ThePortForum.com

• Barros,
• Burmester,
• Calem,
• Kopke

• Ferreira,
• Ferreira Vinhas Velhas,
• Offley,
• Sandeman

• Cockburn,
• Dow,
• Graham,
• Graham Stone Terraces,
• Quinta de Roriz,
• Quinta do Vesuvio,
• Capela de Quinta do Vesuvio
• Smith Woodhouse,
• Warre

• Croft,
• Fonseca,
• Krohn,
• Skeffington,
• Taylor

Axel P wrote: ↑14:05 Mon 09 Apr 2018The Symingtons will inform the press today that they are releasing the following Vintage Ports of 2016:

Graham’s
Graham’s, The Stone Terraces
Dow’s
Warre’s
Cockburn’s
Smith Woodhouse
Quinta do Vesuvio and Capela do Vesuvio
Quinta de Roriz

I am sure there is more to arrive soon.

forest26 wrote: ↑14:03 Wed 11 Apr 2018for all our Port companies

Gould Campbell, RIP. Quarles Harris, RIP. Martinez, RIP.

Am I right in thinking none of QH, Mz or GC had an associated Quinta? I think that is quite significant. Anything produced under any of these brands would now be "a port wine produced from grapes/wines sourced from various places"

What would be distinctive about say, Martinez versus Gould Campbell in this scenario?

uncle tom wrote: ↑08:10 Mon 16 Apr 2018

Martinez - this was a really great name up until the '60 vintage. After that the company was sold and the brand pauperised. Is there really no place for a Portuguese brand name in the Symington's stable?

I agree with your question, but Martinez is actually a Spanish name
Martinez was founded in 1790 by the Spaniard D. Sebastian Gonzales Martinez.
(see http://www.vintageport.se/house/Martinez.php for more information)

I agree with your question, but Martinez is actually a Spanish name

uncle tom wrote: ↑09:15 Mon 16 Apr 2018

flash_uk wrote: ↑08:58 Mon 16 Apr 2018Am I right in thinking none of QH, Mz or GC had an associated Quinta? I think that is quite significant. Anything produced under any of these brands would now be "a port wine produced from grapes/wines sourced from various places"

Correct - but bear in mind that blending vintage ports has always had less to do with terroir and more to do with maintaining the distinctive house style through blending stocks from a variety of quintas.

Single quinta is not inherently better than multi quinta, as it ties the hands of the blender.

uncle tom wrote: ↑09:15 Mon 16 Apr 2018

flash_uk wrote: ↑08:58 Mon 16 Apr 2018What would be distinctive about say, Martinez versus Gould Campbell in this scenario?

It's quite hard to put the GC style into words, but it tends to be one of the more distinctive and recognisable wines in horizontals. It tends not to come over as a heavy wine, and is quite fragrant. Martinez from the glory days are getting old now, but the wines are still remarkably deep in colour, smooth and very elegant. Two very different port styles.

flash_uk wrote: ↑08:58 Mon 16 Apr 2018 Am I right in thinking none of QH, Mz or GC had an associated Quinta? I think that is quite significant. Anything produced under any of these brands would now be "a port wine produced from grapes/wines sourced from various places". What would be distinctive about say, Martinez versus Gould Campbell in this scenario? If losing these means scarce investment resources are more focused to drive higher quality elsewhere, maybe no bad thing?

I could also see an argument where thinning out the tail of brands creates a bit more space for newer, innovative producers to find a space (and for us to discover). I get the sense we've seen more new producers in the last 10 years than in the 40 before that, or am I imagining that?

Terrior? Blending expertise? Viniculture?

A Quinta gives one a story to tell, a place for people to see, a place for people to romanticize about

uncle tom wrote: ↑07:42 Mon 23 Apr 2018... no word on Krohn

uncle tom wrote: ↑16:47 Mon 23 Apr 2018 http://www.mentzendorff.co.uk/

Do they handle Krohn now? No mention on their site or brand list..

uncle tom wrote: ↑09:44 Mon 16 Apr 2018

I agree with your question, but Martinez is actually a Spanish name

OK smartarse - Iberian name then..

A quick Google suggests its Lusitanian equivalent is Martins

Have we a specific source for G and GST?

uncle tom wrote: ↑09:32 Sun 13 May 2018

Have we a specific source for G and GST?

