For The Love Of Port

Thought I'd pass along an email I received today as a few of the prices seem reasonable. I have no affiliation with these guys other than I have always been satisified with purchases from them as has an upscale restaurant here in Anchorage. The email doesn't mention Provenance or condition. ~Scott

All purchases are subject to availability. Pre-arrival 2-4 weeks. Please let us know if there is anything we can do for you. ---Cheers, Benchmark Wine Group, 707.255.3500, sales@benchmarkwine.com

MAGNIFICENT PORTS:
1963 COCKBURN'S ~ BTL 23 @ $158 WS97
1983 COCKBURN'S ~ BTL 34 @ $95 WS97
1935 CROFT ~ BTL 2 @ $874 WS93
"This is a very chewy and velvety wine with stunningly rich flavors. Medium red with a garnet edge, a rich, perfumed plum nose, medium-bodied, with sweet plum flavors, soft round tannins and a superbly long finish." -Wine Spectator (93 Points)
1963 CROFT ~ BTL 5 @ $158 WS91
2000 CROFT ~ BTL 24 @ $53 RP90
2003 CROFT ~ HB 24 @ $35 WS96
2003 CROFT ~ BTL 24 @ $67 WS96
2003 DELAFORCE ~ BTL 24 @ $49
1963 DOW'S ~ BTL 26 @ $251 RP92, WS92
1977 DOW'S ~ BTL 24 @ $105 RP93, WS94
1977 DOW'S ~ MAGS 1 @ $254 RP93, WS94
1983 DOW'S ~ BTL 17 @ $77 WS94
1985 DOW'S ~ BTL 4 @ $89
1963 FONSECA'S ~ BTL 24 @ $376 RP96, WS98
1970 FONSECA'S ~ BTL 24 @ $189 WS96
1970 FONSECA'S ~ MAGS 7 @ $503 WS96
1983 FONSECA'S ~ BTL 12 @ $95 WS90
1997 FONSECA'S ~ BTL 24 @ $101 RP93, ST93
2003 FONSECA'S ~ BTL 24 @ $83 WS96
1963 GRAHAM'S ~ BTL 24 @ $344 RP96, WS97
1970 GRAHAM'S ~ BTL 24 @ $176 WS94
1983 GRAHAM'S ~ BTL 12 @ $95 RP92, WS93
1985 GRAHAM'S ~ BTL 24 @ $108 WS96
1997 NIEPOORT QUINTA DO PASSADOURO ~ BTL 1 @ $46 WS90
1990 QUINTA DO VESUVIO ~ HB 11 @ $63
1991 QUINTA DO VESUVIO ~ HB 12 @ $63
1997 QUINTA DO VESUVIO ~ BTL 36 @ $64 RP90, WS90
1948 TAYLOR FLADGATE ~ BTL 24 @ $998 WS99
1955 TAYLOR FLADGATE ~ BTL 15 @ $593
1963 TAYLOR FLADGATE ~ BTL 24 @ $344 WS97
1970 TAYLOR FLADGATE ~ BTL 24 @ $176 RP96, WS98
2000 TAYLOR FLADGATE ~ MAGS 2 @ $204 RP98+
2003 TAYLOR FLADGATE ~ HB 24 @ $45 RP98
2003 TAYLOR FLADGATE ~ BTL 24 @ $89 RP98
2003 TAYLOR FLADGATE ~ MAGS 24 @ $179 RP98
1945 WARRE'S ~ BTL 7 @ $967
"This is like a deliciously fresh bowl of fruit. Medium red-ruby with a garnet rim, a nose of cranberries and cherries, full-bodied, with sweet cranberry flavors and a lovely balance of round tannins. A wonderful glass of Port." -Wine Spectator
1963 WARRE'S ~ BTL 24 @ $220 WS92
1977 WARRE'S ~ BTL 24 @ $102 RP92, WS92
1977 WARRE'S ~ MAGS 12 @ $173 RP92, WS92
1983 WARRE'S ~ BTL 24 @ $70 RP90
2000 WARRE'S ~ BTL 30 @ $58 RP91, WS91

Benchmark Wine Group, 707-255-3500, sales@benchmarkwine.com

Scott,

Benchmark is a sound company that buys cellars and occasionally at auction as a smaller piece to their business. They are normally careful in their procurement. They are honest and reliable.

Please do let us know which of these prices you feel represents a "buy" signal. Some seem very high to me, while I am typically fine with that as long as there is something to balance things out. I am not sure I can find anything that folks should look to cherry pick. Then again, I certainly can be overlooking something. Otherwise, a very solid list by a well-respected wine retailer. I'll go have a 2nd look at it.

Roy,

I think you are right on the lack of anything to steal, or cherry pick as you say. I am unfortunately always having to "re-calibrate" my internal pricing memory as living here in Alaska we never seem to get any breaks on the retail front....so when an email comes along with a decent size list at decent prices, with no buyers premium and it means me not having to watch 3 different auctions, or praying that my minimum bids at TCWC sneak by, they seem reasonable to me in the far north. I am positive many others out there will be able to pluck a better deal on any of these wines, there is just not a snowballs chance in Alaska that I will hehehehee

Wanting to test my intiuition...I pulled a sampling as time allows of a few from the list on Wine Searcher. It's a good excercise as I hadn't scrutinized some price comparisons on port for a while. A mixed bag of results, although a few turn up as the cheapest from the benchmark list. I'm sure there are many other spots you "lower 48'ers" can get better deals.

'63 Cockburn's (Which I just had on Christmas and my btl was over the hill )--The Benchmark price is the second lowest
'83 Cockburn's--cheapest on Benchmark list
'63 Croft--among the top 20% cheapest on benchmark
2000 Croft--middle of pack but cheapest is $27 vs. $53 for benchmark
'35 Croft--same as all other listed retailers
2003 Croft--3rd cheapest on benchmark
'63 Dow's--middle of pack
77 Dow's--@$105 among the cheapest retailers, opening bid @ auction is $80 though
'63 Fonseca--opening bids @ auction are 1/2 than benchmark's $376
'03 Taylor--benchmark among the cheapest
'90 Vesuvio-cheapest on benchmark
'97 Vesuvio--cheapest on benchmark