For The Love Of Port

(And when, why, and how did it get in there?)

Q1) How many bottles of VP do you have?

Q2) When did you start amassing them?

Q3) Is there an annual net gain or loss to you VP bottle numbers?

Q4) What Vintage is most represented in your cellar? (why?)

Q5) What Producer is most represented in your cellar?

Q6) Where or how do you procure most of your VP?

Replies to the cellar post a few days ago were hinting at what was in some of your cellars and your collecting habits and rates. It got me wondering about your collections and some questions came to my curious mind.

Scott Anaya
Anchorage

Crikey - I didn't expect the Sp.... no let's not go there.

Q1. Bottles of VP - about twenty-five, I'll need to count;

Q2. Started amassing ermmm... recently. Got a 1963 Warre's four years ago, think about it;

Q3. Currently a net gain, I am on the rise with VP;

Q4. Vintage most represented is 1996 with thirteen SQVPs;

Q5. Graham's is the most represented followed by Fonseca. Fonseca will be building up as we go;

Q6. I'm a spontaneous bargain buyer.

Edited because I missed an 'a'

Q1) How many bottles of VP do you have?

I have not counted the in's and outs for some time but I think it's around 250-300

Q2) When did you start amassing them?

1999

Q3) Is there an annual net gain or loss to you VP bottle numbers?

Always a gain 8)

Q4) What Vintage is most represented in your cellar? (why?)

1991 - I am including my recent purchase of 2 cases from Tom of the Morgan 1991 but also have Graham's and Gould campbell from the same vintage - reason is simply that this vintage is extremely good value and is drinking well now. In 2nd place would be 1965, my birth year - I think I have 24 of these

Q5) What Producer is most represented in your cellar?

I think it is probably about equal for Morgan, Fonseca and Graham's

Q6) Where or how do you procure most of your VP?

In the past year I have bought lots of bottles in collaboration with fellow FTLOP members in the UK but my "normal" source is from wine merchants over the internet

Derek

1) In what year did Thomas Blood attempt to steal the English crown jewels?

2) About the same time that Mikhail Gorbachev became president of Russia.

3) Currently a gain

4) What year was the first Gulf war? - AND - because they were very cheap!

5) Morgan - for the same reason

6) I buy them - mostly at auction

Tom

Tom,

Go an buy one more case, so that you can answer Question one as

The year the Wild Boar was Officially hunted to Extinction in Britain.

(Thats Wild Boar, and not its Cousin the Crashing Bore, that survived and flourished and occasionally makes an appearance on our Forum!)

Alan

Q1) How many bottles of VP do you have?

~35 bottles

Q2) When did you start amassing them?

~ 2 years ago

Q3) Is there an annual net gain or loss to you VP bottle numbers?

Definitely a Net Gain

Q4) What Vintage is most represented in your cellar? (why?)

2003 (5 bottles, 15.15%)
2002 (1 bottle, 3.03%)
2001 (2 bottles, 6.06%)
2000 (7 bottles, 21.21%)
1999 (1 bottle, 3.03%)
1997 (4 bottles, 12.12%)
1996 (1 bottle, 3.03%)
1995 (1 bottle, 3.03%)
1994 (2 bottles, 6.06%)
1993 (1 bottle, 3.03%)
1991 (1 bottle, 3.03%)
1985 (2 bottles, 6.06%)
1971 (1 bottle, 3.03%)
1970 (1 bottle, 3.03%)
N.V. (3 bottles, 9.09%)

Q5) What Producer is most represented in your cellar?

Niepoort (5 bottles, 15.15%)
Warre (5 bottles, 15.15%)
Quinta do Noval (3 bottles, 9.09%)
Quinta do Portal (3 bottles, 9.09%)
Quinta do Vesuvio (2 bottles, 6.06%)
Dow (2 bottles, 6.06%)


Q6) Where or how do you procure most of your VP?

Mail order from a couple of places. Receive some as gifts (since now all my friends know me as the "Port Guy")

**Note: stats are from my cellartracker account, and doesn't reflect about 8 bottles recently acquired - including a '71 Noval and some domestic stuff I just picked up in Napa last weekend.

Q1) How many bottles of VP do you have?
10 (surprised myself when I counted them!)

Q2) When did you start amassing them?
Just about two months ago

Q3) Is there an annual net gain or loss to you VP bottle numbers?
Definitely gain :)

Q4) What Vintage is most represented in your cellar? (why?)
2003 (3) 1 Fonseca, 1 Taylor, 1 Noval (Just in the process of acquiring two cases, so total count will rise to 27.)
2001 (2) [Fonseca SQVP]
1997 (1) Ferreira
1994 (1) Vesuvio
1987 (1) Barron de Zellaer
1985 (1) Warre's
1980 (1) Gould Campbell (a 375 mL being opened this weekend to make a decision on a case-purchase of the same) So this one will soon leave the count!
Almost have 1 of my wife's birth year 1977. Soon.

