Fonseca 1966

[baggy]

Hi all,

I'm on the hunt for some information and thought you chaps would be a good source (if not the source) to go too.

I have been presented with a very late christening present (some 30 years late), and would now like to get an understanding with what I now own - in terms of drinking or re-sale at auction or privately.

The details are:

12 bottles of Fonseca 1966 is in a sealed box labelled ' Shorham'. It has not been opened since the box was sealed. It hasn't been kept in bond but in my Godfather's wine cellar.

Now I confess - I'm not knowledgeable in this area and would like to know if this has any value or should I just enjoy with some friends on a winter night.

Thanks in advance.

Baggy

[g-man]

this is a very most enjoyable wine and one that's well worth drinking.

At retail the price ranges from 160$ to 220$ USD a bottle.

at auction I bought mine at 140$ but I've seen it go as high as 180-190$ USD with buyers included.

I would guess the prices in the UK would be cheaper then in the States.

[uncle tom]

A very nice gift indeed..!

If you are in the UK and the bottles are in good order, you will probably be able to realise about £800 for the case.

I personally have sufficient, but someone here might be interested in making you an offer..

Tom

[RAYC]

Yes - to be clear, this is absolutely one of the best ports for drinking today, and in no danger of going past its prime anytime soon. Have a read through the reviews on the tasting note section of the forum and on cellartracker.com to find out more.

Unless you have need of the cash or just don't like port, my vote would be to pull these out for drinking on special occasions over the next 10-15 (20-50?!) years (it would also be very enjoyable with friends on a winter night...or with your generous godfather!). But it is valuable, so if you do want to sell worth ringing round the serious merchants to see if they are interested (Seckfords, Wilkinson, Coe Vintners, Nickolls and Perks). I'm not well placed to advise on auctions, though I would think that the figure Tom provided is about right.

[Glenn E.]

Please do make sure that the bottles are on their sides, though. Port should not be stored standing up.

Cardboard wine boxes in the US tend to store bottles standing up. However if your box is an original wooden case then you're probably fine - those usually store the bottles on their sides as they should be.

[JacobH]

Please do make sure that the bottles are on their sides, though. Port should not be stored standing up.

Cardboard wine boxes in the US tend to store bottles standing up. However if your box is an original wooden case then you're probably fine - those usually store the bottles on their sides as they should be.

I imagine it would be in wood; cardboard boxes are quite a recent development for Vintage Ports, aren’t they?

[Alex Bridgeman]

I imagine it would be in wood; cardboard boxes are quite a recent development for Vintage Ports, aren’t they?

I've a cardboard box from 1963 - I think it was Gonzales Byass. I guess that could have been a late release from cellars, though.

[uncle tom]

I imagine it would be in wood; cardboard boxes are quite a recent development for Vintage Ports, aren’t they?

Actually, no - a lot of English bottled port was shipped in cardboard during the sixties, and the Symingtons mostly used cardboard when shipping the '75 vintage from Oporto.

Tom