Bullocks’ blood

[jdaw1]

There is another deceit, too, practised in the Wine Trade to which we would wish to call your attention, and that is the clap-trap of ‟Wine old in bottle.” Now, on the continent wine is usually ripened in cask and then drunk newly-bottled, and those in our list are ready for use in the same way (unless specially mentioned otherwise), but we do not profess to sell them as ‟old in bottle.” There is no doubt, however, that age will improve them all; but we hardly need tell you, that if you want wine really old in bottle you must keep it in your own cellar, because one year there is worth three years with most wine merchants. Do not forget the indisputable fact that wine bottled on 31st December 1859, was two years in bottle on 1st January, 1860, although only one day had elapsed since the corks were driven, and of course will have been three years in bottle on 1st January, 1861. Do not be misled either by a thick crust on port; it is no proof that the wine is old in bottle, because Port Wine is often put into bottles with an old crust adhering to it, and still oftener into bottles in which an artificial crust of old wine lees and bullocks’ blood has been baked, and if the crust sticks very tight and the wine pours bright to the last drop, you may be perfectly sure that crust was never deposited by the wine you have just poured off from it. The thing is very simple. Some old wine lees and bullocks’ blood are made just thick enough to pour; a small quantity is put into each bottle, which is then turned gently half round so as to spread it evenly on one side, and then laid carefully on to a rack. When a sufficient number are done the top-side is white-washed to mark it, artificial heat applied, and in a short time each bottle has a hard, firm, crust upon it. The wine is then put in, corks dyed with logwood used, and the bottles laid down on their side in a room into which a lot of dust is blown. This falling down adheres to the upper side, and forth comes the wine ‟Splendid Old Port fifteen years in bottle.” Can you wonder then at the common complaint that good Port old in bottle is not to be got, not matter what price one may be willing to pay for it?

[uncle tom]

Great find Julian!

Tom

[Axel P]

Very interesting

Axel

[Andy Velebil]

Yes very interesting.

[Alex Bridgeman]

Good grief. So I should be keeping all my old port bottles unrinsed so that I can refill them and sell them on as 15 years old port.

More seriously, I wonder if maturing unfiltered ruby port in a bottle full of old lees would improve the taste of the port. I might buy a couple of bottles of an unfiltered ruby port and conduct a 5 year experiment. Can anyone recommend a suitable unfiltered ruby?

[DRT]

Graham's 6 Grapes, Passadouro or Javali should do the trick.

[Alex Bridgeman]

The easiest of those to get hold of would be Graham's 6 Grapes. I shall try the theory out.

[jdaw1]

More seriously, I wonder if maturing unfiltered ruby port in a bottle full of old lees would improve the taste of the port. I might buy a couple of bottles of an unfiltered ruby port and conduct a 5 year experiment. Can anyone recommend a suitable unfiltered ruby?

The easiest of those to get hold of would be Graham's 6 Grapes. I shall try the theory out.

What happened?

[djewesbury]

Someone is on their own and possibly bored and browsing dead forums.

[jdaw1]

Someone is on their own and possibly bored and browsing dead forums.

No. Was looking for — and have now found — an old thread.