For The Love Of Port

its amazing how fast the cellar grows once the bug hits. Mine has exploded

I do hope not - think of the waste - and the mess...

I just surpassed 1,000 years of port

So I'm not the only person to keep a tally of this on the stock spreadsheet - I'm currently at 56,281 years, which takes me back to the stone age..

The average age of VP in my cellar is 24.54 years

Tom

1. 2000
2. 1997
3. 2003
(Considering getting some more 2003.)

Jan-Tore,

Your view is rarely embraced here by others, but I think for some, it is a very solid strategy. I don't think that young Port lovers can do much better than owning some of the great 2003s that are still in the marketplace. Of course you have to be a smart shopper.

I realize that these '03s will probably not escalate in price, so buying them later won't be all that expensive. However, knowing where the bottles have been is worth the cost of admission, at least to me. Of course, your current age will determine if you are going to enjoy these 35 years from now when most of the top dozen+ 2003s will really start to drink at their best. Nonetheless, they can be appreciated in their youth as well.

Top 3:

1. 2000 (64)
2. 2003 (62)
3. 1997 (57)

Michael,

You appear to have similar taste to Jan-Tore.

Ideally, I would buy lots of old Ports, but I've only been buying VP for a little over ten years, and not many old ones are available over here. The younger ones are, of course, more affordable, too.

Roy Hersh wrote:Michael,

You appear to have similar taste to Jan-Tore.

Roy,

multiple reasons for that order. Relatively new to Port, Classic Vintages, state occasions (2000: wedding year, 2003: year of birth youngest daughter) control of storing conditions and last but not least affordability. I would love to buy the great sixties and seventies. But here in Germany if availability is given prices are often ridiculous expensive. I often look jealously over the channel by reason of UK prices for mature Vintage Port.

Michael M. wrote:But here in Germany if availability is given prices are often ridiculous expensive. I often look jealously over the channel by reason of UK prices for mature Vintage Port.

Michael,

We all do

Andy Velebil wrote:

Michael M. wrote:But here in Germany if availability is given prices are often ridiculous expensive. I often look jealously over the channel by reason of UK prices for mature Vintage Port.

Michael,

We all do

Some of us are more jealous than others, because some of us can't drive to the U.K. for a shopping spree because the "channel" is a tad wider.

I have finished updating my Port inventory. Excel says:

1991 : 60
1997 : 43
1996 : 41
1985 : 36
1994 : 28
1993 : 24 (halves - son's birth year)
1965 : 22 (my birth year)
1988 : 19
1983 : 15
1963 : 11
2000 : 9
1977 : 9
1975 : 9
1998 : 8
1970 : 8
1987 : 7
2003 : 6
1980 : 6
1966 : 6

Lots of others with less than 6 bottles.

Number of different wines: 104
Average Age: 20.9 years
Total bottle age: 8901 years

According to Wikipedia the English Channel was formed 9000 years ago, presumably to protect UK port cellars from invasion :devil:

Derek

Derek T. wrote: According to Wikipedia the English Channel was formed 9000 years ago, presumably to protect UK port cellars from invasion :devil:

Derek

Thats because my ancestors screwed up

I'm encouraged by Tom's cellar, which gives me something to aspire to, although it's hard on this side of the pond. In order:

1994: 83
2003: 67
2000: 57
1977: 32
1966: 25

My database (Cellartracker) suggests that 1985 is 6th, although I know that to be incorrect given the case of Dows and Warres in plain sight in my cellar along with the odds and ends...must be time to inventory :?

Jay

Derek,

Any reason for the 41 bottles of 1996 VP?

BTW, what producers? I happen to enjoy '96s quite a bit, but don't get to drink many. Favorites are Vesuvio, Vargellas and especially Nacional, but also the fine Pocas. Looking forward to your response.

Roy Hersh wrote:Derek,

Any reason for the 41 bottles of 1996 VP?

BTW, what producers? I happen to enjoy '96s quite a bit, but don't get to drink many. Favorites are Vesuvio, Vargellas and especially Nacional, but also the fine Pocas. Looking forward to your response.

This is really just the result of a number of great deals, mainly from UK supermarkets. Over the past couple of years 1996 SQVPs have been the VP of choice in most supermarkets. I have picked-up 6 packs of Crasto, Vargellas, Bomfim and Malvedos over the past couple of years at around £10-£12 per bottle. I just haven't been able to say no to those prices :help: - I also have 3 x 6 packs of Vesuvio which cost me something like £90 each via an auction deal. I have tasted all of these and, although they are all very approachable now, they all have enough in them to make me want to build a stash that I can enjoy over 10-15 years. This is a very good QPR year if you can find the right deals.

Derek T. wrote:Over the past couple of years 1996 SQVPs have been the VP of choice in most supermarkets. I have picked-up 6 packs of Crasto, Vargellas, Bomfim and Malvedos over the past couple of years at around £10-£12 per bottle. I just haven't been able to say no to those prices :help:

I wouldn't be able to say no either :Salute:

Let's see....the line-up would look something like this:

1. 1955
2. 1977
3. 1963
4. 1994
5. 1995
6. 1960
7. 1970
8. 1985
9. 1983
10.1991


Marc

I don't have my inventory handy, and I haven't moved over to CellarTracker yet. However, I think it would be a toss-up between 1977 and 1985. I think 1977 would win out however.

1994 - 26 Churchill, Cockburn, Graham, Smith Woodhouse, Vesuvio, Warre
1997 - 24 Graham, Taylor

Madeira, anyone?

1977 - 11
1954 - 8
1968 - 7

The top three years in my cellar are:
1963 - 90 bottles (my birth year)
1994 - 66 bottles (my desert island vintage)
1997 - 56 bottles

I seem to have 11 bottles of a remarkable number of vintages. Not sure why.

Al B. wrote:I seem to have 11 bottles of a remarkable number of vintages. Not sure why.

If I could guess, I would say that you likely bought a case and sampled one to make a determination on how it would age...

Easy - 1994.

1. 1994
2. 1977
3. 1992
4. 1985
5. 1983
6. 1970
7. 1991


about 50 cases. I'll have to redo my inventory!
-Dave-