Looking for 14 half bottles of port

[Ahall41116]

Hi, I'm a new member, so be gentle!

I'm looking to purchase 14 half bottles of port, but I only have a budget of £2 per bottle.

Any suggestions?

Ash

[griff]

That would be quite difficult. There may be ruby halves on special at the supermarkets sometime. Alternatively they may come up at auction but somewhat unlikely I would imagine.

[RAYC]

I think you'll be lucky...if you are buying at retail, £21 out of your £28 budget represents UK Duty (and VAT on Duty)!

You are more likely to find 7 full bottles for £4 each - Tesco or Sainsbury might fit just about fit the bill: both have basic ruby or tawny port for £5-£6 per bottle and often run promotions such as buy 6, get 25% off.

[Ahall41116]

That would be quite difficult. There may be ruby halves on special at the supermarkets sometime. Alternatively they may come up at auction but somewhat unlikely I would imagine.

Griff, where would I find such an auction?
ash

[Ahall41116]

I think you'll be lucky...if you are buying at retail, £21 out of your £28 budget represents UK Duty (and VAT on Duty)!

You are more likely to find 7 full bottles for £4 each - Tesco or Sainsbury might fit just about fit the bill: both have basic ruby or tawny port for £5-£6 per bottle and often run promotions such as buy 6, get 25% off.

Rob

Thanks for the thought.

I'm preparing for a group dinner, and have 14 tables, and looking to put a bottle in each table, hence wanting halves to keep in budget

Ash

[RAYC]

Where do you live?

The cost of delivery from the auction would eat up most of £28, so you'd need an auction very close to you. Plus you'd then need to be patient about waiting for the bottles to come up. I would not want to rely on this as a route.

£28 is a difficult budget!

Only way i can think - if you want one bottle per table - is to collect some 250ml / 330ml glass bottles (beer bottles? ask a local restaurant to set 14 used mineral water bottles aside?), rinse thoroughly and remove labels, and decant port into those through a funnel from 75cl / 1l bottles purchased on offer at Tesco/Sainsbury.


But i would warn that my experience of port purchased at that price is that it is barely drinkable.

[griff]

Would have to agree with Rob. If it is for an event then auction is not the way to go. You could be waiting a year or three. Does it have to be half bottles and does it have to be port? If you can't rebottle then you could get a large decanter and pass it around. Its traditional after all

[Alex M]

North Cray Tesco, SE London, has 1/2 bottles of Croft LBV 2004 at £4. I'm unsure if they are currently running the 25% off deal but say they were, £3 is probably the best you will find at retail.

[griff]

North Cray Tesco, SE London, has 1/2 bottles of Croft LBV 2004 at £4. I'm unsure if they are currently running the 25% off deal but say they were, £3 is probably the best you will find at retail.

And I thought forum members had cleared the country of all stock