Donaldson Bottles

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h booger
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Donaldson Bottles

Post by h booger »

Hello Forum,

Sometime ago bought a big lot of wines from a private person and this two bottles came with the lot. Already try do some search on internet but not find any equal bottle. The J.N.V Seal shows they are bottling between 1937 - 1979.

The information get on internet : Donaldson Vinhos & Cia (MWC)
Brand of the MWC, joined in 1934, probably went out of trade in 1980, but is still used in Japan.


Anyone have more information and know how much can worth?
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Andy Velebil
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Re: Donaldson Bottles

Post by Andy Velebil »

They appear to be more basic bottlings. I'd suspect you'd be better off just opening them and trying them than the hassle trying to sell them.
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Moses Botbol
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Re: Donaldson Bottles

Post by Moses Botbol »

Andy Velebil wrote:They appear to be more basic bottlings. I'd suspect you'd be better off just opening them and trying them than the hassle trying to sell them.
Agreed.
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h booger
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Re: Donaldson Bottles

Post by h booger »

It's a shame internet did not show profile of the company or what kind of wines the company produced. Today find some equal bottles on vivino.com but only show photo and not have any information. Offcourse the worth will be more for the brand and rarity than content of the wine inside the bottle. I hope the Pale Dry bottle will be delicious like Blandy`s Rainwater ( medium pale dry) tasted on the past :)


https://www.vivino.com/wineries/donalds ... e-dry-9999

https://www.vivino.com/wineries/donalds ... -rich-9999

https://www.vivino.com/wineries/donalds ... -rich-2014
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Andy Velebil
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Re: Donaldson Bottles

Post by Andy Velebil »

h booger wrote:It's a shame internet did not show profile of the company or what kind of wines the company produced. Today find some equal bottles on vivino.com but only show photo and not have any information. Offcourse the worth will be more for the brand and rarity than content of the wine inside the bottle. I hope the Pale Dry bottle will be delicious like Blandy`s Rainwater ( medium pale dry) tasted on the past :)


https://www.vivino.com/wineries/donalds ... e-dry-9999

https://www.vivino.com/wineries/donalds ... -rich-9999

https://www.vivino.com/wineries/donalds ... -rich-2014
I'm going to be blunt, as we see this often when it comes to people who find old bottles. The vast majority are worth next to nothing, regardless of the producer. It's like cars, older doesn't make them more valuable in and of itself. If you started with a crap Yugo 40 years ago, you've got an even worse crap Yugo today. What matters is what's inside the bottle.
Andy Velebil Good wine is a good familiar creature if it be well used. William Shakespeare http://www.fortheloveofport.com
Eric Menchen
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Re: Donaldson Bottles

Post by Eric Menchen »

And that pale dry looks like a basic product that was never intended to be high end nor aged. If a wine is expected to age, its value can go up. If it isn't, well the drinking value goes down. Maybe there is some "antique" value, but that's it.
h booger
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Re: Donaldson Bottles

Post by h booger »

I not say the quality is good because the bottle have many years or have big value because the producer is rare but really understand many people think like that!

Usually for Madeira Wines the rule is "the older the better" but this bottles probably are Tinta Negra or blend based on tinta negra because most of the wines without grape type stated on the bottle are in fact Tinta Negra or blend based on Tinta Negra. Not worth it so not understand how this bottles says on labels win gold medals? :)
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Glenn E.
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Re: Donaldson Bottles

Post by Glenn E. »

h booger wrote:Not worth it so not understand how this bottles says on labels win gold medals? :)
As it turns out, medals like that are not all that difficult to win. Gold and Silver might still hold some small meaning, but bronze and "commended" are practically participation trophies.
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Andy Velebil
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Re: Donaldson Bottles

Post by Andy Velebil »

h booger wrote:I not say the quality is good because the bottle have many years or have big value because the producer is rare but really understand many people think like that!

Usually for Madeira Wines the rule is "the older the better" but this bottles probably are Tinta Negra or blend based on tinta negra because most of the wines without grape type stated on the bottle are in fact Tinta Negra or blend based on Tinta Negra. Not worth it so not understand how this bottles says on labels win gold medals? :)
You've come to the one of the most comprehensive forums for Port and Madeira, one that has a good number of what is easily considered some of the foremost experts in what information you seek, then when you get it you don't believe them and want to argue. If you can get someone to pay you top dollar for these, more power to you and for the buyer...a sucker is born every minute.

