bottle, the bottle:neck ratio is roughly 8:3
Measuring a random 1500ml port magnum, the bottle:neck ratio is roughly 11:4
If the max fill level for acceptable risk on a standard 750ml port bottle is 10mm below cork, then on the magnum it would be 10*(11/4)/(8/3) = 10.3ml

I don't have any larger formats to hand to measure, but the increase/risk equation seems to suggest that unless the bottle:neck ratio is substantially higher then the gap need not be significantly taller for the same risk level during transport. As to the initial acceptable risk, that I cannot substantiate; the above would suggest it perhaps unwise to leave less than 10ml of space in a 750ml wine bottle, possible adjustment needed for higher ABV (unknown), and less needed if you're certain it won't be exposed to significant temperature changes.
PhilW
Dalva Golden White Colheita 1952
Posts: 3503
Joined: 14:22 Wed 15 Dec 2010
Location: Near Cambridge, UK

Re: Latest buy

Post by PhilW »

n.b. While the above suggests that the level could well be higher (from a risk perspective), and I agree that aesthetically that would be more pleasing, I don't think you can fairly call it a "poor fill" unless the volume of liquid supplied is less than specified.
MigSU
Warre’s Otima 10 year old Tawny
Posts: 634
Joined: 13:22 Wed 17 Feb 2021
Location: Douro Valley

Re: Latest buy

Post by MigSU »

PhilW wrote: 10:42 Fri 14 May 2021 n.b. While the above suggests that the level could well be higher (from a risk perspective), and I agree that aesthetically that would be more pleasing, I don't think you can fairly call it a "poor fill" unless the volume of liquid supplied is less than specified.
I agree with this.

But like I stated in my original post, aesthetically I think it looks quite unappealing.
User avatar
JacobH
Quinta do Vesuvio 1994
Posts: 3300
Joined: 16:37 Sat 03 May 2008
Location: London, UK
Contact:

Re: Latest buy

Post by JacobH »

PhilW wrote: 10:36 Fri 14 May 2021 While I can't speak to Andy's statement regarding the different expansion for the higher ABV, the above would at least suggest that if the neck were proportionally wider in the larger formats, then the same fill level would be acceptable; however typically many larger formats (especially magnums) have a higher main-bottle width to neck width ratio, suggesting the acceptable max-fill level for the same pressure risk would be lower.
This is very interesting. It also makes me wonder how quickly the pressure caused by forcing the cork in dissipates. I am sure anyone how has tried to put a cork into an overfilled bottle (e.g. when double-decanting) knows it can be quite significant at least initially.
Image
User avatar
uncle tom
Dalva Golden White Colheita 1952
Posts: 3518
Joined: 23:43 Wed 20 Jun 2007
Location: Near Saffron Walden, England

Re: Latest buy

Post by uncle tom »

It also makes me wonder how quickly the pressure caused by forcing the cork in dissipates.
Corking machines compress the cork to a little less than the diameter of the bottle neck, and then inserts it quickly before it has much chance to expand again, so the air largely escapes past it.

Somewhere I've heard of fine capillary tubing being used with large format bottles that are manually corked. This lets the air escape as the cork is being driven in. Once the cork is in place, the tubing can be drawn out.

I've never quite undersood exactly how the old boot and flogger system worked - I can't help feel there must have been a third tool at play. If you simply try to hammer a quality cork into a bottle with a mallet, it doesn't usually oblige.
I may be drunk, Miss, but in the morning I shall be sober and you will still be ugly - W.S. Churchill
User avatar
nac
Fonseca 1980
Posts: 1808
Joined: 14:21 Fri 16 Dec 2016
Location: Kent & London
Contact:

Re: Latest buy

Post by nac »

Have just acquired (but not yet taken delivery of) a few bottles of Ramos Pinto 20YO - bottled 1968.
Anybody tried one of their older bottlings? There's nothing obvious on the index.
User avatar
Chris Doty
Graham’s Malvedos 1996
Posts: 843
Joined: 12:30 Fri 29 Jan 2010

Re: Latest buy

Post by Chris Doty »

uncle tom wrote: 11:57 Fri 14 May 2021
I've never quite undersood exactly how the old boot and flogger system worked - I can't help feel there must have been a third tool at play. If you simply try to hammer a quality cork into a bottle with a mallet, it doesn't usually oblige.
This^
Andy Velebil
Quinta do Vesuvio 1994
Posts: 3028
Joined: 22:16 Mon 25 Jun 2007
Location: Los Angeles, Ca USA
Contact:

Re: Latest buy

Post by Andy Velebil »

uncle tom wrote: 09:55 Fri 14 May 2021
Before you toss anyone under the bus, there's a legitimate reason. Port, being roughly 20% ABV, requires about a 1/3 more headspace for expansion than does a still wine at, say, 12% ABV. Very large bottles like that can also have some slight internal variations. So they are filled by actual liquid measurement and not by level into the neck. So some may be slightly higher or lower as a result.
Sorry Andy, I don't know who gave you that explanation, but it's nonsense. I've got loads of VP in varying formats, and plenty with fills that I classify as IN++ - which means a level within 3/8" (10mm) from the cork. Mags and double mags often have excellent levels.
Tom,
We are not talking mags or double mags. We're discussing very large formats, larger than a double mag. Ever wondered why older large formats (bigger than a double mag) tended to leak a lot. It used to be a huge problem in the dry wine industry here in the States. You generally don't see the issue anymore because people have figured out filling to brim on very large bottles is not a good idea.

