Establishing my port collection.

[Eric Menchen]

I also love Smith Woodhouse, and think all of those are worth consideration. 2000 vs. 2003? Well the odds makers would pick 2003, but they've been wrong before. (I still like some '83s over '85s.) Ask me again in 20 years.

And don't think the price difference on the Vesuvio is justified.

All those white tawnies and colheitas look interesting, but I've not tasted most of those. I'm just a little envious.

Romaneira? I've picked some up when they were on sale, but haven't tasted any of their VPs.

[Thomas V]

I also love Smith Woodhouse, and think all of those are worth consideration. 2000 vs. 2003? Well the odds makers would pick 2003, but they've been wrong before. (I still like some '83s over '85s.) Ask me again in 20 years.

And don't think the price difference on the Vesuvio is justified.

All those white tawnies and colheitas look interesting, but I've not tasted most of those. I'm just a little envious.

Romaneira? I've picked some up when they were on sale, but haven't tasted any of their VPs.

Hi Eric and thanks for you advice as always

I have been checking how good these offers really are compared to other vendors in Denmark and their listed pricing.

And there isn't that crazy amount to be saved on the SWC bottles. The biggest discount being 9 dollars on the Madalena, the rest being less. So I shouldn't blow my budget for this month when the discount isn't larger. I can wait a bit and spread out the expenses.

The Vesuvio 96' however is 30 dollars cheaper than what else I can find in Denmark and so is the Andresen 40YO White.

I will for sure buy 2 bottles of the 2003 Kopke White Colheita. It was one of the biggest surprises in my Porto trip and I think I rated it 93+ pts.

If you want to see the offering you can take a look at this link - The pricing are in Danish kroner, but you can do the math: 1 dollar = 6,665 DKK

https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid ... 792&type=3

[Thomas V]

Totally missed it. They also have a Noval 2003 VT at 75 USD.

[Thomas V]

Was just going over some vacation planning with the GF for the next year.

We decided we wanted to go somewhere warm in week 7 not too far from Denmark. So I suggested Madeira to her. Told her all about the nice hiking, mountains, agriculture, beautiful sea and nice weather. She took the bait hook line and sinker. She is really excited and pumped about the trip and so am I for dubious reasons .....

Also do you think buying a 2001 Noval Nacional is a sound decision if finances are sufficient or would you save the money for en primeur for the fall and the 2015 release?

[Moses Botbol]

Also do you think buying a 2001 Noval Nacional is a sound decision if finances are sufficient or would you save the money for en primeur for the fall and the 2015 release?

Every serious port collector should have at least one Nacional bottle. Sound decision? Not sure, but that depends whose perspective you are coming from.

[Roy Hersh]

I just received a 2001 Quinta do Noval Nacional today. As soon as it has time to rest, I will be evaluating it and writing a tasting note in the next newsletter.


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[Thomas V]

I just received a 2001 Quinta do Noval Nacional today. As soon as it has time to rest, I will be evaluating it and writing a tasting note in the next newsletter.

I can't wait!! You should drink it now

Another another note. Need 1 more SQVT for a tasting in my club. Since a Warre's Cavadinha has been eluding me I am looking at Delaforce Quinta da Corté. What would you choose between the 1997 and the 1991? Almost same price at the vendor so that is non factor, only which is the best port at this current time.

[Thomas V]

Also do you think buying a 2001 Noval Nacional is a sound decision if finances are sufficient or would you save the money for en primeur for the fall and the 2015 release?

Every serious port collector should have at least one Nacional bottle. Sound decision? Not sure, but that depends whose perspective you are coming from.

I went ahead a did something a bit crazy, but ohh well you only live once. These twins arrived yesterday. They will not see the light of day for many years. Meanwhile I will look forward to reading Roy's taste note for 2001 in hopefully the next newsletter and see how this 2001 vintage stacks up against its siblings from the 2000's and the others Nacionals in general.

Also picked up 4 x Ramos Pinto 1983 vintage, a 2006 Quinta do Vesuvio, a 2011 Niepoort LBV and Quinta do Crasto. I think I have my mind set on gathering all declared vintages from Vesuvio since 1989 to make a full vertical at one point. Ohh jolly that is quite the project but will be a fun one.

[Moses Botbol]

Wow, those two Nacional's must've cost a few crowns...

I am picking up a case of 2011 Niepoort LBV (2 six packs). I don't have any 2011's, and the Niepoort come in at a good price and quality.

[Thomas V]

Wow, those two Nacional's must've cost a few crowns...

I am picking up a case of 2011 Niepoort LBV (2 six packs). I don't have any 2011's, and the Niepoort come in at a good price and quality.

