Researchers and the IVDP

[uncle tom]

I have never had any direct dealings with the IVDP, other than to send the odd email to the address on their website, which does not appear to be serviced..

Part of their remit is, I understand, to publish data on the Port industry, and their website does contain many interesting tables.

To be able to compile those tables indicates that they have a very detailed record of production and distribution, in addition to their role as the industry's approval agency for premium products.

Their records must be able to yield a lot of information that would be of interest to us, but does not appear to be published (at least on-line)

Specifically, the following come to mind:

1) A periodic bulletin listing the products that have passed their approval process. This must be produced, and whilst it would include some products that are never subsequently released; it would be of huge interest.

2) An analysis of VP production, identifying quantities made each year.

3) An analysis of VP sales in any given year, indicating the quantities of each vintage sold.

4) A sub analysis of (3), indicating the quantities sold to each market.

While some might feel that this amount of detail could be construed as commercially sensitive, one only has to look at the existing published data relating to prices to realise that they are already publishing data that is far more sensitive.

My real question is to establish the best way to seek this data..?

Tom

[jdaw1]

1. Have a reputation for being measured in one’s criticism and fulsome in praise.
2. Ask the IVDP they might well be friendly.
3. But the IVDP seems to have a near-maximal definition of commercial sensitivity, so one might have to forage for oneself in the library.

[uncle tom]

" Ask the IVDP they might well be friendly. "

Other than snail mail, do you have an address that gets serviced?

Tom

[jdaw1]

Sorry, I was unclear. Ask for permission to browse the IVDP’s library. Then ask if they have the data to hand.

[benread]

Tom,

I have just finished reading a book (borrowed from a friend) called "Port" by George Robertson. (ISBN 0571110231)

I was in the process of scanning a couple of pages for you and others to use as reference for various projects. The info includes:

Vintage ports and their Shippers, 1869 - 1970
Exports of Port, 1958 - 1975 (Expressed in hectolitres and split by type - Container, Cask, Bottle and Total)
Duties on Port Imported into the UK, 1921 - 1976 (per gallon in bulk and in bottle)
List of Port Shippers

The book was printed in 1975, so pobably to the delight of JDAW1, makes no assertion as to the 1975 vintage!

The scanning process went wrong, so I will try again tonight (whilst finishing a glass or two of Morgan 91!)

[Alex Bridgeman]

I believe that I once read somewhere that the IVDP records are available for public research. I presume that this must be by appointment and would likely require at least a serviceable knowledge of Portuguese.

However, I do not have an email address for them - I would suggest a far more practical telephone enquiry.