Multi: 1981 Quinta Infantado & 1993 Quinta Liceiras Vintage Port

Gustavo Devesas · Post by **Gustavo Devesas** » Wed Jan 25, 2006 7:37 pm

Hello!
My first topic goes specially for this unique Vintage Years.
If I remember the many conversations that I had with Roy at my bar,one of the discutions was about the Classic Vintage Years...those really special years not for Every Producers but only for few of them.
So despite many other years, in the 15 th of September in 2004 I had in Vinologia the Danish Portvinsklubben founded in 1981 wich is composed mainly by Danish members but as well by some Swedish :)
That time, it was for me ver interesting to speak with them to exchange all the knowlegde as we can!:D
So during the 4 days they were in Oporto(after they went to the Douro Valley)they passed there all the afternoons and nights with a continuous increasing of elements number!

So when I met Mr. Sten Ivarsson,that like Michel Broadbent of Christies he has kept a record of all the wines he has tasted since 1959 in his small books!!...I could never realised what I held in my hands!!!1839 was the oldest record for a VP!:shock:
Despite all my attempts at the Bar,to find a VP that he as never tasted I checked the special 1993 VP Quinta das Liceiras (is a secundary Quinta owned by Quinta da Romaneira) wich is the onliest 93 VP released!!!
He answered me that he has already bought 24 bottles of that in Genebra in 2002...

I was truly surprised...
But when He told me if I had the 1981 Quinta do Infantado VP, I already knew that it was the missing year of the eighties for our VP list !!!
So I said no, I don't have it!
They have left...
One year as passed...
And now I found IT,and I have my "revenge" ehehe :twisted:
We received 12 bottles of this LEGENDARY 1981 VP brought to us by the son of Infantado owner's ,called José Roseira wich is now the smallest independant producer/bottler in PORTUGAL with only 0.6 hectares with only A-graded grapes and an annual production of 3750 bottles more or less.
:idea: (He has a Vintage 2000 named Torga and a Reserva from 2001 bottled in 2003 wich is not more that a non declared Vintage called RolRoi and both this wines are half dry,and were in a Portguese magazine called Néctar within the best 10 Portuguese wines(wonned by Quinta do Noval Nacional 2003!),the Torga 2000 in 6th position and the RolRoi in 10th and it was the onliest producer in Portugal to have 2 wines in this selection wich are the only wines produced by him.
It's one of the producers that I admire most because I makes everything,bottling,labeling and delivering! ) :idea:
Back to the Swedish friend,I ran to check the email of the Club's President and after some e-mails,at least 8 bottles are on their way to Denmark and Sweden to satisfy Mr . Ivarsson and all the Board and Elements of the Club!
All this crazy midnight story just to say:
NEVER GIVE UP! :twisted: :twisted: :twisted:

:arrow: Your Port can be just on the next corner!

Frederick Blais · Post by **Frederick Blais** » Wed Jan 25, 2006 10:15 pm

Hi Gustavo, welcome on the board. I've already met Jean-Philippe twice, you can see me with him on this picture :

http://www.frederickblais.com/pics/albu ... G_3963.jpg

We received 12 bottles of this LEGENDARY 1981 VP brought

I want to add here that yes it was the only Vintage Port from that year produced but this wine, for my taste, is already going downhill, so it is not a LEGENDARY wine. Rare, I agree though it is sold here in Canada.

About the 1993 Vintage, in a book I have its state that only Romaneira produced a VP. But when I look into M. Broadbent book, he tasted Cockburn's and Ramos Pinto from that year. So I'm not sure if they commercially released them or did M. Broadbent taste sample kept by the 2 companies. It worth finding an answer!

Gustavo Devesas · Post by **Gustavo Devesas** » Thu Jan 26, 2006 9:50 am

Hello!
Unfortunatelly while you were here in that day I was not in the bar!

I've already checked that you have signed our honour book and suggested this brilliant web site as well!
It is always a pleasure to hear the nice Québec accent here in the fórum, and I'm sure that if this site name spreads there in Canada/Quebec we will hear much more of Canadian friends.
My experience here in the bar says me that you (in Quebec) are and have the biggest comunitty of Port Wine ever,at least it's what I see here at my bar!... NO WORDS!

I think that the fact of having a governamental restriction and a limit of 2 bottles of Port for each Canadian it increases your curiosity to search and deal the really best and special Ports that you can not find at home( am I right?)

When a Canadian / Quebecois enters here in the bar, we always know that it is a funny, interesting and warm knowledge challenge!

Steven Kooij · Post by **Steven Kooij** » Thu Jan 26, 2006 12:57 pm

I sometimes regret drinking my lone bottle of Qta. d. Liceiras '93...and I don't buy for collecting, but it would have been nice to have a bottle in the cellar. It wasn't that much fun to drink...

Fred, when did Broadbent publish those TNs? I don't have his book (a shame, I know...). This is the first time I've heard of possible other '93 VPs.