Q5) What Producer is most represented in your cellar?
Currently Fonseca, but about to become Roriz and Taylor Fladgate (tied @ 12 apiece)

Q6) Where or how do you procure most of your VP?
Local stores but starting to expand to look for decent sales through the internet and auction. Haven't been savvy enough to find any decent deals yet online/in auction. Possibly one day? Shipping costs and duty to get the stuff into Canada are always such a pain and expense so it is likely cheaper to buy it from a wine store if you believe that.

Todd

Q1) How many bottles of VP do you have?
13

Q2) When did you start amassing them
5 Months Ago

Q3) Is there an annual net gain or loss to you VP bottle numbers?
Gain

Q4) What Vintage is most represented in your cellar? (why?)
1991--seem to find good prices on producers I want to try and are drinkable now

Q5) What Producer is most represented in your cellar?
Ferreira (6 bottles, almost half, interesting)

Q6) Where or how do you procure most of your VP
Auction and Retail--living in Indiana, it is tough to buy on the Internet, luckly Chicago is just an hour and a half away

~Paul

Q1) How many bottles of VP do you have? At a guess, 3-400, I'm not actually sure and need to do an inventory. I would like to catch up to Tom but need a little more time

Q2) When did you start amassing them? ~3 years ago

Q3) Is there an annual net gain or loss to you VP bottle numbers? Gain

Q4) What Vintage is most represented in your cellar? (why?) 1994, because it is excellent quality for value still (aidded by my desire to acquire all of the Vesuvio 94 which Alex has not already snatched up).

Q5) What Producer is most represented in your cellar? I have a wide variety, but Grahams probably edges out statistically.

Q6) Where or how do you procure most of your VP? Mostly from local shops in the Bay Area, supplemented with lots of internet purchases (mostly from within CA).

Jay

Q1) How many bottles of VP do you have?

About 52 cases (624 bottles)

Q2) When did you start amassing them?

1993

Q3) Is there an annual net gain or loss to your VP bottle numbers?

Gain!

Q4) What Vintage is most represented in your cellar? (why?)

1994 followed by 1977 and 1985. 1994 is the greatest set of young ports I have ever tasted. A legendary year. Who could have too much 1994 in their cellar? More than half of my port collection are 1994's. I am still buying 1994's when I see them for good prices. I'm always on the lookout for more 1994 Vesuvio
1977 was still a bargain for older port when I started collecting.
I went back recently and bought more 1985 because that's been my go to vintage and drank through all of what I had. I bought 1985 Fonseca and Graham's in the UK when there was quite a bit of it being dumped a couple of years ago.
Surprisingly I have not a single bottle of port from 1997 or 2000. I told my wife that I wouldn't buy any more young port vintages after 1994. I broke that promise when I bought some 2003's.

Q5) What Producer is most represented in your cellar?

Taylor, followed closely by Fonseca, Dow's, and Graham's

Q6) Where or how do you procure most of your VP?

Most of my bottles are from Farr Vintner's in the UK. But many from Wine Club, K&L Wines, and Wine Exchange.

-Dave-

1) about 200 bottles of vp, about 25 tawnys,


2)started 10 years ago, but REALLY began to amass some quantities about 7 years ago


3)gain


4)1977, 1985, 1983, 1994


5)taylor, warres, fonseca, gould campbell in that order


6)certain retailers, on line merchants, auction

Q1) How many bottles of VP do you have?
I'm happy to say that I have a lot less than Tom, Dave and Jay. I'm probably on a par with Derek

Q2) When did you start amassing them?
Umm. You could say at birth, when my grandparents bought a case of Taylor's '63 for me (although you could also say in 1966, when the ports were shipped). Or you could say in 1984 when they gave the ports to me on my 21st birthday. Or you could say in 1991 when I bought my first case (Fonseca 1966) at auction. Or you could say in 1995 when I bought my first Eurocave to have somewhere to keep "everything" that I bought. I suppose the honest answer is - I dunno really. :?

Q3) Is there an annual net gain or loss to you VP bottle numbers?
These days it is generally a small gain, but we are talking 12-24 bottles per year as I am buying vintages on release but stashing them away for future drinking (by me or my progeny). Most current drinking is matched by modest regular buying. I would estimate that I buy around 75-80 bottles per year and open around 50-60 per year.

Q4) What Vintage is most represented in your cellar? (why?)
That would be 1863. Oh no, wait a minute, my mistake its 1994 with 60 bottles. This is because its one of my favourite years for current drinking and it is also the year that my daughter was born (and most of it is Vesuvio 1994 that Jay can't have!) A close second is 1963 - the year of my birth (and still with a couple of the bottles my grandparents gave me).

Q5) What Producer is most represented in your cellar?
Without even having to check I can state that this would be Vesuvio. I know this as I have been buying Vesuvio since their first release of the 1989 vintage. About 40% of my stocks are Vesuvio.

Q6) Where or how do you procure most of your VP?
I buy wherever I see good value for money. Sometimes this is at a wine merchant (retail or online), sometimes auction, sometimes collaboratively with fellow FTLOPers. I also buy en primeur for some of the "hard to buy" wines like Vesuvio or VVV.

