So, (what) will you be buying from the 2007's?

[RonnieRoots]

Now that a good deal of offers is in on the 2007 Vintage Ports, there is a good overview of what's made and how much it costs. So the obvious question arises. Will you buy? And if you do, what will you buy?

I know I will be buying some. From what I've read the 2007's seem to have a flavour profile that is more appealing to me than 2003. And although I'd be more interested in 2008 (our marriage year), I can justify 2007 by saying it was the year I proposed... so that sort of counts.

LadyR and I made a wishlist. We probably won't buy everything from it, but we'll try to make a nice selection. Our list so far:

- Fonseca
- Taylor
- Niepoort
- Niepoort Pisca
- Vesuvio
- Vesuvio Capela
- Warre

What's yours?

[uncle tom]

Will you buy? And if you do, what will you buy?

In addition to the words 'will' and 'what', there is also the matter of 'when?'

From a UK perspective, and even if one could secure stock on trade, as opposed to retail terms; the release prices stand very little chance of being supported by the secondary market.

It follows that there is no sense in my buying into this vintage for a few years yet, by which time the good, the bad and the ugly will be easier to identify.

Tom

[Axel P]

I fully agree on this, Tom.

Axel

[g-man]

I'd def pass on futures being the prices seem to be unreasonable here in the states.

But the wishlist would be
Taylor VVV
Fonseca
Croft

[Glenn E.]

I probably won't be buying now because the US prices are insane, but there are a couple that sound like they might be interesting. If the US supply chain figures out that they're being idiots and drops their prices to something reasonable, then I'll probably buy a few.

I'd like to have 2 bottles each of VVV and Vesuvio Capela just because they're limited. But for actual drinking, I'd probably get 2-3 bottles of each of these:

Niepoort
Noval
Graham
Vesuvio

[RonnieRoots]

If the prices in the US are in the same line of those in the Netherlands, I can see why. I won't be buying in NL either. I don't know what they are thinking, but pricing is truly ridiculous. An example.

NL's cheapest port shop, Ton Overmars offers Fonseca 07 for 73,50 EUR (including duty, VAT). At Fine+Rare in the UK that same bottle will cost me a little less than 44 EUR (including duty, VAT and considering a current excange rate of 1:1,14). It will cost me 10 EUR at most to get it shipped to NL.

So, I will make use of the good £ to € rate of the moment and buy some cases in the UK.

[raul_alex]

I had the chance to taste Graham's, Dow's, Warre's and Vesuvio and those will definetely be a part of my cellar.
Then Capela, Fonseca and Quinta do Passadouro.

[goncalo devesas]

From de 2007 vintages, that I had taste: 1st - Niepoort; 2nd - Quinta de Vale Meão; 3rd - Vezuvio.

[goncalo devesas]

In terms of structure the 2007 Niepoort, for me is the best well balanced in terms of tanins, smooth taste of red fruits. wonderful nose; Quinta de Vale Meão is the most fruity and very full body; Vezuvio is very elegant and has a wonderfull afthertaste.

[goncalo devesas]

I´ve just tried vintage Rozés 2007, I´ve tried at room temperature and for me it didn´t was very nice, a lot of alcohol, and a very dry afther flavour, a tried an hour afther, with a temperature surrounding 13º/14º, and it was completely different much more aromatic, and flavour of red fruits, prune, and at the edge of the afther flavour, worthleberry, an acid touch.

[Alex Bridgeman]

I've just ordered a case of Vesuvio (OK, so who is surprised by that?) and will probably order some other shippers' wines later in the year. Exactly which, I'm not sure since I haven't had chance to taste all of the one I would like to taste yet.

[Glenn E.]

I've just ordered a case of Vesuvio (OK, so who is surprised by that?)

Really?

Only one case?

[Axel P]

I've just ordered a case of Vesuvio (OK, so who is surprised by that?) and will probably order some other shippers' wines later in the year. Exactly which, I'm not sure since I haven't had chance to taste all of the one I would like to taste yet.

... and you want to tell me that you do not take any Capella?

Axel

[Alex Bridgeman]

I did not buy any Capella. I did think about it, but wasn't that impressed by the wine and certainly didn't think it was worth a 66% premium over the regular wine. Plus the fact that if I had bought the Capella in the minimum quantity being offered (12 bottles) then I would have to miss out on one of the other shippers' wines - and I think there are several which are better than the Capella.

Maybe when Capella comes up on the secondary market...

[ac-fast]

Have to taste before buying..... My local wineshop havent got any jet

[Axel P]

Raul will be so kind to give me a full range of the Symington 2007 VPs to taste at the Grahams lodge June 26th in the afternoon. If anybody wants to join...

Axel

[SushiNorth]

My current thinking, reflecting on JS, AHB, JDAW, and RH comments and such, is as follows:
Graham's, Dow's, Warre's, and QdNoval.
i may get two bottles of a couple of the others as well. I don't know when i would make these purchases, i think it will be when the retail market fails to live up to the retail pricing. I would be happy to arrange mixed boxes with others in the greater NY area.

