What is the Largest Format Port Bottle Available?

SEAN C. · Post by **SEAN C.** » Wed Dec 06, 2006 1:34 am

I just picked up another double magnum of '77 Taylors. I have never seen any other Port from any year or maker (other than the Taylor's) in that size or a larger format bottle...has anyone else?
Has a Imperial, Salmanazar, etc of Port ever existed?
Has anyone even seen any other double magnums of Port before?

Frederick Blais · Post by **Frederick Blais** » Wed Dec 06, 2006 2:27 am

I've seen Double magnums of Port, mainly in Portugal. Nothing bigger so far.

Frederick Blais · Post by **Frederick Blais** » Wed Dec 06, 2006 2:29 am

I've seen Double magnums of Port, mainly in Portugal. I've seen a very big bottle of Taylor LBV in Quebec once at a Port tasting. It must have been 10+ liters easily. I'll upload it on the site when the feature is available, I think I have a picture of it.

Derek T. · Post by **Derek T.** » Wed Dec 06, 2006 3:43 am

I seen very large bottles in a cellar in VNG (I think it was Croft) that were said to be reserved for large dinner parties. I couldn't be sure what capacity these bottles had but would guess at around 8 magnums

Derek

Post by **Roy Hersh** » Wed Dec 06, 2006 11:01 am

I own only one double magnum of Port ... otherwise known as a 3 liter bottle. I have seen larger formats in Portugal, although many have been "dummy" bottles used for marketing purposes in tasting rooms. I do not believe I have seen anything larger than 5 liters of Port that was filled.

It would be great to know: what is the largest bottle of Port wine in existence.

Maybe we need a contest?

SEAN C. · Post by **SEAN C.** » Wed Dec 06, 2006 11:41 am

Roy which do you own.. is it a Taylor?

Frederick I would love to see the pic!
I'll upload my double mag pics as well when it's available on this site.

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Wed Dec 06, 2006 12:53 pm

Is it possible to buy a full pipe of port?

Do port manufacturers give bottling options as they do when buying Bordeaux futures?[/img]

Richard Henderson · Post by **Richard Henderson** » Wed Dec 06, 2006 2:27 pm

What size is the Niepoort bottle in your avatar, Frederic Blais?

Steven Kooij · Post by **Steven Kooij** » Wed Dec 06, 2006 3:50 pm

The biggest bottles I've seen have been double magnums - Taylor '77 and Graham '94...wish I owned some of them!

Derek T. · Post by **Derek T.** » Wed Dec 06, 2006 3:53 pm

mosesbotbol wrote:Is it possible to buy a full pipe of port?

Do port manufacturers give bottling options as they do when buying Bordeaux futures?[/img]

I am sure that you could find a small producer that would be willing to do this if you gave him an enormous amount for money. From memory I think a Pipe equates to around 60 cases. Even at a modest $300 a case this would be $18,000 for what, at that price, would be at best an average quality wine :?

I think the days of buying your VP by the pipe are long gone

Derek

Frederick Blais · Post by **Frederick Blais** » Wed Dec 06, 2006 4:21 pm

rahenderson wrote:What size is the Niepoort bottle in your avatar, Frederic Blais?

I believe it is 11 liters. Though the Garrafeira are not sold in these format :)

Steven Kooij · Post by **Steven Kooij** » Wed Dec 06, 2006 4:29 pm

Derek: when I visited a small but famous Quinta a few years ago I spotted serveral "baby casks" in the barrel room - it turned out the were exactly that: 20 to 50 liter casks of Port, custom ordered for laying down for client's children without having to buy a whole pipe. A nice idea, but (now) I do wonder what the larger wood / wine ratio would mean for how the Port would age...a 20YOT in just 5 years?

rahenderson; I believe those Niepoort bottles contain between 9 and 12 liters. They are used to produce Garrafeira Port - which is sold in regular side bottles. That being said, I'd love to have an empty (heck, a full one) on the display shelf! 8)

*edited beecauze i kant spel*

Steven Kooij · Post by **Steven Kooij** » Wed Dec 06, 2006 4:30 pm

Frederick posted while I was typing...

Post by **Roy Hersh** » Wed Dec 06, 2006 6:49 pm

You can find out all the details about these particular demijohns here:
http://www.fortheloveofport.com/articles/a_colheita.htm

Richard Henderson · Post by **Richard Henderson** » Wed Dec 06, 2006 8:13 pm

That is a great article, Roy, and those other old large bottles are very interesting.

Do they fill 750 bottles of port bottles from this glass demijohn? I would note that in Argentina, table wines are sold to locals and at road side stands and from wineries in these demijohns which are taken back to wineries for refilling after a family has drunk the demijohn.They cork the demijohn and pour wines into carafes for dinner etc. No glass is wasted on 750 disposable bottles. They refill the demijohn from casks.

*sweetstuff · Post by *sweetstuff » Thu Dec 07, 2006 5:37 pm

George Saintsbury mentions in the Preface to the third edition of his Notes on a Cellar-Book (page xxvii of the 1953 reprint in my possession of the Macmillan and Co, London house) the presence in his personal cellar of a jeroboam of the reportedly great 1881 Sandeman port. Whether this was a jeroboam of the Burgundy or Bordeaux variety is not clear, which of course makes a considerable difference.

Jay Powers · Post by **Jay Powers** » Fri Dec 08, 2006 1:18 am

I believe that at Vinologia in Porto, they had a dummy 6L bottle and a real 6L bottle. I remember talking with both the owner and Gustavo about it, and I was suitably impressed. I believe that it was Graham's, although I cannot remember the vintage. The discussion led to, basically, that you had to be in the trade and a very good customer (in fact, representing the port trade in general) to end up with one of these.

The only question is, what do you do with a 6L bottle of port??? Although if I had one, I would certainly think of something

Derek T. · Post by **Derek T.** » Fri Dec 08, 2006 4:27 pm

Jay Powers wrote: The only question is, what do you do with a 6L bottle of port???

Jay, we have proved many times here that VP can last up to 4 days after opening so I can't understand why you think 6L is too much to know what to do with - surely 1.5L per day isn't beyond someone with Douro Service

Derek

Post by **Andy Velebil** » Fri Dec 08, 2006 9:46 pm

Derek Turnbull wrote:
Jay Powers wrote: The only question is, what do you do with a 6L bottle of port???
Jay, we have proved many times here that VP can last up to 4 days after opening so I can't understand why you think 6L is too much to know what to do with - surely 1.5L per day isn't beyond someone with Douro Service

Derek

Jay and Derek,

We've all seen and experienced how much Port a few Port lovers can consume in one night....6L, no problem with this group

Jay Powers · Post by **Jay Powers** » Fri Dec 08, 2006 11:13 pm

Well, as I said, I could think of something. Unfortunately I do not have such a large group of port lovers here in SF to help me drink it. Come to think of it, I'll have to look harder for such a group. But now how am I going to get that 6L bottle???

Jay

For The Love Of Port

What is the Largest Format Port Bottle Available?

What is the Largest Format Port Bottle Available?

To add a literary note,