For The Love Of Port

I opened a 2006 bottling last night for a group of 10 Port lovers and must say that even though we had some pretty phenomenal Port (I had the 1994 Taylor as my POTN) the vast majority at the table were not only blown away by the 1952 Dalva, many said it was the best Port that night and a few said the best they had ever had!

We finished it last night. I t was just as golden (how else can I say it?) as the night before.

In fact, none of the VPs have seriously deteriorated after being returned to their rinsed bottles and a night of cool (but not chilled) storage.

We each had a short pour of each of the the (24 hr + opened) VPs. Then we began proselytizing among the staff and interested on-lookers. With luck, there are a few more people interested in port in the world this morning.

I'll leave the formal Tasting Notes, and the report on the evening as a whole, to Roy. I'll just say that a good time was had by all.

Peter,
Glad you got to try this one before it's all gone. It truly is one of those *special* bottles of Port that don't come around often.

Sounds like a fun night...how was the '63 Delaforce?

I just sent off the payment for 3 bottles of this one. Looking forward to trying it when I can get my hands on it sometime in 2010 perhaps.

What can I say, everyone has talked it up so much and I am weak...

Bryan H. wrote:
What can I say, everyone has talked it up so much and I am weak...

Join the club Bryan

What can I say, everyone has talked it up so much and I am weak...

Weak no. Smart, yes!

The price for the 50cl Dalva Golden White 1952 will be 149€, so paying more 20€ for 250ml is a wonderful deal !

I wonder how much of the DGW52 has been bought/consumed as a direct result of the discussions and tasting notes posted here?

We will never know, but I am sure that it would have lasted much longer on the shelves and in the cask than it has done if we had not "discovered" it and spread the word on

Derek T. wrote:I wonder how much of the DGW52 has been bought/consumed as a direct result of the discussions and tasting notes posted here?

We will never know, but I am sure that it would have lasted much longer on the shelves and in the cask than it has done if we had not "discovered" it and spread the word on

Although we'll never know for certain, I am quite sure this forum had a significant impact on the sales of this port. It was easy to get when I first had it in 2006 and until the past year, was still easy to get and at a very cheap price.

Andy Velebil wrote:Although we'll never know for certain, I am quite sure this forum had a significant impact on the sales of this port. It was easy to get when I first had it in 2006 and until the past year, was still easy to get and at a very cheap price.

Agreed. And you've had more than anyone else, Mr V

Dalva Golden White 1952 (75cl) prices have increased a lot... but I´ve decided to keep it the same value...

February 2010, "VINHOS" magazine, the GOLDEN WHITE 1952 from DALVA, won the Award best of the year 2009 !

Updated information: 800 liters is now the quantity remaining...

Although I don't take credit for the 1952, I will accept the dubious distinction of having tasted this "first" in October 2005 along with Mario Ferreira and David Spriggs and another guest on that initial Port Harvest Tour. News of it first appeared here on the Forum and then in the newsletter in a tasting note in my article.

While in Portugal, I have introduced it to over 100 people in person and I've owned 31 bottles of this since that time of which I have opened and shared 19 of these bottles in the USA, Canada and UK with over 150-200 people to date. I have had this specific Port an additional 23x while in Portugal (counting that very first experience). It took me the last 2 days to dig up my old note books and check for all scribblings from earlier trips to research this. The number of people who have bought these on trips with me to the old Dalva lodge and later, from Vinologia and on their own from reading about this here ... countless. If nothing else, on my tombstone ... this will be one of the reasons they put, Roy Hersh a.k.a. "The Port Pusher" etched into the stonework, maybe with a photo of the last bottling. Hopefully that will be in about 35 years from now.



More importantly folks, Vinologia has taken their price up to nearly 230 Euros. They also are still selling the half bottles too. The price for their half bottle is equivalent to what Goncalo is selling the 750 for and I congratulate him on not taking advantage of a precious, limited and diminishing gem of a Port. So I urge those of you who are looking to buy any remaining bottles ... to please visit Goncalo's website where it is for sale: http://www.thedourovalley.com


Get them while they last ... till sold out!

Roy Hersh wrote:Although I don't take credit for the 1952, I will accept the dubious distinction of having tasted this "first" in October 2005 along with Mario Ferreira and David Spriggs and another guest on that initial Port Harvest Tour. News of it first appeared here on the Forum and then in the newsletter in a tasting note in my article.

Ahem... But you've certainly been a good ambassador for this port, I'll give you that.

Ronnie,

When I mentioned "first" in quotations, it was because I meant "first" to try it from folks here on FTLOP and discuss it here. Also, the bottle you mentioned on the WS site, was a PRESIDENTIAL bottling, and NOT the Dalva, so that is not exactly the same. Splitting hairs? Definitely .. but there's nothing like a fun semantics issue.

Sorry, but presidential = dalva, just a different name for different markets.

Ronald Wortel wrote:Sorry, but presidential = dalva, just a different name for different markets.

Absolutely correct. The wines are the same, just different labels and corks. Arguably, they may have extracted the lot destined to be bottled as Presedential on a different date/year to that destined for release under the Dalva label, which would make it "a different bottling", but it is still the same wine.

My unic thought about this discussion is that Roy is the first and unique DALVA GOLDEN WHITE 1952 ambassador !

Of course that the Port is wonderful but, Roy enjoy it very much also ( according to the quantity of golden white that he drunk , and he spoke already about that in this TOPIC ) and from Vinologia, all of us need to say (loud and clear):

"thanks a lot, Roy" !!!

goncalo devesas wrote:My unic thought about this discussion is that Roy is the first and unic DALVA GOLDEN WHITE 1952 ambassador !

Of course that the Port is wonderful but, Roy enjoy it very much also ( according to the quantity of golden white that he drunk , and he spoke already about that in this TOPIC ) and from Vinologia, all of us need to say (loud and clear):

"thanks a lot, Roy" !!!

I agree that Roy is "unique" but doubt very much that he is a "unic"

Rectified ...sorry !