Old bottle VAT 22 port

Anything to do with Port.
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pascaltf
Cruz Ruby
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Joined: 10:46 Wed 17 Feb 2021

Old bottle VAT 22 port

Post by pascaltf »

Hey. I have a question about an old bottle of port that was in the cellar of my late father for years.
Can someone tell me what kind of port it is, from what area and from what year it comes.
I know the label is partially damaged, but someone might be able to help. Thanks for the help.

https://ibb.co/Tc5PQNP
https://ibb.co/pjzpVHX
https://ibb.co/wWGpgQt
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Alex Bridgeman
Graham’s 1948
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Location: Berkshire, UK

Re: Old bottle VAT 22 port

Post by Alex Bridgeman »

Although the name rings a very vague bell, I don't recall any details on this Port.

From the appearance I would guess that this is a ruby Port, probably the equivalent today of a Ruby Reserve. If I had to make a guess, I'd guess probably made from grapes grown in the Baixo Corgo sub-region. I don't recognise the name of the shipper, Antonio Maria Perei...

Could you photograph the base of the bottle and give us a link to that picture too please? From the appearance of the bottle, my estimate would be that this was bottled in the late 1940s or early 1950s.

It probably has a relatively small value, bottles of this type of Port from this sort of period are curiosities rather than great and magnificent wines. They can be quite good fun to drink, but can also be very light and simple. If you shine a light through the wine, what colour does the wine appear to be?
Top Ports in 2023: Taylor 1896 Colheita, b. 2021. A perfect Port.

2024: Niepoort 1900 Colheita, b.1971. A near perfect Port.
winesecretary
Fonseca 1980
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Re: Old bottle VAT 22 port

Post by winesecretary »

I am aware of a VAT 22 madeira, but if this is port it is new to me.
pascaltf
Cruz Ruby
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Joined: 10:46 Wed 17 Feb 2021

Re: Old bottle VAT 22 port

Post by pascaltf »

https://postimg.cc/WD0wtp75 (this is the bottom of the bottle)
PhilW
Dalva Golden White Colheita 1952
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Re: Old bottle VAT 22 port

Post by PhilW »

It's an interesting bottle, but I can't add anything definitive either I'm afraid; I've only previously heard the brand "VAT 22" in relation to madeira, and agree with Alex that this is most likely a ruby or ruby reserve - though it is just possible that it might be unfiltered, and looks as though it has a driven cork rather than a t-stopper.

There appears to be no selo, so the bottle is likely pre-1975. The style of the label is very reminiscent to me of the fonts and styling used by British Transport Hotels in the 1960s, though there is nothing to indicate such association on the label, and no bottling date mentioned.

I would guess a (possibly unfiltered) ruby reserve from mid-late 60s.
pascaltf
Cruz Ruby
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Joined: 10:46 Wed 17 Feb 2021

Re: Old bottle VAT 22 port

Post by pascaltf »

Thank you for the information.
It is indeed a shame that the label is not clearer. Then some questions might have been easier to answer 😃
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JacobH
Quinta do Vesuvio 1994
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Re: Old bottle VAT 22 port

Post by JacobH »

The label is set in Futura which was wildly popular in Europe in the early- and mid-20th Century. It never really took off in the UK to the same extent because we used Gill Sans for everything. I guess the label might have been printed in Portugal since I can’t imagine a British mid-20th Century printer using the low quotation mark („).
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