just saying hi!

[Michael Whitehead]

hello, new port interest here. i see alot of familiar faces :help: :devil: ...

i'm about only a month in in my interest. grabbed these so far:

2003 Churchill Porto Vintage (5)
1997 Churchill Porto Vintage (1)
1985 Croft Porto Vintage (2)
1994 Dow Porto Vintage (1)
2003 Quinta do Noval Porto Vintage (1)
2003 Taylor (Fladgate) Porto Vintage (1)

just what i needed, to step my hobby up a notch in pricing. ouch.

cheers! :)

[Kris Henderson]

Hi tbird,

Looks like a good start. I'm not sure about everyone else, but my concept of what I used to consider outrageously expensive has dramatically changed over the years.

The 1994 Dow is pretty damn good. Pick up a few more bottles when you can. You also won't regret having a few more bottles of the 2003 Taylor in 20 years.

[Roy Hersh]

Tbird,

So what is your real first name?

Besides the weak 1985 Croft, the rest of the lot looks very solid for cellaring and eventual drinking pleasure.

Nice to have you posting here on and we hope it will become a habit!

Stop on by any time you'd like as we are a friendly lot and have many fine discussions on Port.

Cheers!

[Derek T.]

Hi Tbird,

Your interest in port seems to be expanding rapidly!

Welcome to

Derek T. (DRT)

[Roy Hersh]

Don't worry Derek. It only took me two minutes to figure out who this was. I have been to Michael's home in Park Slope and enjoyed several evenings drinking at offlines with Mike and have spent time getting to know his wife as well. He knows me quite well too as my mother lives just a few blocks away from him. So all is good and I am very pleased that Mike has decided to stop by and visit us here. He is certainly very welcome and odds are, that I will be drinking with him next week when I am in Brooklyn.

Mike,

It is very good to have you here at my friend!

[Michael Whitehead]

thanks guys, i was able to post my location, but am a bit techtarded in how to change my screen name.

i am michael whitehead to some, michael white to others, and tbird to the majority. no wonder i get confused all the time? :devil: :help:

looking forward to much knowledge regarding port, it's a fun hobby.

:hello:

[Moses Botbol]

Besides the weak 1985 Croft, the rest of the lot looks very solid for cellaring and eventual drinking pleasure.

Come on, the '85 Croft isn't that bad... Certainly it should be better seeing how everyone had a slam dunk in '85. Well... Croft didn't do 1977 so well either, so go figure.

[Michael Whitehead]

that was my next question. :? what's up with the 85 croft? :|

i was lead to believe it was a decent buy. of course what else would a shop owner lead me to believe.... :help:

[Moses Botbol]

that was my next question. :? what's up with the 85 croft? :|

i was lead to believe it was a decent buy. of course what else would a shop owner lead me to believe.... :help:

It's not that bad http://www.fortheloveofport.com/ftlopfo ... oft#p22075

Certainly not close to their '27, '45 or '63 vintages... Yet other brands are close to that level their 85 vintage

[Michael Whitehead]

thanks, i think i'll try one this weekend.

[Roy Hersh]

Croft 1985 VP is by no means a bad Vintage Port. However, it really is not a fine bottling, given the many very solid 1985s that were produced in that vintage. I would liken it to the mediocre quality of the Quinta do Noval 1985 which is also quite drinkable, yet a lackluster bottling.

Michael, it is a pleasure to have you posting and I am looking forward to watching your Port habit grow and hope that a couple of early examples shared in your presence have spurred your current interest. I don't remember any Ports in your collection at the time, so I think you have a wide open field ahead for planning a buying strategy. Look on the homepage of this site and there is a fun article I wrote a year or two ago about my top dozen VPs. Have a look at what is affordable there and it is a decent place to start. Alex B. has also written a similar and excellent article (with his own picks) which was posted in a "guest corner" article for the newsletter.

[Michael Whitehead]

thanks roy! you are 1000% correct. you provided a 1977 warre two times in my presence this year. that combined with another poster who provided me with a 77 taylor fladgate made me throw in the towel. i had zero bottles of (real) port in my collection just a short 6 weeks ago. weird, but i am highly excited about this transformation and look forward to the research it takes to gain a respectful knowledge.

did you say you would be in the slope next week? we are going to montreal with alice next wedn-sun, but if you are around either before or after that, i look forward!

Michael, it is a pleasure to have you posting and I am looking forward to watching your Port habit grow and hope that a couple of early examples shared in your presence have spurred your current interest. I don't remember any Ports in your collection at the time, so I think you have a wide open field ahead for planning a buying strategy.

[Lars F]

just what i needed, to step my hobby up a notch in pricing. ouch.

Well, the way the markets are going these days, Port may be a wise investment, plus you get to enjoy it when you don't cash in :)

Welcome

-Lars

[Roy Hersh]

This is really where the expression, "liquid assets" had to come from.