They did. But I want to try a Nacional at one point and then now was the right time to buy as they have just gone to market. Will be fun to follow the reviews in the upcoming time.

Regarding the 2011 LBV's I have tried quite a few:

Bulas, Vieira de Sousa, Niepoort, Taylor's, Kopke, Barros, Dow's, Burmester, Fonseca, Quinta do Noval, Quevedo, DR.

Out of those tasted my top 3 in ranked order is: Fonseca, DR & Niepoort. So picking up the Niepoort I think was a good choice.

[Andy Velebil]

Good buy as they won't get any cheaper.


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[Thomas V]

Good buy as they won't get any cheaper.

That was my though process and reasoning as well. Now I just have to keep my fingers off it and settle with reading other peoples review of it in the meantime.

Over the last year I have been focussing on building out my collection with a special focus on the vintages from the 80's. As there is really good value to be found here and most of the wines have not entered their prime drinking yet.

My current inventory looks like this:

4 x Gould Campebell 1980

2 x Grahams 1983
4 x Ramos Pinto 1983

2 x Smith Woodhouse 1985
6 x Gould Campbell 1985
1 x Fonseca 1985
1 x Ferreira 1985

In your opinion what am I lacking in my 80's collection? Dow's 1980 or 1985, Graham's 1985? Perhaps a Niepoort 1980 or Warre's?

On another note. Does magnum or larger format Colheitas exist? I have never seen one though I have seen TWIOA in these larger formats.

Cheers

[Eric Menchen]

In your opinion what am I lacking in my 80's collection? Dow's 1980 or 1985, Graham's 1985? Perhaps a Niepoort 1980 or Warre's?

More of the 1985 Fonseca! I know you already have one, but that is one of the best, if not the best, from that year. And some 1983 Smith Woodhouse wouldn't hurt either

[Jasper A.]

Also do you think buying a 2001 Noval Nacional is a sound decision if finances are sufficient or would you save the money for en primeur for the fall and the 2015 release?

Every serious port collector should have at least one Nacional bottle. Sound decision? Not sure, but that depends whose perspective you are coming from.

I went ahead a did something a bit crazy, but ohh well you only live once. These twins arrived yesterday. They will not see the light of day for many years. Meanwhile I will look forward to reading Roy's taste note for 2001 in hopefully the next newsletter and see how this 2001 vintage stacks up against its siblings from the 2000's and the others Nacionals in general.

Also picked up 4 x Ramos Pinto 1983 vintage, a 2006 Quinta do Vesuvio, a 2011 Niepoort LBV and Quinta do Crasto. I think I have my mind set on gathering all declared vintages from Vesuvio since 1989 to make a full vertical at one point. Ohh jolly that is quite the project but will be a fun one.

Keep them safe and enjoy them on a special occasion

[Thomas V]

In your opinion what am I lacking in my 80's collection? Dow's 1980 or 1985, Graham's 1985? Perhaps a Niepoort 1980 or Warre's?

More of the 1985 Fonseca! I know you already have one, but that is one of the best, if not the best, from that year. And some 1983 Smith Woodhouse wouldn't hurt either

Heh I thought someone might say that and I understand your reasoning. I have read from many different people inhere that they believe it to be the single best wine overall of the entire 80's and that it has a long life ahead into a peak within the next 20-30 years. That would put me at the ripe age of 55-60 years old. Wouldn't be bad at that age to be sipping on some sweet 50 year old vintage port.

Smith Woodhouse 1983. That is interesting. Not a bottle you see mentioned inhere to often. How do you rank it compared to the SWC 1980 and 1985 which I have had on different occasions and have been great?

Others that want to chime in on must own VP's from the 1980's?

Keep them safe and enjoy them on a special occasion

I sure will. Will be a while but I look forward to the day in the distant future.

Are you all sold out now? Only 250 cases goes by quickly. Just yesterday I saw someone that had a horizontal of SQ from the 2001. They said that the Vesuvio was stellar. That gets my hopes up high for the Nacional, being from the same year and known for their outstanding quality.

[Eric Menchen]

Smith Woodhouse 1983. That is interesting. Not a bottle you see mentioned inhere to often. How do you rank it compared to the SWC 1980 and 1985 which I have had on different occasions and have been great?

Of course there is always the disclaimer that there are not great vintages, just good bottles. But for Smith Woodhouse from the 1980s, I've scored:

• 1980 - 91 points
• 1983 - 95 points
  unscored, but good review and noted to be better than 1983 Graham.
  90 points, 375ml
  89-90, 375 ml
• 1985 - 90 points

[Jasper A.]

