Packing Vesuvio - Poll

[Tom Archer]

Sorting out the chaos that is my cellar to make space for a new rack, I paused to look at a couple of cases of '96's.

On the one hand, Taylor's Terra Feita. Six bottles space efficiently packed in corrugated sleeves inside a sound but basic brown cardboard carton.

On the the other, Q. Vesuvio. Six bottles delicately wrapped in tissue paper, packed with space to spare inside a brass handled and varnished wooden box that looks as though it was made by an undertaker.

Now, I couldn't help thinking...

If the Symingtons bought a supply of cheap cardboard cartons the same size as the wooden boxes, and packed them a little more efficiently...

They could use the money they saved on the packaging to give us an extra couple of bottles!

So let me attempt to use the poll tool...

[Frederick Blais]

I'd definitively pick the 6 bottles package.

Here in Québec I tried to get the same package as you guys are getting and it is not possible. For the Québec market they sent us big 12 bottles wooden cases with every bottle individually protected by a cardboard box insite it. Pretty crappy for those who like collecting or displaying those nice boxes. If you don't mind about it, the more bottles the best I must say.

I guess here in Quebec there is not a big market for selling Port by cases as there is in England. And by the way, from what I saw in Portugal, the price of Vesuvio was not influenced by the nice packaging. It was selling between 50 and 60 euros almost everywhere, either you pick it by the case or not compared to 75-80 euros for Taylor 2003.

[Al B.]

I'm another supporter of the wooden case. I have a few of these scattered about the house now. Elizabeth uses on for her sewing stuff, I use one to keep the "excess" bottles of wine that seem to float into the house and the kids use a couple each to store their junk in. :)

While I could use cardboard boxes - they wouldn't be the same.

More seriously, I guess that the Symingtons are trying to build an image of exclusivity and are using the "special" packaging as a mean of differentiating the Vesuvio wines. The 12 bottle cases in the UK are similar in style to the 6, just a darn sight heavier.

I can tell I like the boxes because I bought 4 bottles of Vesuvio last week and asked to take the box home with me. I didn't have to, but it was free and I wanted it.

Alex

[Kris Henderson]

I do like the fancy wooden box, book, and ceramic markers but I voted for the cheap cardboard box and 8 bottles vs. fancy wood box and 6 bottles because I can't drink the fancy wooden box.

[NickA]

Sorting out the chaos that is my cellar to make space for a new rack, I paused to look at a couple of cases of '96's.

On the one hand, Taylor's Terra Feita. Six bottles space efficiently packed in corrugated sleeves inside a sound but basic brown cardboard carton.

On the the other, Q. Vesuvio. Six bottles delicately wrapped in tissue paper, packed with space to spare inside a brass handled and varnished wooden box that looks as though it was made by an undertaker.

Now, I couldn't help thinking...

Our host at the Vesuvio tasting was rather gleeful of the fact the '96s he bought at auction cost less than £10 a bottle. I'm not sure it came with the flash case though... :)

[Tom Archer]

Our host at the Vesuvio tasting was rather gleeful of the fact the '96s he bought at auction cost less than £10 a bottle

I paid a little more than that - but got the fancy box. I paid exactly the same money for the Terra Feita.

At some point, a grudge match seems called for!

Tom

[Derek T.]

I recently bought a 6 pack of the 96 and each bottle came in it's own little wooden box complete with tissue paper and brass fittings. I would have been much happier with one or two more bottles and a cardboard box!

Derek

[Roy Hersh]

I am torn. I really love the packaging for the Vesuvio but am concerned that in cellar, the bottles receive no air movement in these enclosed boxes. Then again, 99% of VP comes in wooden boxes nailed or these days, stapled shut. So what is the real difference as very few Vintage Ports come in boxes that are not wood. Only Rocha and Kopke that I have seen with vintages 2000 and 2003. Anyone know of ANY other producer that uses cardboard today for VP?

So although it is nice to wish in this poll to have the option for 8 bottles, it is about as futile as my clamoring for 500 ml bottles. In fact, the 500 ml bottle probably has a slight edge in reality ... which gives it maybe .079% chance of ever happening.

[Al B.]

Roy

A while back I bought a case of Quinta do Tua single quinta VP. This came in the "traditional" wooden crate that had a lid stapled onto it. Inside, the bottles were crammed in, head to tail, with each bottle sitting inside a cardboard sleeve. There was very little empty space inside the case when I opened it and air circulation would have been very limited.

The Vesuvio port boxes hold the bottles quite rigidly in place and with plenty of space between them. It could be that despite the Vesuvio box being tightly closed, the space and arrangement of the bottles in the box allows the air to circulate within the box quite effectively, refreshed by the very small amount of air that will always move in and out of the box.

Alex

Incidentally - (for Derek) - those individual bottle Vesuvio boxes make great containers for the garage. I keep my screwdrivers in one box, drill bits in another, chisels in another etc. My garage looks much neater now that the Symingtons have had their impact there

[Tom Archer]

Well, this poll has been a roller-coaster.

First blood went to the more bottles camp before the nice box brigade took over, then the more bottles brigade finally prevailed...

Among those who like the classy boxes, I wonder how many would still be in favour if every VP producer followed suit....

Tom

[Al B.]

Ah, now there is an interesting question.

I would be very much against all producers following the fancy box approach. Its OK for one single quinta who wants to be different and stand out from all the rest, but if others - say Dirk Niepoort - started to do it then I would be mighty upset. I see Niepoort (and other) ports as having an image of damned good wines with no fancy pretensions.

And if other wines that were not up to the same quality as the top tier were to start using fancy boxes, then they would risk consumers turning their backs on the wines. In my opinion, Vesuvio can do it because they produce good wines to go with the fancy packaging.

Alex

[Frederick Blais]

I agree with you Alex, difference is great and valuable this why if other producers do the same, we will lose the interest of buying nice wooden boxes.

[Roy Hersh]

It is a moot point, because it is not going to happen, so don't worry.