How about LBV from '93? Kopke and Calem, yes: any others?

Gustavo Devesas · Post by **Gustavo Devesas** » Fri Jan 27, 2006 8:42 am

I have now counted the Liceiras bottles here in stock -> 14!

Last year i've sold at least 10 for 10 different customers because we've estabilished a limit of a bottle per person for this wine! :)

About 93 LBV, all I ever tasted was the Calem.All the others I don´t know! :?

Frederick Blais · Post by **Frederick Blais** » Fri Jan 27, 2006 8:48 am

Steven, Broadbent tasted these wines in 97,98 respectively. I'll try to get some info from Ramos Pinto.

Derek T. · Post by **Derek T.** » Fri Jan 27, 2006 9:11 am

Liceiras 93 is fairly easy to obtain from Germany. I got some at 20 Euro per bottle last year as it is my son's birth year and, until today, I thought it was my only VP option from that year.

Derek

Gustavo Devesas · Post by **Gustavo Devesas** » Fri Jan 27, 2006 9:21 am

Derek,one of the reasons for that it's the enormous distribution and fame for Romaneira in Netherlands and Germany,special because of the lack of organization in the Estate and it´s offices.
When I demand for Romaneira wines it's common to wait months to collect all the boxes,this happenned until some months ago,until the death of the owner Mr. Soares da Costa .Now this Quinta with perhaps for me the best Tawnies/Colheita Ports in the market belongs to the owner of Quinta do Noval and the prices are now increasing very fast.
I hope this brand does not disapear from our tables!

PS- That price 20 € for the 93 Liceiras is quite common for example in cave Nicola in France they have there this wine and they don't imagine for shadow's what treasure they have there."It´s just one more bottle." My father had seen it with his own eyes there!

Cheers!

Frederick Blais · Post by **Frederick Blais** » Fri Jan 27, 2006 10:58 am

Gustavo Devesas wrote:Now this Quinta with perhaps for me the best Tawnies/Colheita Ports in the market belongs to the owner of Quinta do Noval and the prices are now increasing very fast.
Cheers!

If I can add some presicion to this. I know many journalist have spread the word about this but it is not 100% accurate. Christian Seely who is director at Noval, the owner is AXA millésimes, has invested in the project at Romaneira. He is not sole owner, he has around 10% of the the Quinta do Romaneira. So it is really distinct from Noval, it is a personnal project for Christian.

Gustavo Devesas · Post by **Gustavo Devesas** » Fri Jan 27, 2006 11:37 am

Yes,it was as well at I've heard,I subscrive what you have said Frédérick!
But there are rumours that could be builted a hotel in the area...but rumours are just...rumours!

Frederick Blais · Post by **Frederick Blais** » Tue Jan 31, 2006 5:07 pm

I got the confirmation from Ramos Pinto today that no 93 Vintage Port was produced. So Broadbent probably tasted a LBV but did not write it.

Tom Archer · Post by **Tom Archer** » Wed Feb 01, 2006 12:07 am

I shall be driving to the Douro in late March (on my way back from my annual pilgrimage to the Fallas fiesta in Valencia)

Filling the back of the car is obviously on the agenda, and a couple of bottles of the elusive '93 is high on the shopping list.

Does the quinta have a shop? or is there an outlet in Porto or VNG where I might get lucky?

>>>

Currently portless, but enjoying some tropical sunshine (when not sitting in an internet cafe or bar!)

Singha beer will have to suffice!

Tom

Gustavo Devesas · Post by **Gustavo Devesas** » Wed Feb 01, 2006 3:13 am

uncle tom wrote:I shall be driving to the Douro in late March (on my way back from my annual pilgrimage to the Fallas fiesta in Valencia)

Filling the back of the car is obviously on the agenda, and a couple of bottles of the elusive '93 is high on the shopping list.

Does the quinta have a shop? or is there an outlet in Porto or VNG where I might get lucky?

>>>

Currently portless, but enjoying some tropical sunshine (when not sitting in an internet cafe or bar!)

Singha beer will have to suffice!

Tom

Hi there!
I think that the quinta does not have a shop there and as well it's not open to the public...at least this summer was like that.
If you come to Porto,and you search for some 93' VP bottles take a look to the many general wine shops in the city and I'm pretty sure that you'll only find them in one place in the city ---> VINOLOGIA

I know because last year the Symington's office called me and they said we're the only place with 93' Liceiras for the fair price,that's why they've bought for somebody from the board there 6 bottles.
:)

Steven Kooij · Post by **Steven Kooij** » Sat Mar 04, 2006 3:27 pm

Another 1993 to be added to the list - yes, Quinta do Castro made a LBV in 1993! - I found it in a shop in Lisbõa for the bargain price of 65 Euros...thanks, but no thanks...

Gustavo, should you want more Liceiras '93 VP - Bar do Binho in Sintra has a LOT of bottles - for a steap price (about 50 Euros, IIRC).