Calling all Quintas!

[Tom Archer]

...and shippers..

Gentlemen (and ladies),

As we come to the 2005 declaration season, I am hoping that we will not see a repeat of last year, when NOT ONE OF YOU troubled to announce a VP declaration on this site.

By way of a trivial incentive, I HEREBY PROMISE to buy a case of the first vintage port whose declaration is first announced here.

- C'mon guys, it only takes a moment or two!!

Tom

[Roy Hersh]

Sadly we can't even get them to post about their own wines, so a vintage declaration here? Unlikely.

But in the spirit of Tom's fine gesture ... I'll "wager" and offer to buy two cases as well. In fact, I'll divide one of the cases up and personally ship or hand deliver the bottles to the 12 individuals on this FORUM with the most posts.

Now there would be three cases sold, IF the news breaks here FIRST.


(Tom, in the title -- I'd probably change the word Quintas to Port Producers, in order to gain more visibility!)

[Jay Powers]

I'll follow Tom and Roy's examples and buy a case as well. Not sure if I will ship off bottles to 12 people on this forum, but I'll certainly share if any members drop by the Bay Area.

This sounds like Alex's note on another page. If the trend in these three posts continued, what % of the producers output could they sell in a matter of days?

A definitive list of declared vintages by one of the long term producers would be great as well! I'll buy another case for that.

Jay

[Al B.]

I'm in as well. That's 5 cases sold for the producer who first announces on this website that they are declaring a vintage (single quinta, second label or first wine - I don't mind) from the 2005 harvest.

I don't think we've quite reached the levels that will attract the attention of the producers, but I know that a well known UK wine merchant only sold 20 cases of Vesuvio en primeur from the 2004 vintage so we are now up to a quarter of that sort of order quantity.

(PS - I reserve the right to plead poverty if Noval declare their Nacional or Vargellas their VV for the first time on this website. All others I will buy.)

Alex

[Andy Velebil]

Ohh what the hell, I'm in too (Alex's disclaimer about NN and VV applies to me as well, although I will buy A bottle if they are the first).

THATS 6 CASES already sold.

If this is not the best reason to make an announcement here on the forum, I don't know what is.

[Julian D. A. Wiseman]

Family trouble: almost all of my port is in my father's cellar, in my wine rack therein, and in scattered cases. So far, so good. Except that some months ago my father called to complain that his cellar was too full (!), too cluttered, and that no more may be delivered. Nothing. As you might imagine, the New York branch of the Wiseman family went into panicked crisis management mode, eventually causing this prohibition to be softened a little. But only a little.

So I'd love to buy more port, not just the 2005, but storage constraints currently prevent my doing so without getting real value out of the space.

Nonetheless allow me to commend a good idea. The producers should go to greater lengths to talk to us. (This reminds me of the whisky distillers' initial dislike of the Scotch Malt Whisky Society, now replaced with a desire to do the best they can on the SMWS's list.)

[Al B.]

Sounds like the Wiseman family may need to outsource the vaults to a third party "vault facility provider". Time to talk to Octavian perhaps?

Alex

[Julian D. A. Wiseman]

I have been resisting that. Time to concede: an email, asking about the cost, has just been sent.

[Derek T.]

Great to see a reference to the Malt Whisky Society - I spent a very enjoyable afternoon in their Queens Street rooms in Edinburgh a few days before Christmas. This was the first time I had a proper "tasting" of a spirit and was amazed by the differences between the malts from different producers and regions. Suffice to say I made the most of the opportunity and tried as many different malts as I could 8)

Anyone who visits Edinburgh should try to find a way of organising a private tasting here - £20 for a meal and 3 different very rare old malt whisky's is excellect value.

Derek

[Julian D. A. Wiseman]

Whisky has a great advantage over port: it can be opened without notice (no decanting), and will keep, even if open, for many months. One should always have several SMWS malts open.

But even with the requirement to open a bottle in advance and drink it all soon, port is the best.

[Roy Hersh]

Ok, enough Whisky talk in this thread or you'll scare away the Port producers and I'll have to delete posts. So, please don't!

Back on track: In the newsletter ... Stewart should have it online tonight, there is a new "attraction" AIMED squarely at the Port producers to encourage their participation.

Look for it, I think you folks will like it!

[Derek T.]

you'll scare away the Port producers

"Port producers" don't think I've ever seen one here so how can we scare them away?

[Julian D. A. Wiseman]

"scare away"? I was trying to do the opposite. The whisky boys started scared, and then learnt to love the SMWS. Likewise the port producers could learn to love this gathering. We are customers, drinkers, enthusiasts, willing purchasers. We happily hand over pictures of living monarchs and dead presidents for their nectar. The producers should start the same learning process as the distillers.

Alex: Octavian paperwork in the post.