ThePortForum.com

AHB wrote:I am quite proud of myself. This year I have bought many fewer bottles of port than I have taken out of my stocks and I am on track to take out the planned number. This is the first year in my records when my port collection will have shrunk - a very odd feeling!

On this website you have admitted to being a harvest 1963 baby. So you are now 51. That is the sort of age at which Port stocks can safely stop growing. Relax. (And speak to Ben about longevity insurance.)

My Port collection has also shrunk this year, but mostly because I sold a small stash of daily drinkers that I no longer need. I have bought almost no Port in 2014.

jdaw1 wrote:

AHB wrote:I am quite proud of myself. This year I have bought many fewer bottles of port than I have taken out of my stocks and I am on track to take out the planned number. This is the first year in my records when my port collection will have shrunk - a very odd feeling!

On this website you have admitted to being a harvest 1963 baby. So you are now 51. That is the sort of age at which Port stocks can safely stop growing. Relax. (And speak to Ben about longevity insurance.)

A Vintage Port Longevity Swap is an interesting concept.

24 x W00 halves

Lots of 2011 Vintage port purchased over past few weeks. Some of the more notables were:
6l Croft 2011
3l Dows, Fonseca, Taylor 2011
1.5l Dows, Fonseca, Taylor, Croft 2011
750 ml Every 2011 Vintage Port I could purchase at a fair price.

6 litre. You plan not to die for decades.

djewesbury wrote:6 litre. You plan not to die for decades.

Or have an eye to the future. A cellar, considered rightly, is a thing that can have a life beyond one person. It would be how many of my relatives I would have to put up with to drink the thing that would trouble me. But one could leave it to be opened at the wake...

A cellar, considered rightly, is a thing that can have a life beyond one person.

+1

It is easy to forget that many of the bottles we buy at auction would not be there but for the decision of someone to buy bottles he or she would never live to drink.

I don't think too much about whether I will ever get to drink a bottle of VP, I prefer to make sure the collective age of all my bottles doesn't fall - currently 169,796 years, and gaining another fifteen every day, less drinkages..

Yes, ensuring your cellar age is equal to nearly 170 millennia is obviously one way of doing it!

It sounds like a lot until you realise that Tom has to wait more than a week between bottles of '08 to make the system work. Imagine; more than a week!

That's a will of iron.

uncle tom wrote:- currently 169,796 years

So that is roughly 315 cases/12 of 1970 port.

I thought that was about right, I guess the average age of Tom's bottles would probably be around 45 years so around 4,000ish bottles.

I guess the average age of Tom's bottles would probably be around 45 years so around 4,000ish bottles.

As of this moment - thirty years, one month, twenty days, two hours and seventeen minutes - total VP count: 5,634 bottles

uncle tom wrote:

A cellar, considered rightly, is a thing that can have a life beyond one person.

+1

It is easy to forget that many of the bottles we buy at auction would not be there but for the decision of someone to buy bottles he or she would never live to drink.

I feel sorry that these bottles, I assume something must have gone wrong in the sucession for it to get sold off. I am already teeing up various nephews (only 1 niece in New Zealand, wouldn't make the journey) but I am sure the ungrateful wretches will flog it as soon as I'm underground. My recent favourite has blotted his copybook by suggesting I mash up fruit into port. *shudders*.

I am available for adoption as a nephew.

And even, if strictly necessary, and subject to certain exceptions, as a niece.

This is an interesting topic. Perhaps we should split off into a separate topic: "who are you leaving your port to?"

I have a niece I am hoping to educate. She's just turned 16 and lives in Land's End so has lived a very Good Life until now.

jdaw1 wrote:I am available for adoption as a nephew.

And even, if strictly necessary, and subject to certain exceptions, as a niece.

Delicious as the suggestion is Julian here we are considering the next generation. There is another Owen Carroll out there, related to me who seems to have put on the yellow jersey for the present.

Please, reconsider that last word. Google prison slang.

A case of Smith Woodhouse 1977 from Berrys. Liked it, liked it again at the port walk, now I've got a box and can shut up about it. With the extra bit off quite reasonable.

