What is the oldest bottle in your collection?

[Todd Pettinger]

So I'm back and a recent trip to Boston (okay, a MONTH AGO!) has blown me away with teh availability of "old" VP. Yes, I would very likely suffer a stroke if I ever made it out to a real wine merchant in the UK or Portugal!

My oldest bottle is a recent acquisition, and surprisingly enough, from Canada. It was priced at under $200 for the bottle, is by a reputable house, and even appears to have been stored somewhat properly since it was released (ex-cellars) from Portugal.

It is a bottle of Dow 1970 VP. I know, kind of sad for those of you in US states or the UK who have access to all kinds of wonderful old bottles at prices I would likely kill to have available to me. (I have decided that a yearly trip to Boston is in order, if for no other reason than to drink with Moses and Sean who are two very good guys and every bit the gracious hosts that they seem on this forum. (More details to come once I actually get around to authoring a proper offline story regarding my trip to Boston at the beginning of April.)

So, what is the oldest bottle in your collection?

[Erik Wiechers]

Hi Todd, great to have you back.

My oldest bottle at the moment is a 1935 Nicolau de Almeida followed by a 1937 Shepherd's Port. Third place is a 1940 Niepoort Garrafeira.
However i set my eyes on a bottle of 1851 port by a unknown shipper for a reasonable price (800 US$). Im still negotiating with her though.

But on the other hand, i am planning to take Roy's trip to Portugal in oktober ( the european tour) so i might have to pass on that bottle for now.

[Todd Pettinger]

Hi Todd, great to have you back.

My oldest bottle at the moment is a 1935 Nicolau de Almeida followed by a 1937 Shepherd's Port. Third place is a 1940 Niepoort Garrafeira.
However i set my eyes on a bottle of 1851 port by a unknown shipper for a reasonable price (800 US$). Im still negotiating with her though.

But on the other hand, i am planning to take Roy's trip to Portugal in oktober ( the european tour) so i might have to pass on that bottle for now.

You may even be able to pick up an even older bottle in Portugal for a reasonable price, although from what I have read, you would have to look carefully for such a deal as the majority of retailers in Portugal are looking to take advantage of the tourist dollars...

[Glenn E.]

My oldest bottle at the moment is a 375 of the 1957 Porto Kopke Colheita. After that is a quintet of the 1964 Quinta do Noval Colheita.

The oldest VP I have in my collection is a tie between a 1970 Martinez and a 1970 Ferreira, but once I manage to hook up with Derek I'll have a 1964 Graham's Malvedos.

I buy primarily to drink, and I'm typically the only person drinking, so the really old stuff isn't really practical. I'd need an event of some sort where I could share the bottle(s) with other Port drinkers before I could reason my way into a buying a really old bottle.

[Andy Velebil]

I buy primarily to drink, and I'm typically the only person drinking, so the really old stuff isn't really practical. I'd need an event of some sort where I could share the bottle(s) with other Port drinkers before I could reason my way into a buying a really old bottle.

Glenn,
I'm sure we could easily arange that this summer

[Derek T.]

My oldest bottle is an 1873 VP bottled by White's of Liceister - next is an Auzzie port from Lange's from 1888 and then an 1890 Unknown Shipper.

Derek

[Tom Archer]

I have three 19c bottles of known antiquity:

An 1896 Feuerheerd, an 1875 unknown and an 1847 Barrows (of Birmingham)

I also have two identical and very ancient halves. On one the word 'Croft' on the cork is discernible through the glass - but no date is visible. Nothing is legible on the other bottle.

The grey glass looks very primitive, and typical of the bottles unearthed when people dig over Victorian rubbish dumps. The levels are low, but the corks seem entirely sound.

One of them might just get opened this year at some point - with suitable company, of course!

Tom

[Frederick Blais]

Haven't received yet, but it will be a couple of Kopke from the 60's. I've RIP my Fonseca 66 with Dirk At least it was pristine.

[Glenn E.]

I buy primarily to drink, and I'm typically the only person drinking, so the really old stuff isn't really practical. I'd need an event of some sort where I could share the bottle(s) with other Port drinkers before I could reason my way into a buying a really old bottle.

Glenn,
I'm sure we could easily arange that this summer

Careful, I'll hold you to that!

[Scott Anaya]

oldest....I reckon that'd be the Porta rocha 150 yr tawny blend, which contains a blend of 5 tawnies between 100 & 150 yrs of age if I'm remembering correctly. Next would be two 1939 Royal Opporto Colheitas, followed by a '55 Taylor VP as my oldest VP.

[Todd Pettinger]

Wow, some great old bottles guys...


Glenn,
I hear you brother. I am typically the only one drinking when I open VP as well, but I manage to do more than my fair share! :)

Tom,
What a treat that will be to see the report on that if you do open it up... Pics requested! :) (I can dream of being there, but it would be just that - a dream!) :)


Todd

[Ted D]

For Port, it's a 1958 Krohn Colheita, VP 1966 Fonseca, and Madeira, 1905 something or another

[Ronald Wortel]

Niepoort 1952 Garrafeira.

The oldest VP used to be a Sandeman 1955, but that's long gone. Now it's 1966 Fonseca.

[David Spriggs]

For Port - 1970 Taylor (I've drunk up all the older ones!)
For Madeira - 1903 D'Oliveira's

-Dave-