TPF Group Purchase from Farr Vintners

Anything to do with Port.
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DRT
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TPF Group Purchase from Farr Vintners

Post by DRT »

The possibility arose today in another theread of a group purchase of a case of Dow 1980 for the very good price of £340 + Duty & VAT from Farr Vintners. The cost per bottle would be around £35.50.

Unfortunaltely, Farr's have a minimum order policy which is set at £500. Scouting around on their site I came across this:


Maury 1937
"...Seriously good-value sweet wine antiques that you can drink over quite a time as they retain their fruit and freshness well in an opened bottle...Roussillon around Perpignan just north of the Pyrenees has for decades been most famous with French wine drinkers for its strong sweet wines with names such as Banyuls, Maury and Rivesaltes. These depend mainly on old Grenache bushvines in varying colours of grapes which reach great ripeness in the region's hot, windy summers. They are typically vinified like port, the grape sugar being retained in the wine by stopping fermentation with added alcohol (particularly strong and pure in this case), and are then aged in wood or glass for very long periods. Some wines here are put into glass bonbonnes and even deliberately exposed to heat as in the Madeira process. The result is a wide range of different strong, sweet wines (vins doux naturels in French) which are virtually indestructible but, while they fit in to a wine drinker's repertoire very much like a port, they are much rarer than port and many tasters, even quite experienced ones, have little exposure to the various styles on offer. Maury 1937 - Very bright brick. Very intense nose and quite firm frame on the finish. A little bit of a gap inbetween. But lots of bang for the buck. Falls off a little. Good acidity and race. Kept in wood for more than 50 years according to the documentation. 17 per cent." 17/20 points, Jancis Robinson

This is listed at £40 per bottle plus Duty and VAT but is on offer in a 6-pack for £160 - precisely the sum we require to reach the £500 minimum order threshhold.

Is anyone interested in sharing these 2 cases?

Derek
"The first duty of Port is to be red"
Ernest H. Cockburn
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g-man
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Post by g-man »

sounds interesting

how would storage work for us int he states?
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DRT
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Post by DRT »

g-man,

I'm sure someone here would store a few bottles for you until they could be collected and taken to the US. Perhaps if you spoke nicely to jdaw or AHB they could carry some over for you?

Derek
"The first duty of Port is to be red"
Ernest H. Cockburn
Roy Hersh
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Post by Roy Hersh »

I've had the 1929 and 1937 Maury, amongst other vintages. It is worth the asking price mentioned, but don't go for more than the six.

The 1980 Dow at that price is still worthy as I've had it twice in February/March and it continues to get better every time I taste it. I know you guys love it too, how can you go wrong?
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DRT
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Post by DRT »

Roy Hersh wrote:I've had the 1929 and 1937 Maury, amongst other vintages. It is worth the asking price mentioned, but don't go for more than the six.
Roy,

Why do you advise not to go for more than 6?

Derek
"The first duty of Port is to be red"
Ernest H. Cockburn
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Alex Bridgeman
Croft 1945
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Post by Alex Bridgeman »

Roy Hersh wrote:I've had the 1929 and 1937 Maury, amongst other vintages.
One of the other vintages was the 1945, which appeared at your birthday last year. :-)
Top Ports in 2024: Niepoort 1900 Colheita, b.1971. A near perfect Port.

2025: Quevedo 1972 Colheita, b.2024. Just as good as Niepoort 1900!
Andy Velebil
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Post by Andy Velebil »

AHB wrote: One of the other vintages was the 1945, which appeared at your birthday last year. :-)
Very nice, although quite different than anything I've had. A real treat
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DRT
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Post by DRT »

AHB, Roy & ADV,

Can you please describe what this stuff tastes like? I have seen various descriptions comparing it to port and Madiera but ADV's comment about it being different has me worried.

Is it "different" in the way that PX is different to Sherry or is it "different" in the way that Pink Port is different to anything remotely drinkable?

I'm looking for a generic description of the Maury style rather than the specific flavours or qualities of the 1937 vintage.

Thanks

Derek
"The first duty of Port is to be red"
Ernest H. Cockburn
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KillerB
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Post by KillerB »

I'm willing on up to 4 of the Dow 80 as well.
Port is basically a red drink
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