At the BFT, whilst gently chastising Johnny Symington for killing off the Martinez brand, he mentioned that the Symingtons had declared nine VPs for 2016

I worked out these must be:

Cockburn
Dow
Graham
Graham Stone Terraces
Smith Woodhouse
Vesuvio
Vesuvio Capela
Warre

And then either Roriz (not sure of it's current status..) or a Symington Family Estates wine for future supermarket 'own brand' VP

Quinta de Roriz was made

uncle tom wrote: ↑11:54 Sun 13 May 2018

Quinta de Roriz was made

Is Roriz now a full member of the Symington stable - or just an estate they manage? Was not sure if Johnny would count it as 'one of theirs'..

uncle tom wrote: ↑11:38 Fri 18 May 2018 Given eurozone inflation and changes in the exchange rate (taking the change in sterling to USD to reflect a global price outlook) one might expect a release price increase for the '16s of around 15% over the 2011s.

First indications however are suggesting that release prices are being hiked by a whopping 35%

This is very disappointing - I will need to be extremely impressed to buy at that level..

Launching a full declaration is an expensive business with a large fixed cost that needs to be split across fewer cases.

DRT wrote: ↑16:53 Fri 18 May 2018

uncle tom wrote: ↑11:38 Fri 18 May 2018 Given eurozone inflation and changes in the exchange rate (taking the change in sterling to USD to reflect a global price outlook) one might expect a release price increase for the '16s of around 15% over the 2011s.

First indications however are suggesting that release prices are being hiked by a whopping 35%

This is very disappointing - I will need to be extremely impressed to buy at that level..

I suspect the tiny quantities are playing a part in the pricing. Launching a full declaration is an expensive business with a large fixed cost that needs to be split across fewer cases.

Even so, try buying a 1st Growth claret on release for <£50 a bottle in bond

John Owlett wrote: ↑16:11 Mon 23 Apr 2018

uncle tom wrote: ↑07:42 Mon 23 Apr 2018... no word on Krohn

Krohn has declared to-day as well —

http://krohn.pt/our-port-wines/classic-vintage-port/

— but I can’t find a Fladgate Partnership press release, nor any news of Quinta de Vargellas Vinha Velha.

John

H_Sterling wrote: ↑06:25 Mon 21 May 2018I understand that the Vinha Velha won't be released due to too little wine.

Krohn have declared the 2016 vintage – announced on St George’s Day (23rd April ’18) as is customary. The last classic vintage released was the 2011.

Head Winemaker David Guimaraens summarised the ’16 vintage:

“Two factors stand out in 2016. Heavy rainfall in spring meant that the vines had plenty of water throughout the summer. Secondly, the ripening season started relatively late and lasted well into September. This led to very gradual and even ripening of the crop with all elements in perfect balance at the time of the harvest. Picking started later than usual on all our estates….

…Harvesting conditions at the end of September and early October were perfect, with cool nights contributing to long fermentations and gentle, complete extraction. As a result the wines are solidly structured with firm, well integrated tannins and display very fine fruit quality.”

Krohn’s Managing Director, Adrian Bridge, said: “The keynotes of 2016 are purity and refinement. The Vintage Port displays elegance and poise, a wonderful purity of fruit and tannins of great quality… The 2016s are likely to become rarities in future, particularly given the trend towards enjoying Vintage Ports young.”

The 2016 will be shipped later in the year, and available by Autumn.

ThomasBarleycorn wrote: ↑13:50 Tue 06 Nov 2018 Quinta de Corvus port 2016 was declared too

Andy Velebil wrote: ↑10:30 Mon 16 Apr 2018 To be accurate, most VP's don't come from just one Quinta. Even "SQVP's", by law, can have a small amount from other Quinta's and still be called a SQVP.

JB vintage wrote:

Andy Velebil wrote: ↑10:30 Mon 16 Apr 2018 To be accurate, most VP's don't come from just one Quinta. Even "SQVP's", by law, can have a small amount from other Quinta's and still be called a SQVP.

Are there rules for SQVP? I thought that SQVP is not at all regulated by the law nor IVDP? Legally it is a Vintage Port, everything else is just marketing.

JB vintage wrote: ↑20:05 Fri 09 Nov 2018

Andy Velebil wrote: ↑10:30 Mon 16 Apr 2018 To be accurate, most VP's don't come from just one Quinta. Even "SQVP's", by law, can have a small amount from other Quinta's and still be called a SQVP.

Are there rules for SQVP? I thought that SQVP is not at all regulated by the law nor IVDP? Legally it is a Vintage Port, everything else is just marketing.