Moderators: Glenn E., Roy Hersh, Andy Velebil
of a club I'm a member of, I've been asked to obtain one for the Club's 75th anniversary dinner. (Why couldn't they have waited until 35 to start it - plenty of that about!)
, but what the ****, let's be decadent for once!
if anyone wants it!Stuart,Stuart Chatfield wrote:Does anyone have recent knowledge of this vintage? As far as I can see it was a brilliant vintage lost due to the depression (which caused the 27s to be left on the shelves). It seems only Noval and Niepoort declared. Both Roy and MB seem to agree that Noval, at least, was outstanding.
Has anyone seen any for sale recently? Are they much more pricey than the 27s or 34s/35s? I just can't see any at all and, as the port consultant
Stuart (and others),Stuart Chatfield wrote:About my specific requirements, I've sent you a pm. Thanks for that suggestion.
Re: fakes, yes that is a worry. However, when I open an old bottle I wonder how anyone could fake a branded port cork to look as it does when you pull it. The way that it behaves and distorts I just wonder how it can be done (unless faked very soon after bottling). Therefore, I think lovers of Petrus 2000 are more at risk than us lovers of 31 Noval!
Alex (and others),bridgema wrote:Sadly, John Harvey & Sons was bought up a few years back so its not possible to contact them and ask for their opinion as to whether the labels are genuine.
However, my personal view is that it is not a problem to have handwritten slips. I see these come up quite often at auction and if it was a problem then I am sure that we would see many fewer such labels at the top auction houses.
I think that one way to get some assurance as to the authenticity of the bottles is to investigate more closely the previous ownership. If you can get sufficient evidence as to the fact that the previous owner bought the wine in the 60's or 70's then I would say that was conclusive proof that they were not fake - although I suppose they could have been faked at the time. Its also worth asking whether the bottles have ever been recorked - and if so, who by and when.
Other options would include taking a really strong light with you and trying to see the cork branding through the glass. Also look at the wax or other seal and try to estimate whether or not it is genuine.
You could also take some detailed photos of the bottles and send them to Quinta do Noval and ask for their opinion. I'm sure that for bottles as rare as these they would be delighted to help.
Other than those ideas, the only way to know is to buy them, open one and see what it tastes like. I would certainly take the risk and buy them as the opportunity to try a wine as rare as this is not something likely to come up very often in a lifetime. If you want to keep your risks to a minimum then your idea of buying the bottles and selling one or two is an excellent idea.
If you haven't already bought them and are looking to check their authenticity first then I would not hang about as there may well be other people (like me - but I wouldn't do that to you since you've now posted here) who would be willing to take the risk.
Alex
dlester wrote:
Ray and I have previously discussed the problems of (and solutions to) getting wine from the boot/trunk of your car into the cellar under the nose of a suspicious wife. As I recall, Ray came up with the brilliant suggestion that one should walk backwards so that one is able to say "But honey, I'm moving stuff from the cellar to the car". Suffice it to say, the wines were transfered.