[ajfeather]

Personally I am thinking Grahams, Vesuvio and Noval but I will probably buy a couple to keep the vertical and one or two to see what they are like.

[Glenn E.]

Personally I am thinking Grahams, Vesuvio and Noval

That's about where I am now, too, but in the opposite order. Possibly with an additional VVV added as an investment (in the "this'll get me into a tasting in the future" sense, not the "I'll sell this at a profit later" sense). I may also get a couple of bottles of Fonseca and/or Taylor depending on whether or not I can find a good price. All told I'm probably not getting more than a case, and there's a decent chance that half of that will be Noval.

Of course, if prices don't come down a bit more in the US I won't be getting any 2007s...

[Axel P]

What is the price for the VVV in the US, Glenn?

Axel

[Glenn E.]

It sounds like it's going to be in the $170 range, but there haven't been many listings yet. I'm going to a tasting tonight where I expect they'll have a price list available... I'll let you know what it is there.

[Glenn E.]

We had the Taylor, Fonseca, and Croft 2007s and as a nice surprise Robert Bower from TFP had brought along a 2007 Vargellas Vinha Velha. Once we had the 2007s out of the way, we proceeded with a few other nice examples from TFP.

Prices from McCarthy & Schiering in Seattle:

2007 Croft: $77.50
2007 Fonseca: $98.50
2007 Taylor Fladgate: $98.50

Those are their regular prices. They did not have a price available for the 2007 VVV, but for comparison purposes their price for the 2000 VVV is $230.

Even with the tasting discount (varied bottle to bottle but was in the 10-15% range), their prices were on the high side. I put in an order for a 3-bottle "case" of the 2007 VVV conditional upon final pricing, but Robert told us that his entire allotment for North America is only 50 cases so there's an excellent chance that I won't get it.

On the night my two favorite Ports were the 2007 Croft and the 2007 VVV. Every bottle opened including all 4 cask samples showed very well, so it was a very nice tasting.

[jdaw1]

Noel Young Wines also selling ’07s.

[deletions]
Taylor's Vinha Velha, SOLD OUT (Case Qty: 3; Under Bond Case Price: £265.00)

[gerwin.degraaf]

My 2007 VP orders (so far, combined with the ones that my father ordered) are:

Dow's (case of 6)
Fonseca (case of 6)
Graham's (2 cases of 6)
Kopke (2 cases of 6)
Quarles Harris (case of 6)
Smith Woodhouse (case of 6)
Taylor's (case of 6)
Warre (case of 6)

For me this is quite a lot of bottles VP of one vintage, given the prices and the fact that I'm not drinking VP on a daily basis. On the other hand, my youngest son was born in 2007, so as I am hoping to enjoy a lot of these ports when they've matured (as long as I'm still around of course), I am also hoping to leave some wonderful bottles (or maybe a full case) to him to enjoy during this century!

[smisse]

My 2007 VP orders (so far, combined with the ones that my father ordered) are:

For me this is quite a lot of bottles VP of one vintage, given the prices and the fact that I'm not drinking VP on a daily basis. On the other hand, my youngest son was born in 2007, so as I am hoping to enjoy a lot of these ports when they've matured (as long as I'm still around of course), I am also hoping to leave some wonderful bottles (or maybe a full case) to him to enjoy during this century!

I think it is about time for me to get some children.

[gerwin.degraaf]

My 2007 VP orders (so far, combined with the ones that my father ordered) are:

For me this is quite a lot of bottles VP of one vintage, given the prices and the fact that I'm not drinking VP on a daily basis. On the other hand, my youngest son was born in 2007, so as I am hoping to enjoy a lot of these ports when they've matured (as long as I'm still around of course), I am also hoping to leave some wonderful bottles (or maybe a full case) to him to enjoy during this century!

I think it is about time for me to get some children.

Indeed, it's a good enough reason for stocking up some nice ports! Of course, one must be critical on the specific (birth-) years. My own for example, 1973, has never been a reason for stocking any wine or ports .

On the other hand, I have also been lucky enough that my wife is from 1977 (another opportunity to maybe try to pick up some bottles of that vintage) and that my father's from 1945 (from which Vintage we have had a marvellous bottle of AA Ferreira VP a couple of years ago).

[RonnieRoots]

So far only 6 x Niepoort, but there will be more in due time.

Question for the Dutch: did anyone see a futures offer from Henri Bloem already?

[gerwin.degraaf]

So far only 6 x Niepoort, but there will be more in due time.

Question for the Dutch: did anyone see a futures offer from Henri Bloem already?

Nope, I haven't seen any Henry Bloem offers yet until now,

[Michael M.]

As I am interested in this topic too (Eindhoven is not so far from me) I contacted them about 2 weeks ago. But I did not get an answer so far. I noticed from last campaign that they had rather good price for 2005 Vesuvio VP. It would be very kind if you would share your knowlwdge on this matter. Naturally I will report too.

Michael

[smisse]

The shop in Den Bosch informed me that their next newsletter will contain a port special.
They could not give yet any information on the 07 VP's.

[Michael M.]

Dries, thanks for the info.

Michael

[RonnieRoots]

That's good to know. Thanks Dries.