VP in Half Bottles

[Al B.]

Interesting to see some different views about VP in half bottles. I am a great fan of half bottles, purely because of the convenience of being able to finish a half bottle between my wife and myself over a couple of days.

My experience with them started with Warre's '83. In the UK recession of the late '80's and early '90's my local wine merchant bought a distressed parcel of these from a bankrupt local investor and was selling them for GBP 3 each. I offered GBP 2 for a case of 24 and - to my amazement - the wine merchant accepted. These halves were laid down in temperature controlled storage and I still have some today. The last I opened was around a year ago and was still drinking wonderfully, with plenty of depth and colour.

Most recently, my local supermarket must have suddenly discovered a case of Dow '83 halves in their warehouse somewhere because these appeared on their shelves in early June (strange time for a supermarket to start a new line in VP!). 12 halves appeared on the shelf and since the supermarket was doing its summer wine promotion of "case discounts" (buy 5 bottles and get 1 free), it seemed unfair for me not to take all 12 halves. I only have 2 halves left now. The Dow '83 is drinking very nicely at the moment, but has been a little variable in the supermarket halves. One bottle was absolutely superb, one was very flat and all the others have been pretty similar somewhere in between.

In between these two purchases I have bought one or two halves of VP each declaration. I find halves are easy to get hold of when the wines have been shipped so I don't buy them en primeur. My only en primeur buying tends to be a case or two of the most difficult wines to get hold of.

Sadly, I tend not to make tasting notes so I can't give more detailed descriptions of either the Warre or the Dow '83 and apologise for this. All I can tell you is that I am thoroughly enjoying both.

[jasond]

bridgema, Look out I think you hit a Roy soft spot! I agree with you that it can be nice to have some 375's around. I like them because I can finish one myself . Oh and thanks for the notes on the 83's I don't have any left but have tasted the 83 Warre's and enjoyed it.

[Roy Hersh]

Jason,

It is way too early for me to get "controversial" here.


Half bottles are not for everybody, and I guess I am included in those that just don't get 'em. I like 750s or mags, compared to 375s. I am not a big fan of the 750 size either. Before I finished the 2003 article, I already started one for the next newsletter on Port bottle size issues. I will be doing the article more as an "op ed" piece aimed at the Port trade members. I know they read this as today, four of the heads of companies there ... emailed me about the new site. None have signed up but I have a feeling they may be lurking in our midst.

There is something about 500 ml bottles that is just perfect for Port. I will elaborate more in the article.

I like the Dow '83 a bit more than the Warre 1983 at this point although they were much more similar when younger in terms of their evolution, but not flavor profile..

[Frederick Blais]

For the 500 ml format, Gilbert's released their LBV with bottle of that size here in Quebec. It had huge success as it was also acclaimed by some local wine critics. I like the size for the LBV or Tawny but Vintages? No way!

For the Magnums it is nice to have some for your collection but I never know when to open them and if I'll be alive when I'll open them. So far I only bought Vesuvio and Graham 2000 in magnum.

Nice to know that some important people in the Port business are reading this. Hey guys, do you have any job for me

[Jay Woodruff]

I do like the half bottles. I use them early on for a taste of the port and how it is progressing. Prefer to buy more in 750 format though for the long haul. But yes, the half bottles are nice now and then.

As far as mags, I do like those as well. The issue for opening is more time than occasion. Because they need more time to mature, it can be an issue. As far as amount, well, since I can finish a half botle by myself in an evenin, a mag is good for four people!
Even if not everyone would want as much port in a sitting, a table of eight perhaps.

[mwaters]

As has been said above, I can open the bottle and finish the same evening. This is a big positive for me. I have only tasted 4-5 VPs from 375 and I usually buy a few 375 along with the 750s. My intention is to use the 375s as tasters to follow the evolution of the wine, then start to open the 750s when they are in the prefered drinking window.

Buying a 375 is also a great way to taste the wine before making a bigger purchase.

[Alan Rath]

I do like the option of half bottles, but I use them for a slightly different purpose. Not having the luxury of Roy's connections, I don't get a chance to try many VPs until they're released. For some reason, it is less common to find tastings of Ports in wine shops than other wines. So, when I buy my futures, I'll often add a single half bottle of some or all, which I then open early to evaluate the wine and note how I think it might develop in the future. It's more a matter of $$ in this case, since I don't need a full 750 for the purpose, and hopefully the half bottle is identical to the full in its early youth.

Cheers,
Alan

[Jason Brandt Lewis]

Good option, Alan! I honestly hadn't thought of that.

But a 375ml is just too small under "normal" (i.e.: non-tasting) circumstances. If they made 500ml bottles -- well, that would another story . . .

[timbuk2]

I am interested to hear the 500ml argument in Roy's article, but I tend to buy 750s of older port, but when I bought 2000's, I bought a mix of 375s and 750s for the 2000 vintage.

Why? It is a difficult thing for me to contemplate when buying Port on release is the staggering length of time before optimal consumption. Nothing else compares to the longevity of Port, except maybe Madeira I guess, but I don't know from personal experience.

