What Unopened Bottle Have You Had in Your Cellar the Longest?

John M. · Post by **John M.** » Mon May 08, 2023 7:25 am

I was logging in my recent acquisitions and was curious what bottle (unopened) I've had the longest. Turns out it is a tie:

2004 Quinta do Crasto LBV ($16)
2003 Grahams ($50)

Both acquired on 3/1/2010, but from two different sources. Prices all in (VAT and shipping if applicable).

So what you got??

Al B. · Post by **Al B.** » Mon May 08, 2023 8:10 am

Your post rang a bell. Some distant memory that we’d had a similar conversation on the Forum in the past.

And I managed to find the old thread. Interesting to see how things have changed.

And guess who started that thread back in 2017?

John M. · Post by **John M.** » Mon May 08, 2023 8:30 am

Hahaha---your memory is better than mine!

Mike J. W. · Post by **Mike J. W.** » Mon May 08, 2023 8:48 am

I've only been collecting since 2016, but I have 2 bottles of 1997 Taylor's VP that I purchased in April 2016.

Post by **Glenn E.** » Mon May 08, 2023 4:28 pm

My answer hasn't changed because I still haven't drunk that 1977 Royal Oporto or 1970 Martinez!

Eric Menchen · Post by **Eric Menchen** » Tue May 09, 2023 12:59 pm

My answer for Port hasn't changed:

... I had some 1997 VPs purchased in 2008, but we drank those in a horizontal tasting of 1997s. So after that, I think I still have some 1994 Quinta do Vesuvio that I bought in 2009 after loving that wine so much at the first Gala.

But I think I'm down to one bottle of 1994 from that 2009 purchase. Luckily I have more.

Outside of the Douro, I still have two bottles that I purchased in 2004 when visiting the Dry Creek and Russian River valleys.
2002 Forth Syrah La Rousse Vineyard, Forth Ranch Dry Creek Valley
2002 Armida Zinfandel Late Harvest Napa

Rune EG · Post by **Rune EG** » Wed May 10, 2023 1:42 am

1994 Dow's vintage
1994 Warre's vintage
Purchased at Berry Bros., London, October 1996
OWCs of 6 btls
Now 2 btls each of them left.

Mike J. W. · Post by **Mike J. W.** » Wed May 10, 2023 11:03 am

Rune EG wrote: ↑Wed May 10, 2023 1:42 am 1994 Dow's vintage
1994 Warre's vintage
Purchased at Berry Bros., London, October 1996
OWCs of 6 btls
Now 2 btls each of them left.

The '94's are starting to really come around. I've had both a '94 Graham's and Warre's in the last few months and they're singing.
I'll have to try a '94 Dow's soon.

Thomas V · Post by **Thomas V** » Thu May 11, 2023 12:39 pm

2011 Taylor's and Noval. I think I bought them around 2016.

Gary Richardson · Post by **Gary Richardson** » Fri May 12, 2023 6:42 am

2000 Graham's Vintage. I picked this up on my first trip to Portugal at the Graham's lodge. My first Port ever purchased, and still sitting in my cellar.

LOUISSS J · Post by **LOUISSS J** » Fri May 12, 2023 5:14 pm

Taylor Fladgate Vintage 2000 and 2003 bought in 2010. I have 1 bottle of each.

Randy Katz · Post by **Randy Katz** » Fri May 12, 2023 7:09 pm

80 Dow, bought in 1998, about when I started cataloging.

John M. · Post by **John M.** » Sat May 13, 2023 5:55 am

I gotta be honest---I am dissapointed there isn;t someone saying I bought a case of 1983 on release in 1985 or such.

Still, I love and appreciate everyone's responses. Seems like most on FTLOP are like me, came to Port in the last 20 years or so. Cheers!!

Thomas V · Post by **Thomas V** » Sun May 14, 2023 10:12 am

John M. wrote: ↑Sat May 13, 2023 5:55 am I gotta be honest---I am dissapointed there isn;t someone saying I bought a case of 1983 on release in 1985 or such.

Still, I love and appreciate everyone's responses. Seems like most on FTLOP are like me, came to Port in the last 20 years or so. Cheers!!

I was 4 years old

Age is a factor here as well as if you were introduced to the world of wine by your parents or a family member. I never was and spend the first many years of my late teens and early twenties drinking beer and spirits when going out. I didn't start drinking wine until my early 30's.

Post by **Andy Velebil** » Mon May 22, 2023 3:47 pm

Thomas V wrote: ↑Sun May 14, 2023 10:12 am
John M. wrote: ↑Sat May 13, 2023 5:55 am I gotta be honest---I am dissapointed there isn;t someone saying I bought a case of 1983 on release in 1985 or such.

Still, I love and appreciate everyone's responses. Seems like most on FTLOP are like me, came to Port in the last 20 years or so. Cheers!!
I was 4 years old

Age is a factor here as well as if you were introduced to the world of wine by your parents or a family member. I never was and spend the first many years of my late teens and early twenties drinking beer and spirits when going out. I didn't start drinking wine until my early 30's.

4 yrs old is no excuse. You should have walked down to the store with your piggy bank and bought some '83s

Eric Ifune · Post by **Eric Ifune** » Tue May 23, 2023 2:14 pm

1977 Warres in 1981.

Scott Esterly · Post by **Scott Esterly** » Tue May 23, 2023 4:33 pm

I’ve only been buying port since Feb 2022 so my entire first order will be in the “cellar” for a loooong time:

2016 Cockburn’s VP
2016 Quinta do Vesuvio VP
2017 Croft VP
2017 Fonseca VP
2017 Quinta de la Rosa VP
2017 Sandeman Quinta Do Seixo VP

Mike J. W. · Post by **Mike J. W.** » Wed May 24, 2023 12:41 pm

Eric Ifune wrote: ↑Tue May 23, 2023 2:14 pm 1977 Warres in 1981.

Now this is worthy of note. 42 years in your cellar. Did you buy just one or a case that you've been working through?

Eric Ifune · Post by **Eric Ifune** » Wed May 24, 2023 3:03 pm

Got half a case. Got more later on, but still have 3 from the original purchase.

Al B. · Post by **Al B.** » Fri Jun 16, 2023 7:08 am

If we're talking Port, my longest held unopened bottle is a bottle of Vesuvio 1989, which I bought in August 1994 when the John Lewis department store offered them in single bottle boxes for £24.50 per bottle.

I have some table wine which I've held for longer, but I only started keeping organised records in 1992. The first purchase ever entered in my cellar records was a half-case of Chateau Margaux 1983, bought from Oddbins wine merchant @ £50 per bottle. All the bottles I bought before March 1992 have been opened and drunk.

For The Love Of Port

What Unopened Bottle Have You Had in Your Cellar the Longest?

What Unopened Bottle Have You Had in Your Cellar the Longest?

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