Again, you must remember there is a number of issues at play; internal bottle variations, expansion with temperature changes, pressure exerted on the cork by the volume of liquid inside (which is significantly more on anything larger than about 3L) and ensuring the customer gets the exact amount they paid for. This all means there has to be enough headspace to accommodate all those issues without the liquid inside pushing up or past (leaking) the cork when the bottle warms up from the temperature it was bottled at.

And any modern bottling line sparges the bottles with an inert gas (often Co2, nitrogen or argon) to help displace all the oxygen in the bottle as it's being filled and corked. When filled, it pushes that inert gas to the top and what little remains is what is then sealed in by the cork, thus protecting the wine from premature oxidation.
Andy Velebil
Quinta do Vesuvio 1994
Posts: 3028
Joined: 22:16 Mon 25 Jun 2007
Location: Los Angeles, Ca USA
Contact:

Re: Latest buy

Post by Andy Velebil »

uncle tom wrote: 11:57 Fri 14 May 2021
It also makes me wonder how quickly the pressure caused by forcing the cork in dissipates.
Corking machines compress the cork to a little less than the diameter of the bottle neck, and then inserts it quickly before it has much chance to expand again, so the air largely escapes past it.

Somewhere I've heard of fine capillary tubing being used with large format bottles that are manually corked. This lets the air escape as the cork is being driven in. Once the cork is in place, the tubing can be drawn out.

I've never quite undersood exactly how the old boot and flogger system worked - I can't help feel there must have been a third tool at play. If you simply try to hammer a quality cork into a bottle with a mallet, it doesn't usually oblige.
Having helped fill and cork very large bottles many years ago, I recall we would sparge the bottles first, fill it up, sometimes sparge the headspace again, then use a floor-style manual corking machine to drive the cork in. It was a several person job to do by hand. And There was not an exact measurement as we usually used a hose to siphon off from a larger vessel, so I am sure some people got a little more wine than the listed amount.

And agree with the boot/flogger...no idea. And I wonder how many bottles exploded in the process.
User avatar
Doggett
Morgan 1991
Posts: 1188
Joined: 17:40 Sun 20 Sep 2015
Location: Weymouth
Contact:

Re: Latest buy

Post by Doggett »

Isn’t the bottle under discussion sealed with an appropriately sized T-stopper rather than a driven cork?
MigSU
Warre’s Otima 10 year old Tawny
Posts: 634
Joined: 13:22 Wed 17 Feb 2021
Location: Douro Valley

Re: Latest buy

Post by MigSU »

Doggett wrote: 17:45 Fri 14 May 2021 Isn’t the bottle under discussion sealed with an appropriately sized T-stopper rather than a driven cork?
Excellent point.
Andy Velebil
Quinta do Vesuvio 1994
Posts: 3028
Joined: 22:16 Mon 25 Jun 2007
Location: Los Angeles, Ca USA
Contact:

Re: Latest buy

Post by Andy Velebil »

Doggett wrote:Isn’t the bottle under discussion sealed with an appropriately sized T-stopper rather than a driven cork?
I don’t know. But the same issues still apply.
MigSU
Warre’s Otima 10 year old Tawny
Posts: 634
Joined: 13:22 Wed 17 Feb 2021
Location: Douro Valley

Re: Latest buy

Post by MigSU »

Andy Velebil wrote: 20:01 Fri 14 May 2021
Doggett wrote:Isn’t the bottle under discussion sealed with an appropriately sized T-stopper rather than a driven cork?
I don’t know. But the same issues still apply.
To a lesser extent, since the stopper is much shorter.
Andy Velebil
Quinta do Vesuvio 1994
Posts: 3028
Joined: 22:16 Mon 25 Jun 2007
Location: Los Angeles, Ca USA
Contact:

Re: Latest buy

Post by Andy Velebil »

MigSU wrote:
Andy Velebil wrote: 20:01 Fri 14 May 2021
Doggett wrote:Isn’t the bottle under discussion sealed with an appropriately sized T-stopper rather than a driven cork?
I don’t know. But the same issues still apply.
To a lesser extent, since the stopper is much shorter.
Generally speaking, Cork size doesn’t matter unless you don’t have parallel sides inside the neck., Then other issues come into play. It’s one reason large format burgundy style bottles can have issues.

Regardless if a regular cork or t-cork if there isn’t enough headspace it can push the cork up, seep or both when the liquid warms up and expands.

And it is not unique to cork, even filling a screw cap sealed wine too full creates other issues.
User avatar
Chris Doty
Graham’s Malvedos 1996
Posts: 843
Joined: 12:30 Fri 29 Jan 2010

Re: Latest buy

Post by Chris Doty »

Andy Velebil wrote: 20:25 Fri 14 May 2021

...Cork size doesn’t matter...
:roll:
Post Reply