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In my port buying lifetime I have purchased 7 x 6 bottle cases of Vesuvio. The most recent of which was purchased yesterday.

On each occassion I have opened the cardboard box, carefully pulled out the polished wooden case by its brass handle, un-clipped the brass fittings and stared in wonderment at the bottles, each of which are individually wrapped in Vesuvio branded tissue paper set in nice little wooden stocks to keep them safe. I then close the wooden box, fasten the brass fittings, put it back in the cardboard box and send it off to storage without drinking any of the bottles. I have not yet purchased a Vesuvio and drunk it as I just can't bring myself to disturb them from their beautiful little polished wooden house

Am I suffering from some kind of illness or is this something that others have experienced?

Derek

Derek T. wrote:
Am I suffering from some kind of illness or is this something that others have experienced?

Derek

Send me a few cases and we might share in your "illness" together.

Surely a picture would assist us in understanding?

No Derek, you are suffering the same illness as I

I'm glad I'm not alone

Here is a small picture to help the un-afflicted...

I do so love those boxes. The coolest thing I've seen come out of the Douro...ok, besides whats in the bottle

Thanks for that. Very good.

But no, it looks to quaffable to leave alone...

Apart from the fact its too bloody young!

Ohh but how good they are young...even you will like them

Alan,

You're right. They are too young. For that reason and that reason only I will leave them in their snuggly-wuggly little tissue paper wrapped state in those lovely little shiny boxes.

Derek

I found a new emoticon for our Baby Killing Cousins!

Alan

But did you take the bin label and book out???? that is the question of the year you know

ADV wrote:But did you take the bin label and book out???? that is the question of the year you know

No. I leave those in the box because they would be lonely if they were separated from their friends

Good man...I knew that is why I liked you...mine are still there with their friends too

ADV wrote:Good man...I knew that is why I liked you...mine are still there with their friends too

Great. That's you, me and Jack Nicholson from As Good as it Gets

Yes, but did Conky get his 6'er?? Come on Alan...go get yours...

I've sadly never tried a Vesuvio's

But our Vesuvio Man tells me the early 90's bunch are just coming into the killing fields.

Conky wrote:I've sadly never tried a Vesuvio's

OMFG!!! I see what I need to bring later this year for you to try.

Then again...maybe one of the days I'm there a Vesuvio vertical may be in order

I'll leave the Tannin Vertical to you guys.

But I'd love to expand my knowledge with an early 90's.

I have only had 15 Vesuvios. 1 in Dublin last month and 14 on the balcony of Quinta do Vesuvio in Oct 2006

Conky wrote:
But I'd love to expand my knowledge with an early 90's.

OK...thats easy enough...consider it done!

ADV wrote:

Conky wrote:
But I'd love to expand my knowledge with an early 90's.

OK...thats easy enough...consider it done!

Superb. What a shame you dont live around the corner...I'm free later

We could have shared a bottle over The Grand National. (Tell me you know what that is?)

Conky wrote:

We could have shared a bottle over The Grand National. (Tell me you know what that is?)

The what

I'm only a short plane ride away...well maybe not so short

Conky wrote: The Grand National. (Tell me you know what that is?)

A fabulous example of We-Used-to-Have-an Empire-ism

The oldest and biggest Steeple Chase Horse Race in the World, and its around the corner from here. Everyone has a little Mugs Bet on it.

Derek T. wrote:I have only had 15 Vesuvios. 1 in Dublin last month and 14 on the balcony of Quinta do Vesuvio in Oct 2006

Correction: I've had 16, the last one being a 2005 shared with AHB and Cristopher at the Crusting Pipe 2 weeks ago

Isn't Derek a nice man - he's started a Vesuvio thread up to welcome me home to good old Blighty.

Derek T. wrote: Correction: I've had 16, the last one being a 2005 shared with AHB and Cristopher at the Crusting Pipe 2 weeks ago

'Nuff said, I think.

Actually, Alan, the really young Vesuvios are surprisingly not tannic. There is so much fruit in them that the tannins are well in the background until they are around 5 years old. I wouldn't drink a 2003 now but I did quite enjoy the 2005 that temporarily slipped Derek's mind.

But since you prefer your ports with some age on them, it's probably only the '89-'92 that we should try you out with.

Andy - I believe that Berry Brothers are planning a complete Vesuvio vertical this Autumn. I've no idea what the cost will be yet. Do you want me to see if I can influence the choice of date so that it falls into the week that includes October 8?

And finally I can assure everyone that removing these bottles from their snuggly-wuggly wrappers and their snuggly-wuggly boxes gets easier the older the bottles. And the cases make excellent CD or DVD storage.

Alex

If you thought Vesuvio was prettily packaged - have a look at the Dow Senhora da Ribeira packaging..

Personally, I'd rather have a couple of extra bottles for the same money, and have them packed in cardboard cartons.

The solution to the your problem however is follow my example - take the bottles out of the box, bin the paper, rack the bottles and give away the box.

That way you don't feel guilty about opening a bottle!

The only problem is what do about those pottery bin labels...

...suggestions?

Tom

AHB wrote:
Andy - I believe that Berry Brothers are planning a complete Vesuvio vertical this Autumn. I've no idea what the cost will be yet. Do you want me to see if I can influence the choice of date so that it falls into the week that includes October 8?

Alex

Now that would be very nice. I'm sure with a little prodding you can get them to set the date for the week I"m there in October.

uncle tom wrote: The only problem is what do about those pottery bin labels...

...suggestions?

Tom

Hang it off the neck of a bottle in your racking. They work quite well

Conky wrote:The oldest and biggest Steeple Chase Horse Race in the World, and its around the corner from here. Everyone has a little Mugs Bet on it.

We had 4th, 5th and 6th. £12 down, £3.50 back, well done.

I was amazed to find a thread started overnight had attracted so much attention.

I am a Vesuvio virgin as well.

Me and Debs had the winner and 4th. Only won £35 but its better than nothing.

KillerB wrote: I am a Vesuvio virgin as well.

And how would the week beginning Oct 6 suit you for the Berry's tasting?

Alex

Invested £12 in the GN (pub sweepstake) - got £30 back (second place nag) - so a happy bunny! (my other three horses got nowhere!)

Andy,

If you try to hang that bin label on a bottle in a regular rack, it crashes onto the bottle below and looks stupid..

Fine for bins holding bottles by the hundred, but who has those these days?

I have this horrid feeling that the bin label probably costs as much as a bottle to produce...

Tom

AHB wrote:

KillerB wrote: I am a Vesuvio virgin as well.

And how would the week beginning Oct 6 suit you for the Berry's tasting?

Alex

Sounds good - week of my birthday, nice present to self.

uncle tom wrote: Andy,

If you try to hang that bin label on a bottle in a regular rack, it crashes onto the bottle below and looks stupid..

Fine for bins holding bottles by the hundred, but who has those these days?

I have this horrid feeling that the bin label probably costs as much as a bottle to produce...

Tom

Give it away as a chrstmas gift to one of us Port drinkers

I can report that following the advice on AHB and Uncle Tom I took the first step towards losing my Vesuvio Virginity this evening. I removed all 6 bottles of V96 from their fluffy-wuffy ickle box and placed them in my wine storage unit. I have not been brave enough to stand one upright or remove the tissue paper yet but at least I got to 1st base. One of them will go on Death Row within the month.

Derek