In your opinion what am I lacking in my 80's collection? Dow's 1980 or 1985, Graham's 1985? Perhaps a Niepoort 1980 or Warre's?

More of the 1985 Fonseca! I know you already have one, but that is one of the best, if not the best, from that year. And some 1983 Smith Woodhouse wouldn't hurt either

Heh I thought someone might say that and I understand your reasoning. I have read from many different people inhere that they believe it to be the single best wine overall of the entire 80's and that it has a long life ahead into a peak within the next 20-30 years. That would put me at the ripe age of 55-60 years old. Wouldn't be bad at that age to be sipping on some sweet 50 year old vintage port.

Smith Woodhouse 1983. That is interesting. Not a bottle you see mentioned inhere to often. How do you rank it compared to the SWC 1980 and 1985 which I have had on different occasions and have been great?

Others that want to chime in on must own VP's from the 1980's?

Keep them safe and enjoy them on a special occasion

I sure will. Will be a while but I look forward to the day in the distant future.

Are you all sold out now? Only 250 cases goes by quickly. Just yesterday I saw someone that had a horizontal of SQ from the 2001. They said that the Vesuvio was stellar. That gets my hopes up high for the Nacional, being from the same year and known for their outstanding quality.

We are not sold out yet, but there is a lot of interest. I am not sure, but with cases i think they mean 12 btls. So that should be 3000 btls, not to bad.
2001 was a realy nice year, but after 2000..

[Glenn E.]

Others that want to chime in on must own VP's from the 1980's?

Heh, that's a dangerous question...

Okay, this is all off the top of my head, so I'll probably miss something (or get some dates mixed up).

My top 3 from the decade are 1985 Graham, 1985 Fonseca, 1987 Taylor Vargellas. The order changes periodically, but it's pretty much always those three. Close behind those 3 comes 1980 Dow. I routinely rate these 94-95 points, even when tasted blind in a large lineup. They've been as high as 97 (though not the Dow, thus it's "close behind" status). These are pretty much "can't miss" Ports.

A small step down gets you to 1983 Graham, 1983 Ramos Pinto, and 1985 Dow. These I tend to rate more as 93-94. That's splitting hairs somewhat, but head-to-head with the above these always lose. I've rated the Graham and RP as high as 95, but that's not normal.

Then you get to the set of "merely excellent" Ports: 1980 Gould Campbell, 1980 Smith Woodhouse, 1983 Cockburn, 1983 Gould Campbell, 1985 Churchill, 1985 Gould Campbell, 1985 Kopke (might have been a Sao Luiz, I can't remember), 1985 Smith Woodhouse, 1985 Taylor, 1985 Warre. These are typically in the 91-93 range. All very solid performers.

[Moses Botbol]

Two good sleepers are '80 Sandeman and '80 Taylor. Heck, '80 Graham ain't bad either.

[Thomas V]

My top 3 from the decade are 1985 Graham, 1985 Fonseca, 1987 Taylor Vargellas. The order changes periodically, but it's pretty much always those three. Close behind those 3 comes 1980 Dow. I routinely rate these 94-95 points, even when tasted blind in a large lineup. They've been as high as 97 (though not the Dow, thus it's "close behind" status). These are pretty much "can't miss" Ports.

A small step down gets you to 1983 Graham, 1983 Ramos Pinto, and 1985 Dow. These I tend to rate more as 93-94. That's splitting hairs somewhat, but head-to-head with the above these always lose. I've rated the Graham and RP as high as 95, but that's not normal.

Then you get to the set of "merely excellent" Ports: 1980 Gould Campbell, 1980 Smith Woodhouse, 1983 Cockburn, 1983 Gould Campbell, 1985 Churchill, 1985 Gould Campbell, 1985 Kopke (might have been a Sao Luiz, I can't remember), 1985 Smith Woodhouse, 1985 Taylor, 1985 Warre. These are typically in the 91-93 range. All very solid performers.

Good stuff Glenn.

I guess I need to get my hands on some G85 and some more F85. Lost a bit of interest in G85 after a bad bottle (First crack at it), but I for sure want to try it again. What would be a good price for these?

Never tasted the Dow's 1980 before and haven't heard much talk about it really. Sounds interesting and if it is better than the 85' Dow's which I have had a couple of times it must be very good.

I have a sufficient amount of RP83 and G83 and wont focus on these unless I see them at a good bargain.

I am pretty loaded up on 80' and 85' Gould Campbell but the 83' one keeps alluding me. Can't seem to find it anywhere. Grrrrr

I have had the Warre's 85 as well as the Ferreira 85' and for me the Ferreira was at least 2-3 points ahead. It seems very developed but it was delicious.