For The Love Of Port

The next time any of you want to whine about the price of Port and Portuguese wines sold here in the USA, take a lesson from those in the UK and realize how fortunate you are!

At the upcoming Vancouver Playhouse International Wine Festival, here are the Ports being sold at their big annual auction:


117 - 1977 Taylor Fladgate Vintage Port Value: $350.00 - One 750 ml bottle.
Simply, this is one of the greatest Ports of all time. The Wine Spectator, along with the 98 point rating said ''There is an explosion of fruit and tannins in the mouth but at the same time this wine is in total harmony. Deep dark ruby, with blackberries and violets on the nose, full-bodied, with masses of blackberry flavors, full, hard tannins and a very long finish. Will age for decades.
Donated by: Lawrence and Maggie Burr



125 - 1983 & 1985 Smith Woodhouse Vintage Port Value: $240.00 - Two 750 ml bottles.
Smith Woodhouse is a small port house producing quality Ports since 1784. In 1970 they were acquired by the Symington family who are also well known port producers since the 19th Century. The 1983 is rather beefy, with a high level of sweet grape flavours and tannins. The 1985 is a rich vintage Port characterized by its luscious fruit and round tannins, violet aromas and showing plenty of grip and power.
Donated by: Robert Sinclair



431 - 1985 Fonseca Guimaraens Vintage Port Value: $650.00 One 1.5 L bottle.
This vintage boasts one of the biggest, most impressive and long-lasting ports in the last four decades. This wine exhibits a deep purple-ruby color with a ripe and generous nose redolent of blackcurrant and cherry. The full round palate is well supported by thick well integrated tannins and delivers an abundance of luscious chocolate and blackberry flavours which linger all the way through to the long velvety finish.
Donated by: Taylor Fladgate / Fonseca / Croft Port



432 - 2003 Quinta dos Roques Garrafeira Value: $720.00 - Twelve 750 ml bottles.
This wine is the most premium offering from Quinta dos Roques, one of the premier producers in the Dao region of Portugal. Bottled from the best lots of the estates varietal wines, this is a wine built to age for 20 years or more. This wine is dark ruby red in colour, with an intense fruit bouquet of wild black currants and pine leaves, spicy and complex with vanilla and chocolate notes, full bodied and balanced. The label is classic but eye-catching.
Donated by: Quinta dos Roques



433 1963 Graham's Vintage Port Value: $500.00 - One 750 ml bottle.
Legendary Port from a stellar vintage. The 1963s are long-lived with great 'grip' and fruit. Fully mature now, the 1963s will keep in a cool cellar for 5-10 years more; 96 points.
Donated by: Friends of the Festival



434 2008 Quinta do Crasto Old Vines Reserva Value: $660.00 - Six 1.5 L bottles.
From one of the best producers in Portugal, this wine is crafted from parcels of old, low yielding vines (70 years old) with up to 30 different grape varieties and aged in French and American oak barrels for up to 18 months. A high proportion of the grapes used in the blend are foot trodden in lagares. The wine may be drunk soon after its release but has the depth and concentration to develop in bottle over the long term. it is a complex, powerful wine with great intensity and a richly textured palate. It is always bottled without any fining or filtration.
Donated by: Quinta do Crasto



435 1992 Warre's Vintage Port Value: $125.00 - One 750 ml bottle.
Unusual single Quinta(“farm”) from Portugal. Quinta de Cavadinha is a 46 Ha farm producing superb Ports. The color is a dark ruby/purple, it is solid, sleek and racy, featuring fine tannins and an ironlike backbone. Full-bodied, medium-sweet and reserved. This will age 20 - 25 years. 91 points, Wine Spectator and Wine Advocate
Donated by: Edward and Dorothy Chiasson

OUCH!!!!!!

+1
The Smith Woodhouse and the Warres seem like the best deals, only ~2x the going rate south of the border. Of course this is a charity auction, so there is a bit of price inflation as you would find in the U.S. as well.

Do you think that is to:

a. raise the hammer price so the charity gets more

OR

b. the price given to the auction house by the owner of the contributor was jacked up to obtain a greater tax advantage?

Yes on both Roy, but I was thinking more of (b).

Well today, I let some Vancouver friends in on a stash of 2007 Sandeman VP's at 20% below the price of the lowest retailer in the USA. Woooo hoooo! I never thought I'd live to see the day when they could do that on any VP, although I find the occasional great buy up there on Douro wines, which some of their agents (importers) are less greedy with.

I have some bottles I can sell at that rate!