The 1931 Noval that wasn't meant to be

[Andy Velebil]

Recently I had dinner with some friends at a nearby restaurant that is known for having a really good wine cellar. As in a real underground wine cellar that customers are allowed to walk around in and pick bottles to enjoy with dinner. As I'm perusing the Port section I see a 1931 Quinta do Noval VP. Needless to say I got a little excited inside. Not often you see this holy grail, let alone at a small restaurant. It's behind a locked wire cage so I find the Somm, find out it's for sale for well under $1,000 and he pulls it out for me to inspect. My heart sank when I saw the fill level was just below bottom shoulder. Couldn't have asked for a worse fill level. I thanked the Somm for pulling it out but told him I'd have to pass on buying it since the fill was horribly low. Even the Somm said it's probably totally oxidized by now. Oh well, they did have a 1977 Cockburns VP (the new label one) for just shy of $400. I passed on that overpriced bottle and we enjoyed some red Burgundy and Cali Cab's instead.

[Mahmoud Ali]

NIce story Andy. However it begs the question, given the poor ullage and the fact that the sommelier thought the bottle was oxidized, at what price would you, and anyone else on the forum, buy the bottle. Food for thought?

Mahmoud.

[Andy Velebil]

If it was around $150 or so I'd pull the trigger and get it. But with that super poor fill level it's not worth much more than that IMO.


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[Mahmoud Ali]

Sounds about right Andy. With four people sharing the pain at $50 each I'd say $200 would also be okay.

Mahmoud.

[John M.]

I agree with $200.......or create/make a deal with the somm of some sort, too....no use letting it sit in that cellar.

[Glenn E.]

Yeah, I'd probably take a flyer on it for $200.

So sad...

[John Trombley]

There might be a value to the sommelier attracting attention of such as you, who would think most of the top end wines on the list were affordable after the conversation you had. It may, in other words, be a simple display piece.

[Mahmoud Ali]

There might be a value to the sommelier attracting attention of such as you, who would think most of the top end wines on the list were affordable after the conversation you had. It may, in other words, be a simple display piece.

Good point John ............... Mahmoud.

[Andy Velebil]

There might be a value to the sommelier attracting attention of such as you, who would think most of the top end wines on the list were affordable after the conversation you had. It may, in other words, be a simple display piece.

Sadly, at this point that is all it is. LOL!

[John Trombley]

This reminds me of the very few times I've opened up a double magnum or bigger bottle at some kind of do and noticing that there were nearly fistfights over the empty. Strangely it seems it's always been the ladies who wanted it for some kind of decorating purpose.

[Houston Porter]

A friend told me about at a time he was in a similar position (only with a much less expensive bottle.) Luckily, the Somm checked with the owner and then offered to open it up for the guests to try and if it was bad there would be no charge. If it was good, the owner said he'd take whatever the guests thought the experience was worth. My friend thought that was more than fair, especially considering they were looking at a bottle in the $200 range. The bottle ended up being fine, but because the owner recognized (and appreciated?) that us port folks can be a bit nutty (...or better educated on port than most), and because he wanted to try a glass too, he didn't charge them a dime. Needless to say, they tipped well.

[John Trombley]

There might be a value to the sommelier attracting attention of such as you, who would think most of the top end wines on the list were affordable after the conversation you had. It may, in other words, be a simple display piece.

[Roy Hersh]

I was hoping for a happy ending when I opened this thread. What a tease; meaning the bottle and subsequent fill level.

But better to err on the side of caution in that case.

Then again, I would have said, "we will pay you X if the wine turns out to be in good condition. If corked or over-the-hill, I assume we won't have to pay for it?" It is worth seeing if he'd be willing to play let's make a deal. If not, then John is correct and it truly is just a display bottle.

[Ronald Wortel]

I had a similar experience with a Croft 45 once. For sale for a considerable amount at my then 'go to' wine store, but with such a bad fill level and visibly still leaking that I never dared to take the risk. Always had a look at the bottle when I came in though...

[John Trombley]

Now there's a topic, Ron and Roy. 'Friendly Wine Bottles I Regularly Visit!'

It's certainly something I do. Find a retailer with a 'treasure room', and, when I'm there, get the key and look at the bottles I've admired over time, and even, if I get a little flush, buy something. Hey, the provenance is probably very well known! That's the source of a 2004 Yquem I reviewed here recently! And the only bottle of Romanée St-Vivant Mari-Monge, or any DRC, for that matter, in my stash.

I remember an occasion once.....but then you all know all of my good wine stories already, or not so good...(this was the one about the 730 of Schloss Schonborn 1976 Winkeler Hasensprung Beerenauslese Riesling from the Rheingau.....)

[Shawn Denkler]

In the 1980s I bought a lot of 1931 Q Noval from Christies. It was cheap because it had two low fills. I opened the mid shoulder fill and it was oxidized and tasted somewhat like an old coheita. It wasn't as complex or concentrated and certainly did not have the wood component. It was enjoyable but I would agree that the top price for the low shoulder mentioned above would be $200 tops if shared.