why no mags before 1970

[Symon B]

hi iv never seen bottles in the magnum form before 1970 do they exist
is it true qn national never did mags at all thankyou symonb

[Roy Hersh]

There are definitely Mags before 1970 and although I have a Fonseca 1970 to open tomorrow, I was considering bringing my 1935 Cockburn. I have seen and own others from the 1960s too and have consumed mags from 1955, which is the oldest I can remember having seen. I am willing to bet that there are mags from older vintages than 1955 too.

[Symon B]

hi roy thankyou i cant wait to here your notes on the 70f mag you lucky man its my wifes favrite port and in my top 5 ever never had it out of a mag yet i collect thef70 as you know i bet that port will drink at peak for another 80 ys plus in mag how maney are tasting it regards symonb
ps i found it perfect served below room temp

[Moses Botbol]

There are a lot of magnums for sale from 1970+ that is for sure. Have demijons come to sale before?

[Tom Archer]

Old magnums certainly exist - some Graham 48's went under the hammer late last year.

I don't really 'do' magnums because one is very constrained when it comes to finding suitable occasions for them.

If you look in the shippers bottle stores in VNG, you will see quite a number of magnums, and larger formats as well.

However the largest formats are for private consumption or charitable donation, as the IVDP appears to be a bit awkward about their sale. I have also been told that the USA will not allow fortified wines to be imported in a larger format than a magnum.

As far as I know there is nothing to stop the shippers selling double mags, and Julian Wiseman has expended considerable time going through reams of regulatory paperwork in a bid to prove that larger formats are also legal.

My suspicion is that the IVDP's bureaucracy deters the shippers from producing products that have a very small market prospect.

Tom

[Roy Hersh]

I would agree with your suspicion Tom, although I must say it is a most ridiculous regulation that prevents large format Port bottles from being sold. When I see the types of wines that are sold at charitable auctions for many worthy causes, I can only think that having a large format (e.g. a 5 liter of 1994 Vintage Port) would have very positive returns and more importantly put Port into a new light.

But even for consumers I can't see any reason why we can buy nearly every other type of wine in the world in large formats, but not Port.

I have asked Julian if he'd like to pen an article to be included in the FTLOP newsletter and I'd be happy to promote it, as it would be seen by the entire Port trade as well as the Port regulators who all receive the newsletter.

[Symon B]

hi uncle tom im getting into mags as it hapens as they keep the longest esp for the kids in future years the 2 bottles of port in a mag can easily be decked by 6 adults in 1ore 2 nights
what does vng and ivdp mean please remember small is beautifull but big is best speaks truthes here symonb

[Glenn E.]

VNG is short for Vila Nova de Gaia, the city across the Douro River from Porto where all the Port lodges actually are.

IVDP (sometimes also IVP) is short for Instituto do Vinho do Porto, the government agency that controls the Port trade.

[Andy Velebil]

IVDP (sometimes also IVP) is short for Instituto do Vinho do Porto, the government agency that controls the Port trade.

Just to clarify. The IVP is now the IVDP (Institudo dos Vinhos do Douro e Porto) or translated "The Port and Douro Wines Institute" . The added "D" stands for Douro, as in Douro Wines.

In formal terms, and in accordance with its internal regulations, approved by Decree-Law 278/2003, of 6th November, the mission of the Port and Douro Wine Institute (IVDP) is to supervise Douro viticulture as per the model of a public institute of an interprofessional nature, which includes the certification of wines from the Douro Demarcated Region, as well as disciplinary and punitive functions and - as an interprofessional body - the responsability of the management and coordenation of Douro viticulture.

The present model of the Port and Douro Wine Institute (IVDP) is the result of the merger of the Douro Demarcated Region Interprofessional Commission (CIRDD) and the former Port Wine Institute (IVP), and the transfer of new responsabilities once held by the Casa do Douro (CD).