Qunta do Vale Dona Maria 1997

[ACmole]

Just had a letter from The Wine Society saying their supplier is withdrawing Qunta do Vale Dona Maria 1997 due to "excessive levels of acidity" in some bottles.

They will be replacing said bottles with Niepoort 2000.

This seems a remarkably generous offer, given that they were purchased about 5 years ago.

It's a shame I only had half a case and have drunk 2

[ajfeather]

hey will be replacing said bottles with Niepoort 2000.

Not a bad drop

[RonnieRoots]

Not a bad deal at all, the Niepoort was probably always the better wine. 1997 was still early days for Vale d. Maria and the quality has increased a lot in recent years.

[uncle tom]

1) Checks stock - I have the '99 & '00 VdM but no '97 - good..

2) Checks tasting notes - none on TPF - wonders how extensive the problem is..

3) Wonders what will happen to the withdrawn stock - if, say, 50% were duff, I can think of several people who'd offer them £5 a bottle, and cook up a Chilli or casserole whenever they opened a duff one..

4) Remembers that the next bottle on Death Row is a Cockburn '83 - first time I've opened one, and they do have a reputation in that dept - fingers crossed!

Tom

[ACmole]

The 2 bottles we've had were fine, still a bit closed if anything and looking like they would mature quite well.

If it wasn't for the offer of the Niepoort....

Alan