Considering, the availabiltiy of aged port at reasonable prices, it just seems silly financially to buy Port on release (I am a financial guy and the numbers don't seem to work for me), but somehow, and this is purely psychological. I also simply have a hard time predicting my consumption patterns 30-40 years out and I don't have kids to will them to. I'll be over 70 by the time these things are ready to go anyway! So, psychologically I can buy a few 375s and not really think about whether I ever get to enjoy them, but if I plunked down for Fonseca magnums I'd simply worry more about that.

I have also heard that smaller formats age faster and therefore increase my chance of being alive when the wines peak!

[Roy Hersh]

Alan,

I like your strategy alot and like Jason, this is the first time I have heard of that approach. Very cool. Since on occasion, I will invite guest to blind taste young Ports or cask samples in one of the handful of times I approach a bottle, maybe if you are in the 'hood next time ... you can join me and see 'em really early on.



Timbuk2 (this is why I wanna have real names ... soon!),

I agree that the smaller format bottles age quicker and have seen that in play on a few experimental sessions. This is as true as magnums taking longer to evolve than 750s. I need to make time to sit down and write that 500 m.l. article soon.

[Frederick Blais]

Roy, I found a reason why you should have some half bottles in your cellar :o

Graham has release a special edition with their 2000 vintage. It feature an artist series label from the museu do Douro. I think it is only available in half-bottle. I can't find any information about it on the web, I bought mine at Graham lodges.

In the flyer I have with the Graham, it is said that bottling of Ramos Pinto, Niepoort and qta do Infantado 2000 Port have also seen a special label edition bottling. For the Douro wines, Casa Ferreirinha and Quinta de Santa Julia de Loureiro got one too.

Its cool, its the first time I see it, the grapes and % used for Graham 2000. For those who care:
Touriga Nacional : 28%
Touriga Francesa:33%
Tinta Barroca 18%
Vinha Velha (old Vines) : 21%

49% traditionnal Lagares
26% Robotised Lagaraes
15% Tanques com calcadores automaticos(don't know in English )

[Roy Hersh]

Dear Disciple,

I assume you did not know that the Touriga Francesa's name had officially been changed to Touriga Franca.

[Frederick Blais]

Right... now it rings a bell, I've read that in Richard Mayson book. But I just transcribed what was on the flyer

[Monique Heinemans.]

As I'm in my fifties, my last big purchase were the 2000 VP's, all 750ml bottles and 3 mag's (Fonseca). After that I just bought some 2003 (Croft, Niepoort, Dow, Vesuvio), 2007 (Vale Meao, Pocas) and 2011 (Dow).
My question now is: Does it make sense to buy some 375ml VP's from 2011 (f.i. the Niepoort) with the expectation to be able to drink them myself? At what time aprox. they will be at their best? Is there a rule of thumb to calculate that in relation to a 750ml bottle?
Oh, I hope to live at least another 25 years in good health

[Al B.]

As I'm in my fifties, my last big purchase were the 2000 VP's, all 750ml bottles and 3 mag's (Fonseca). After that I just bought some 2003 (Croft, Niepoort, Dow, Vesuvio), 2007 (Vale Meao, Pocas) and 2011 (Dow).
My question now is: Does it make sense to buy some 375ml VP's from 2011 (f.i. the Niepoort) with the expectation to be able to drink them myself? At what time aprox. they will be at their best? Is there a rule of thumb to calculate that in relation to a 750ml bottle?
Oh, I hope to live at least another 25 years in good health

I'm about the same age as you and have really eased off my buying of port these days. I did buy into the 2011 vintage and I'm really enjoying these right now. It was quite hot in the UK earlier this week and I was drinking a Quevedo 2011 half bottle straight from the fridge - a really lovely blackcurrant and tannin fruit bomb. I have a fair few halves of 2011 and plan to drink these either in the next 5 years or one or two a year after that until I can actually answer your question about when - approximately - a 375 will reach its peak.

The oldest half bottle I have ever drunk was in 2008 when Tom Archer shared a bottle of Croft 1904 with a few friends. It was old and tired.

The oldest half bottle that has shown well when I drank it was in 2011 when I shared a half bottle of Sandeman 1927, which was full of marmalade and burnt sugar. I think half bottles mature differently from 750s but they seem to have a long life even if they do mature a little more quickly.

[Monique Heinemans.]

Thank you Alex!
I've never had the experience of drinking port that old as you have had, my parents didn't drink port, so they didn't left me any and in the Netherlands port (esp. the older ones) is very expensive compared to f.i. the UK.
But I've just ordered 6 halves 2011 Niepoort VP and plan to open one soon, than I can decide wether I should buy maybe more.

[Eric Menchen]

I like half bottles myself and have bought quite a few. Everyone says they age more quickly and I understand and agree with that. As for any rule of thumb, I'm not aware of one. There is enough variation from label to label, year to year, and bottle to bottle for 750s that make me think any guide will be fairly rough. I've had one half bottle from the 1960s, and many from 1980 on. They've been fairly varied in maturity, but they came from a variety of sources for which I don't know the provenance. Now in the past 10 years I have purchased a few Ports in both 750 and 375, and I know the storage conditions. So ask again in 10 years and I should have a better answer.