For The Love Of Port

Those who followed this thread last time may recall that the bulk of the lots in this clearance sale at Christies (London) - failed to sell.

It has now been re-entered for Christies sale on March 22nd

Most of the stock on offer is in multicase lots, but the wine is boxed in cartons of six.

I suspect that Christies will be reluctant to run this stock a third time, so there is a possibility of some very low bids being accepted.

Any bargain hunters interested in sharing cases or sharing a multicase lot, please PM me!

The vintages on offer are:

63
66
70
77
85
91
94
97

See Alex's tasting notes..

Tom

I have PMed you, but in the hope of encouraging others, will also post here. This looks like a worthwhile vertical, so I'd be on for two of each.

Interest has been modest, so I've cast a wide net, lodging low to very low absentee bids.

It's possible that a dealer will clean up, with a view to shipping the wine to the US, or that the vendors will continue to hold out for too much (excepting the 91's, the estimates all look too high)

However, if interest is no better than the first time around (when FTLOPers seem to have accounted for a high proportion of the few sold lots) there may be some bargains.

If I win anything, I will post the results here, and happily share the spoils at cost.

For now, I'm off to Valencia for the Fallas fiesta:

http://www.donquijote.org/culture/spain ... fallas.asp

One of those events that everyone should see at least once, but, being greedy, I go every year!

So being away from any computer, I will leave you all in peace for a week!

Tom

OK the result:

Again many lots failed to sell, the minimum accepted bid was two bids below low estimate. For some reason, all the 1970 wines were withdrawn shortly before the sale.

As a consequence, I secured a very large quantity of one vintage only - 1991, which as promised, I am offering shares of at cost.

Total cost per bottle, including duty, VAT and transport to my cellar, is just £8.20 per bottle, or £49.20 for a carton of six - significantly cheaper than last time!

I very much doubt you will ever see juice this good at such a low price again!

Tom

I was also thinking about betting on some of them but the results of my requests about shipping costs to Germany held me back.

For up to 5 cases I'd have to calculate about 170GBP... so no chance

I'll just have to wait for the next Amsterdam auction

I bought some of this from Tom in December 06 and can recommend it to anyone looking for some good quality cheap VP. It is not a stellar wine but is a complete no-brainer at £8.20 per bottle.

My supply of this has just been significantly increased 8)

Alan C. - do you remember Andy and I telling you about that slope you are standing at the top of? I have a feeling your first case purchase is only minutes away - go on, you know you want to

Derek

Tom,

Having called you a Grumpy Old Sod.......
I am interested in a half case of this. At £50 it seems a steal...and yet, winesearcher has them for various prices, with the cheapest being around £12 a bottle, again showing how you got them cheap.
But is there a simple exlpanation why a Vintage Port (which I accept is pleasant, but not 'Steller' as Derek puts it, is SO cheap after 16years of existance???
I read up that the name dissappeared in the takeover(About Morgans Rum), but even still, it just doesn't make sense!
Is there anything a Novice should know, before I start explaining that when I said Grumpy, what I really meant was.......

Alan.

Alan,

Don't worry about calling Tom grumpy, he is


As far as can be determined all of this Morgan VP that has been hitting the auctions in the UK is the cellar stock that was inheritted by Taylor Fladgate when they purchase Croft a few years back. Croft having proviously acquired Morgan, which is no longer produced.

Morgan is not, and probably never has been, a top flight VP producer. The prices you have seen on wine-searcher are probably about the correct value. The reason this batch is so cheap is perhaps because they have put it all up for auction in one go and supply is outstripping demand. Perhaps if Tom sends you a PM to explain how many he now has you will understand the scale of what Taylor Fladgate have dumped onto the market. Why they have dumped it is anyone's guess, but I suspect the bays in their cellar will be more profitable being full of their premium wines from recent and future vintages rather than being full of this stuff.

You have nothing to worry about in buying this stuff. Another way to think of it is that you are getting a properly cellared 16 year old VP for about 75% of what you paid M&S for their BOB 10 yr old tawny 8)

Derek

PS: Go on, buy a whole case, you know you want to :twisted:

ooooohhhhhh.... so very tempting. Although, I have this horrible feeling that shipping costs to Canada might very well make it a no-deal.

If I'm ever returning thru England, Tom - I'm coming to raid your stocks with a blank check in hand!

I'll figure out how to get the things on a plane afterward 8)

Todd

If anyone stateside wants to ship a substantial quantity, then pm me - I live just ten miles from a Fedex air hub...

Tom