Ooh, get you! Good choice.

djewesbury wrote:Ooh, get you! Good choice.

Thanks for the endorsement, I need reassurance on these occasions. I have had a bit of an itchy trigger finger since I saw this one, then, after a few glasses of despicable Rhone I noticed the reduction. No doubt you have bought twenty gallons of 31 Noval for the same price at Strakers this week.

I have bought nothing but a few halves of different Wine Society champagnes (inc Pol) for a taste test next week (under your influence). And my halves of W00.

LGTrotter wrote:A case of Smith Woodhouse 1977 from Berrys. Liked it, liked it again at the port walk, now I've got a box and can shut up about it. With the extra bit off quite reasonable.

Out of interest, how long is a 9l box of port likely to last you?

AHB wrote:

LGTrotter wrote:A case of Smith Woodhouse 1977 from Berrys. Liked it, liked it again at the port walk, now I've got a box and can shut up about it. With the extra bit off quite reasonable.

Out of interest, how long is a 9l box of port likely to last you?

It varies. They seem to last longer these days but mainly because I have a bit more variety to call on. My favourites (Graham 85) I would get through a case in 3 or 4 years at a guess. But I tend to be a bit more profligate with ports I know I can replace quite easily. I will probably leave the SW77 at Berry's for a year or two then drink about a bottle a year until I'm down to the last few at which point I will slow up. I find it nearly impossible to drink my last one of any port, except if I only ever had one to start with in which case I want to try it. The SW77 is in two half cases which means that I might get one down early, dunno, never had half cases before. Oh the agony of choice.

Despit my good intentions if I find a port which seems à point I lay into it without realising, on such occasions the box is gone rather quicker than I have suggested.

Whisper it quietly but I seem to be drinking less port this season than I have for years. Too much talking and not enough drinking in my opinion.

AHB wrote:Out of interest, how long is a 9l box of port likely to last you?

Will you show me yours now I've shown you mine?

3x 2011 Dow 6 pack 750 ml in owc
10X 1997 Sandeman Vau Vintage Port Magnums
12x 1994 Rozes Vintage Port
12x 2011 Fonseca
12x 2011 Grahams
12x 2011 Taylor
12x 2011 Warres

differentdave wrote:3x 2011 Dow 6 pack 750 ml in owc
10X 1997 Sandeman Vau Vintage Port Magnums
12x 1994 Rozes Vintage Port
12x 2011 Fonseca
12x 2011 Grahams
12x 2011 Taylor
12x 2011 Warres

Now that's stocking up for the future.

6 x Churchill Agua Alta 87 for under £23 a bottle all in.

Half a 12-case shared with a new port convert. TPF works its magic again.

You hit that one clean out of the park. Nice find.

Well thank you, you say the nicest things.

12 Dow 85 £26 each from local auction (they have only just started selling wine and spirits)

Two of which I am swapping for a small freezer, such is the way of things.

DaveRL wrote:12 Dow 85 £26 each from local auction (they have only just started selling wine and spirits)

Daniel, your raise I believe!

idj123 wrote:

DaveRL wrote:12 Dow 85 £26 each from local auction (they have only just started selling wine and spirits)

Daniel, your raise I believe!

In the New Year… I have a cellar plan for 2015

Excellent. I suspect that you will need it when the next few pallets of port arrive

I know, I know, I know. I'm not supposed to be buying anything. But when I had the chance to buy a six-pack of Graham's 6 Grapes Old Vines I couldn't resist. Expect to see these from time to time at tastings.

Hi,
Last Thursday I bought 6x Quinta de Sta. Eufemia LBV 2007 on auction for just over €100,~ including shipping. This week I try to purchase a lot of 18 different bottles of Ware's

Martin

A 2007 LBV at €17 per bottle seems good, though I don’t know how good is the Quinta Santa Eufêmia.

8 x 1970 Croft for ~$110/bottle all-in including shipping. That's a little pricey at auction, but since it's all-in it isn't too bad. Retail in the US would normally be $120-$150 though at the moment there are two bottles listed on Winesearcher at $100.