Oh, and you do realize those types of medals are handed out like candy at those competitions. Not to mention, at least in the past few decades if not longer, producers have to pay to submit their wines to them which is why you rarely see expensive already highly rated top-end wines (from actual professional critics in publications) in those competitions...there is no need, the wines speak for themselves. When you have a marginal product, people get suckered into the sticker.
Andy Velebil Good wine is a good familiar creature if it be well used. William Shakespeare http://www.fortheloveofport.com
h booger
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Re: Donaldson Bottles

Post by h booger »

I am not here to argue or doubt. sorry if my words makes someone thinking like that.

I will never understand why good producers put gold medals on labels and the product is Tinta Negra or based on Tinta Negra. Marketing purposes to increase value or sales? I think it was silly strategy putting unknow client thinking is buying gold medals but the true he is buying Average/mediocre product and because of that maybe many of them never buy again.

Thanks for all the informations.
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Glenn E.
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Re: Donaldson Bottles

Post by Glenn E. »

h booger wrote:I will never understand why good producers put gold medals on labels and the product is Tinta Negra or based on Tinta Negra. Marketing purposes to increase value or sales? I think it was silly strategy putting unknow client thinking is buying gold medals but the true he is buying Average/mediocre product and because of that maybe many of them never buy again.
I can't say for sure, but here's my guess...

It's just a marketing ploy to lure in people who don't know any better and get their money. True aficionados aren't going to be looking at those bottles anyway - because they're educated about the product and know better - so there's little to no risk of disappointing their most dedicated fans. So from the producer's perspective, there's basically no risk. Slap a gold medal on it, get some people who don't know any better to buy a bottle, and make a little more money.

Then again, I'm a pretty die-hard marketing cynic.
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Andy Velebil
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Re: Donaldson Bottles

Post by Andy Velebil »

Glenn E. wrote:
h booger wrote:I will never understand why good producers put gold medals on labels and the product is Tinta Negra or based on Tinta Negra. Marketing purposes to increase value or sales? I think it was silly strategy putting unknow client thinking is buying gold medals but the true he is buying Average/mediocre product and because of that maybe many of them never buy again.
I can't say for sure, but here's my guess...

It's just a marketing ploy to lure in people who don't know any better and get their money. True aficionados aren't going to be looking at those bottles anyway - because they're educated about the product and know better - so there's little to no risk of disappointing their most dedicated fans. So from the producer's perspective, there's basically no risk. Slap a gold medal on it, get some people who don't know any better to buy a bottle, and make a little more money.

Then again, I'm a pretty die-hard marketing cynic.
Yup. It's all about marketing and trying to sell to those who don't know any better. You'll notice all those 98 point wines don't have stickers, just saying :lol:
Andy Velebil Good wine is a good familiar creature if it be well used. William Shakespeare http://www.fortheloveofport.com
h booger
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Re: Donaldson Bottles

Post by h booger »

I really understand who is trying selling average/mediocre wine to those who don`t know any better but some bottles taste like rubber like the ones selling on the Supermarket on these days :)
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Re: Donaldson Bottles

Post by Roy Hersh »

Regardless of the name Donaldson, those are both bottlings that were made through estufagem and not the more elaborate and expensive canteiro process. These were likely the equivalent (in Escudos back then) of what would amount to sub-5 Euros today; when these were produced probably well under 2 euros (equivalent). So, no matter of time in bottle would make these improve and in terms of value ... the only value is what pleasure you may find in consuming them with a friend. In terms of sheer market value ... zero. This is not to sound harsh, but I am sure you'd rather know the truth.
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h booger
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Re: Donaldson Bottles

Post by h booger »

Roy Hersh wrote:Regardless of the name Donaldson, those are both bottlings that were made through estufagem and not the more elaborate and expensive canteiro process. These were likely the equivalent (in Escudos back then) of what would amount to sub-5 Euros today; when these were produced probably well under 2 euros (equivalent). So, no matter of time in bottle would make these improve and in terms of value ... the only value is what pleasure you may find in consuming them with a friend. In terms of sheer market value ... zero. This is not to sound harsh, but I am sure you'd rather know the truth.

Thanks Roy, for your message.
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