Alex

Q1) How many bottles of VP do you have?
142, which is roughly 50% of my total collection

Q2) When did you start amassing them?
In 2002, the first batch of VP was bought on holiday in Portugal. After that, there was no stopping us.

Q3) Is there an annual net gain or loss to you VP bottle numbers?
Gain.

Q4) What Vintage is most represented in your cellar? (why?)
The Top 5:
1. 2000 (28 bottles)
2. 1995 (17 bottles)
3. 1994 (16 bottles)
4. 1977 (11 bottles)
5. 2003 (11 bottles)

2000 is heavily represented, because we started buying in 2002, when the 2000 vintage just came out. We bought a lot of single bottles from different producers, and later came across good bargains on Taylor and Fonseca 2000, that were hard to deny.
The older vintages are more difficult to come by, and often more expensive, so when we buy them, it's mostly one or two bottles a time. 1977 is in the top 5, because it's LadyR's birth year.

Q5) What Producer is most represented in your cellar?
The Top 5:
1. Taylor (27 bottles)
2. Fonseca (24 bottles)
3. Niepoort (14 bottles)
4. Dow (12 bottles)
5. Martinez (7 bottles)
The total number of producers (port only) in my cellar is 32.

Q6) Where or how do you procure most of your VP?
Depends where I can get a good deal. Sometimes I buy directly from the producer (when on holiday) or from the importer, sometimes I stumble on a bargain and buy from different shops.

Q1) How many bottles of VP do you have?

146, about 60% of my cellar

Q2) When did you start amassing them?

January 2002, after my first Christmas bonus!

Q3) Is there an annual net gain or loss to you VP bottle numbers?

A stow but steady gain

Q4) What Vintage is most represented in your cellar?

1995 - 31 bottles
2000 - 19 bottles
1994 - 14 bottles
2003 - 13 bottles
1991 / 1996 - 7 bottles

Quite recent stuff - older wines I tend to buy to drink.

Q5) What Producer is most represented in your cellar?

Taylor - 27 bottles
Dow - 26 bottles
Fonseca - 23 bottles
Niepoort - 14 bottles
Noval - 6 bottles

I have Ports from 31 different producers.

Q6) Where or how do you procure most of your VP?

Sometimes over the internet, but most still in brick-and-mortar.

I've now counted - 29 and a half (Quinta do Bomfim 1987)

1. In England I have 333 bottles of port, counting the eleven magnums only once. There are also a few in US locations.

2. Starting gathering fifteen-ish years ago, but more since five-ish years ago.

3. Gain.

4. 140×1985, 39×1977, 39×1980, 38×1970, 26×1963, 24×2000, ≤4 of other vintages.

5. 77×Fonseca, 75×Taylor, 59×Graham’s, 47×Warre, 23×Cockburn, ≤10 others.

6. Multiple sources.

Q1) How many bottles of VP do you have?
145
Q2) When did you start amassing them?
I started to be serious with port around 1997 but only had money to buy to keep from 2000
Q3) Is there an annual net gain or loss to you VP bottle numbers?
When there is a Vintage release its a gain, else its always a loss :)

Q4) What Vintage is most represented in your cellar? (why?)
38 bottles of 2000. For my taste its the best all-around vintage made since 1970 close with 2003 ( I don't want to launch a debate here ) So I did buy from various producers where in 2003 only from my favourite.

Q5) What Producer is most represented in your cellar?
Its Funny, I have exactly 20 bottles of Niepoort, Taylor, Noval and Vesuvio

Q6) Where or how do you procure most of your VP?
At the SAQ and some special I do bring back from Portugal.

This thread actually asks "What's in your cellar?" and then proceeds to tell you what you're allowed to have, restricting you to Vintage Port. Hrrrrumph.

Well, yesterday three cases of Bordeaux turned up: 2000 Chateau Bel Air Pomerol; 2000 Chateau Faugeres St Emilion; 2003 Chateau Talbot St Julien. Thus increasing my Bordeaux stocks by more than my total VP in one fell swoop.

Even on the Port side I have six bottles of Graham's Crusted that I wasn't allowed to mention plus three bottles of Otima 20yo Tawny, Krohn 1997 LBV, Warres LBV for 1992 and 1994, Noval LBV 1997.

There are over 400 bottles of wine in total, plus some J20, water (sparkling and still), Grolsch, Lucozade Sport, a bottle recycling bin, an air-cooler, a screwdriver set and a bottle of Cruz Ruby.

KillerB wrote:There are over 400 bottles of wine in total, plus some J20, water (sparkling and still), Grolsch, Lucozade Sport, a bottle recycling bin, an air-cooler, a screwdriver set and a bottle of Cruz Ruby.

Wow... that Cruz Ruby is a gem!!! Best bottle in the cellar I'd reckon!

(I probably shouldn't hack on Cruz Ruby as I have never had it. I haven't even seen it in my travels... maybe that is a good thing... )

Todd

Trust me, you really need to have a glass or two of Cruz to appreciate every other Port that passes your lips.