Martin Peeters wrote:Hi,
Last Thursday I bought 6x Quinta de Sta. Eufemia LBV 2007 on auction for just over €100,~ including shipping. This week I try to purchase a lot of 18 different bottles of Ware's

Martin

Good score! I know the auction and have bought there before, regularly (I find sometimes the prices get quite high though). I will be sure not to be bidding against you on the Warre's.

Tnx Gerwin . But you can try the Dalva Golden White in the same auction. You'll be surprised.

Martin

jdaw1 wrote:

A 2007 LBV at €17 per bottle seems good, though I don’t know how good is the Quinta Santa Eufêmia.

You have to try Quinta de Sta. Eufemia some time. It's a small house with remarkably good tawnies. The 30 and 40 years are really worth buying. I have never tried the LBV'07 before and I am very curious about this wine.


Martin

Gerwin and Martin: you made me curious. Which auction are you talking about? (Or which auction house?)

If I tell you, I've to shoot you
Allright because I am new here I will tell you Only don't go after the Ware's

http://auction.catawiki.com/wineauction/Thursday
http://auktion.catawiki.de/wein-auktion/Donnerstag

Martin

Thanks for the info. I didn't know this auction platform. I won't bid for the Warre. Promised!

Martin Peeters wrote:Tnx Gerwin . But you can try the Dalva Golden White in the same auction. You'll be surprised.

Martin

Thanks for the tip! Actually, I've got one of those already (via this auction as well some time ago). Be aware that this is a 500ml bottle (not full size), which is not stated (I think) in the description of the lot.

Have you tried it already? I know it's a 0.5 l but still worth it. I have two in my collection and really want to try the '63 too. I have tasted the '52 and that one is the top of whites in my humble opinion.

Martin

Martin Peeters wrote:Have you tried it already? I know it's a 0.5 l but still worth it. I have two in my collection and really want to try the '63 too. I have tasted the '52 and that one is the top of whites in my humble opinion.

Martin

This humble opinion says that the 52 is sublime, the 63 is good, but the 71 is really very good indeed. If this is a 0.5l that means it's the same bottling as the one we drank with Glenn at this event - am I right? It doesn't seem to be recorded there.

EDIT: no, of course, I'm wrong - what was notable about Glenn's bottle was that it was a 0.75.

And I see that Lot 19 is indeed a Dalva GWC71 - Martin, you should give this lot a go, the current price is very good...

djewesbury wrote:

Martin Peeters wrote:Have you tried it already? I know it's a 0.5 l but still worth it. I have two in my collection and really want to try the '63 too. I have tasted the '52 and that one is the top of whites in my humble opinion.

Martin

This humble opinion says that the 52 is sublime, the 63 is good, but the 71 is really very good indeed. If this is a 0.5l that means it's the same bottling as the one we drank with Glenn at this event - am I right? It doesn't seem to be recorded there.

EDIT: no, of course, I'm wrong - what was notable about Glenn's bottle was that it was a 0.75.

Yes, the bottle I brought to London was one of the old 750ml bottles. 2008 bottling according to my notes. I tasted a 2007 bottling 3 days later at O Paparico in Porto with some other denizens of this forum.

I agree that 52 > 71 > 63. The '52 is almost gone forever, so treasure any opportunity you have to try it.

My take.. The 1952 from the earlier bottlings (2006/2007) were awesome. The ones bottled after that were very good but not great like the previous bottlings. The 1963 is ok, but a good distance from the quality of any of the 1952. The 1971 isn't worth the price, unless you can buy it very cheap. It's also very different stylistically than the 1952/63, though a bit closer in style to the 63 than the 52. I would venture a guess they bought some lesser quality casks from the Casa do Douro after we drove the popularity of the '52 through the roof.

Martin Peeters wrote:Have you tried it already? I know it's a 0.5 l but still worth it. I have two in my collection and really want to try the '63 too. I have tasted the '52 and that one is the top of whites in my humble opinion.

Martin

You've convinced me . Earlier tonight I got another 1971 Golden White.