When will you drink your 2000 ports?

Al B. · Post by **Al B.** » Fri Sep 21, 2007 2:51 pm

Just out of curiosity, I wondered when those people who owned vintage ports from the 2000 vintage planned to open their bottles and drink them.

I only ask because we were discussing this the other day and I mentioned that the 6 bottles of 2000 Fonseca that I own are not likely to get opened until my 60th birthday in 2023.

When do other folks plan to open the 2000 VPs that they own?

Alex

Bill Crann · Post by **Bill Crann** » Fri Sep 21, 2007 7:58 pm

Well, I'll be 60 in 2021, so I'll have a two year head start on you, Al.
Seriously, I know I won't wait that long. I have quite a few '00's & I've shown admirable restraint so far; but it won't last much longer. I'll probably pop a Churchill or S-W in 2010 or so out of curiosity. Some of the big boys (Dow, Graham, Taylor) will probably outlive me, but I'll probably pop a few around 2015 or so.
I can't believe I let Roy talk me into buying into '03 - well I couldn't help myself anyway. I think PC still has '03 Croft for $48. Someone buy them up before I go back for seconds.

Bill

Jay Powers · Post by **Jay Powers** » Fri Sep 21, 2007 10:00 pm

A really excellent question! Makes one think. I will be 60 in 2025, and hope to live to be ~70. When will my 2000, '03, and later ports be ready?

The way I look at it, I am able to enjoy Port from 1985 now, a young 22 years after birth. This would correspond roughly to 2022, and adding some additional years for what is probably a longer lived vintage (Fonseca and Grahams aside) would bring it to 2030.

So I guess 2025 would be a good starting point to test the waters, drinking from then on as my earlier tasting dictates. 2003 would then start in 2028 by the same rational.

Thinking about it this way really makes me want to buy more 1994 and earlier, rather than 03 and beyond. I already have plenty of '94 and '00/'03, so I may be already covered there. Better start looking at the '55s!

Jay

Erik Wiechers · Post by **Erik Wiechers** » Fri Sep 21, 2007 10:50 pm

I'll be 60 in 2026 so i am the Benjamin till now :)

I have some big 2000's like Noval, Fonseca and Taylor. I dont know if i will wait that long, like Bill said, i will probably open some of these around 2015-2020.

I also have a case of Croft 2000 and some other "smaller" quinta's like Quinta da Romaneira and Quinta do Estanho so i will start to drink them after 2010 and on.
Guess i really need some pre-94's aswell in order to satisfy my needs.

PS. i am also looking forward to my 50th birthday when i will drink a 1966 Kopke Colheita

Post by **Andy Velebil** » Sat Sep 22, 2007 5:01 am

I am in no hurry to drink the top ones from those vintages. I don't hit 60 until 2033, so I don't plan on touching them until around 2025.

For the mid-term agers, around 2015 I'll start checking them out and seeing how they are doing.

My game plan is to aquire a nice Port cellar now, so as I get older I can slow down my buying and start to enjoy them as they mature. Not sure I'll ever totally stop buying Port, but eventually it will slow down.

Moses Botbol · Post by **Moses Botbol** » Mon Sep 24, 2007 6:21 am

Andy V. wrote:I am in no hurry to drink the top ones from those vintages. I don't plan on touching them until around 2025.

I intend to keep a 20+ year buffer on my VP's unless I am doing a vertical.

Post by **Roy Hersh** » Tue Sep 25, 2007 1:50 am

I will probably do a horizontal tasting of the 2000s in 2015 to see how they are doing. However, I get to try lots of 2000 VPs when visiting Portugal, so I am sure I'll be able to write some tasting notes before then too.

Todd Pettinger · Post by **Todd Pettinger** » Tue Sep 25, 2007 10:44 pm

Andy V. wrote:My game plan is to aquire a nice Port cellar now, so as I get older I can slow down my buying and start to enjoy them as they mature. Not sure I'll ever totally stop buying Port, but eventually it will slow down.

What is this "slowing down" you refer to???

I haven't thought ahead. I have several 'younger drinking' 2000s (Sandeman Vau) but not real VPs from 2000. I just discovered Port starting with the '03s but intend to backfill on 00's, 97's, 94's and earlier as funding permits. When will I start drinking them? LIkely 2015 and beyond for the 'smaller' vintages, although one of those Vau's may fall prey to the executioner around 2010. Not sure if it will be ready any earlier than that???

Todd

Post by **Andy Velebil** » Wed Sep 26, 2007 3:37 am

I drink very little dry wine compared to Port. I will never stop buying (or so i hope) Port. But I would like to develop a nice cellar now, so they sleep peacefully in my storage. When I get older I want to be able to just head off and grab a nicely aged bottle of VP from my collection without worry.

Alan C. · Post by **Alan C.** » Wed Sep 26, 2007 2:22 pm

Maybe 2015, but probably 2020+.

No brainer. I don't like young Port.

My only concession is a Vertical were you taste a youngster to gauge development.

Alan

Luc Gauthier · Post by **Luc Gauthier** » Fri Sep 28, 2007 9:12 am

Probably won't open any 2000's until 2020-2030 .

Alan C. · Post by **Alan C.** » Fri Sep 28, 2007 10:40 am

Luc Gauthier wrote:Probably won't open any 2000's until 2020-2030 .

Luc,

Make sure my invites in the post, they'll be delicious then!

Alan

Marc J. · Post by **Marc J.** » Fri Sep 28, 2007 2:19 pm

I'm thinking that I'll start to open my 2000's in another 6-7 years. They won't be entirely ready yet, but I should be able to get an idea of where they are going.

Marc

Alan C. · Post by **Alan C.** » Fri Sep 28, 2007 2:51 pm

Marc J. wrote:I'm thinking that I'll start to open my 2000's in another 6-7 years. They won't be entirely ready yet, but I should be able to get an idea of where they are going.

Marc

Marc

Completely your choice. But have you considered just listening to others who taste it too young, and feeding off their thoughts. Then deciding to wait until they hit their proper drinking window, and buying stuff that's in that window already? Just a thought.

Alan

Post by **Andy Velebil** » Fri Sep 28, 2007 3:10 pm

Thats why I am in favor of a regular trip to Portugal. That way I can drink their wines and leave mine to sleep. Kills 2 birds with 1 stone

Todd Pettinger · Post by **Todd Pettinger** » Sun Sep 30, 2007 10:46 pm

Andy V. wrote:Thats why I am in favor of a regular trip to Portugal. That way I can drink their wines and leave mine to sleep. Kills 2 birds with 1 stone

SOLID advice Andy. Solid. I may just have to get myself out to Portugal to sample some of their young stuff. And some of their "just ready" stuff. And some of the their OLD stuff. LOTS of their OLD stuff. And if I'm really lucky, AND I'm on one of Roy's trips... maybe some of their ANCIENT and RARE stuff!

Well, a guy can dream!!!

Todd

Marc J. · Post by **Marc J.** » Mon Oct 01, 2007 3:31 pm

Completely your choice. But have you considered just listening to others who taste it too young, and feeding off their thoughts. Then deciding to wait until they hit their proper drinking window, and buying stuff that's in that window already? Just a thought.

Alan,

You probably have a point. In 6-7 years the 2000s will have a good 15 years of bottle age and they should be approaching maturity although they probably will not have developed the complexity and smoothness that you'd expect in a fully mature bottle. O.K., O.K you've convinced me......hands off until 2020!

Marc