Trader Joe's has 2007 Quarles Harris

[Eric Menchen]

for $35 each at the Campbell, CA location. I'm here on business trying to figure out how many I can practically take home.

[Andy Velebil]

for $35 each at the Campbell, CA location. I'm here on business trying to figure out how many I can practically take home.

Nice Price! Go to a wine store, buy a couple of styro shippers, load 'em up, and ship them home to yourself. Probably easier and cheaper than checking them on the plane and being charged a ridiculous amount by the airlines for extra luggage.

[Eric Menchen]

for $35 each at the Campbell, CA location. I'm here on business trying to figure out how many I can practically take home.

Nice Price! Go to a wine store, buy a couple of styro shippers, load 'em up, and ship them home to yourself. Probably easier and cheaper than checking them on the plane and being charged a ridiculous amount by the airlines for extra luggage.

Southwest--no charge for checked bags! But do I trust them with a box of wine? I need Glenn's travel case.

[Andy Velebil]

for $35 each at the Campbell, CA location. I'm here on business trying to figure out how many I can practically take home.

Nice Price! Go to a wine store, buy a couple of styro shippers, load 'em up, and ship them home to yourself. Probably easier and cheaper than checking them on the plane and being charged a ridiculous amount by the airlines for extra luggage.

Southwest--no charge for checked bags! But do I trust them with a box of wine? I need Glenn's travel case.

I've traveled many times on SW and other airlines with wine. Just put them into a styro wine shipper and you'll be fine.

[Roy Hersh]

I just traveled with Magnums of 1970 Fonseca (and 2 others) plus 750s of 1960 Yquem and Barbeito Madeira, a bottle of 100+ year old Madeira ... all in checked luggage and also the 750s in my WineCruzer. It was painless and fortunately the wine arrived in perfect condition. Fortunately, on UAL I can check 2 bags free.

[Eric Menchen]

Made it home OK with the wine packed with clothes, in plastic bag, then more clothes. Before going to California or Europe again I hope to get one of the dedicated travel cases.

[Roy Hersh]

Don't get "The Wine Safe" ... before getting the WineCruzer, I tried a friend's safe for a couple of trips by plane. Too bulky and way too heavy. The positive side is that it carries 12 bottles (or 24 375s I believe) but who needs that kind of bulk.

[Melanie R.]

I tried the Trader Joe's in Redmond, but they don't have it there--just in case any local folks were thinking of going hunting for it, I figured I would save them a trip.

[Steve E.]

Funny, I swung by there earlier today too. I did pick up a couple bottles of the 2004 LBV though. I didn't have any "daily" Port around.

[Andy Velebil]

I tried the Trader Joe's in Redmond, but they don't have it there--just in case any local folks were thinking of going hunting for it, I figured I would save them a trip.

The one thing I've noticed about TJ's is they all seem to get random things in different stores. I assume the corporation allows them to buy from local distributors that have good deals on things. I once found some 2000 Warre's VP at mine for a really good price a few years ago. But I haven't seen any top notch Port's show up the one by me in a long time.

[Timothy B.]

I think they call them "Hustle Buys", and they seem to be one-time deals. A couple weeks ago, I was taking a peek at the spirits, and noticed a 750ml bottle of Armagnac for $9.99. That's 1/2 the price of the least expensive price no-name Cognac I've seen out here. I use it as an ingredient in my "cold preventative".

That store had just the one bottle left, but I noticed a full shelf in another. Unfortunately, when I went to get a second bottle, they had sold out.

-- T

[Dylan Howard]

No VP in the Trader Joe's here in Atlanta either (the buckhead location for locals). They had Quarles Harris ruby, tawny and ten-year tawny, but no vp unfortunately.

[Timothy B.]

Just saw this (the Quarles Harris 2007 Vintage Port) at a Trader Joe's in So Cal for 34.99. Maybe it was just late getting to the stores down here.

Also is the Quarles Harris 2004 LBV at $12.99 a good deal?

-- T

[Andy Velebil]

Also is the Quarles Harris 2004 LBV at $12.99 a good deal?

-- T

I didn't find a TN on this one in the TNDB and at that price worth getting just to see how it is. If you don't like it, at least you spent very little money. If you do get it, please post a tasting note (however brief), so the rest of us know if we should buy some. Basically, we're hoping you'll be the guinea pig

[Marc J.]

I could have sworn that I had posted a TN on the Quarles Harris 2004 LBV! From what I remember, it isn't a fruit bomb of a wine and I also recall that raisins & prunes dominate the palate - give this one some air time and it opens up a bit and adds some complexity. The finish is a bit short, but overall it is a nice everyday drinker. My notes on this wine are consistent over the 5 bottles of this wine that I've tasted over the last 6 months. Enjoy!

Marc

[Timothy B.]

If you do get it, please post a tasting note (however brief), so the rest of us know if we should buy some. Basically, we're hoping you'll be the guinea pig

Ah, the sacrifices I make in the name of science...

(Disclaimer: In my introduction to this forum, I wrote that I was here for the Madeira. My tastes run slightly more toward caramel-ly goodness than to stewed fruits.)

Quarles Harris 2004 LBV

Having read Marc's advice, I poured a glass and then took the pups for a walk to give it some air time. (Actually, I poured four small glasses - one each with and without using a vinturi before the walk and each when I got back.)

Had dinner (ham and cornbread) and then started trying it with desserts - tart strawberries with a sprinkling of brown sugar, then walnuts, then some sharp cheddar on crackers. None of it quite answered for me. I kept thinking this is not worth it, compared to an inexpensive Madeira. I'm on the last glass right now - poured through the vinturi before the walk and I find it the best of the lot. As Marc said, raisins and prunes. One more try - this time I pull out the big guns - water crackers with a small slice of Dubliner and a miniature dollop of apricot preserves. Now we're getting somewhere, but I don't think it's the food pairing so much as hours sitting in the glass. Marc wasn't kidding about air time! The prunes are mellowing out.

I don't find the finish short, it's just not overpowering. The last few sips were the best. For me to really enjoy this port, I need to decant it, or at least let it sit in a glass for several hours. My next experiment will be to pour a glass tomorrow morning and see what it's like when I get home from work.

So the answer for myself is that it's worth buying if I can sort out aerating it properly.

-- T

[Glenn E.]

The last few sips were the best.

I find that's generally the case, at least for a "normal" evening drinking only a glass or two.

I think that it takes time for my palate to adjust to Port even though I drink it fairly regularly. No matter how good the Port is, the first couple of sips aren't as good as the last few. So if I'm going to a serious tasting, I try to have a glass of Port before I leave to get things going.

But air time is important too, especially for younger Ports. I'm working on a bottle of 2004 VP right now and it was markedly better on the second day.

[Marc J.]

Tim,

Glad you enjoyed the bottle!

Marc

[Dylan Howard]

Tim and Marc,

I just picked up a bottle of this LBV at my local Trader Joe's. Good price, I'll post some notes once I've cracked it. I've always been a tawny guy, and this will actually be my introduction to LBVs...

dylan

[Timothy B.]

Glenn: Interesting thoughts. My experience with pouring a glass (and covering with a paper napkin) of the LBV in the morning before I left for work and then trying it when I got home was that I enjoyed the first few sips. Then I had dinner (left-over ham and cornbread). When I settled down to continue the glass I then found it too simple (if that word makes any sense) and fixed things by mixing it half and half with more port from the bottle (which had been in the fridge all day, as opposed to airing).

-- T