OLD VPs

[Roy Hersh]

This from Flickinger wines. Ask for Tom and mention this website!



We are pleased to be able to offer a phenomenal selection of vintage ports at great prices. All at or below lowest Wine Searcher. Enjoy the Broadbent notes...


2 cs 750ml 1963 Dow Port $190/btl

**** Broadbent (4/2001): Starting in 1965, I seem to have tasted an awful lot of Dow '63: 11 times up to the late 1970s, 20 times in the 1980s and well over a dozen in the 1990s. On the whole very good, though I recall one wormy-corked acetic disaster in the early days and a most unfortunate late-delivered, poorly decanted batch, hazy and bitter, at a livery company dinner in 1994. Bad handling can spoil a good port. There was a particularly fine magnum at the Dow bicentenary tasting: very deep colour, its rim somewhat indistinct, showing neither youth nor age; classic Spanish root bouquet; still sweet, rich, with marvellous fruit and flesh. The Symingtons told us that this was the last vintage of Dow Memphis, Tennessee in September 1999, but perfect weight, flavour and balance at Vintners' Hall. Drink now-2010. foot-pressed in traditional open stone lagares. More recently drying out at a 'hog-roast' Bar-B-Q in Memphis, Tennessee in September 1999, but perfect weight, flavour and balance at Vintners' Hall. Drink now-2010.

7 cs 750ml 1977 Dow Port $ 98/btl

****(*) Broadbent (10/1998): In 1979 crisp, ruby purple; spirity, beef-tea nose; sweet, full yet fleshy. Loads of all the appropriate component parts. Over two dozen well-spaced notes, later illustrating the beginning of colour loss in mid-1980s, though still ruby, intense, translucent. The nose endlessly fascinating with sweet, fig-like fruit, a squeeze of tangerine, cognac-like spirit, tight-knit bu developing fragrance. A decade later rich, intense, almost explosively assertive, with the grip of a good vintage and along lean dry finish. Attractive bottles in the late 1990s and, most recently, a very fragrantly scented magnum almost eau de cologne (we were informed that a very distinctive 'herbal' nose is common to all '88s). Unusual, high-toned, delicious.

1 cs 750ml 1963 Warre Port $ 175/btl

**** Broadbent (9/1999): Despite a shaky start in 1965 and a dozen slightly variable notes through the 1970s, for me this is now one of the best and most elegant of all the '63s. I have made a total of sixteen notes since the early 1980s when it emerged, fully fledged and totally delicious. Only half a dozen noted in the 1990s, the most useful at the two Symington tastings, in 1994 and 1996, each time alongside the Graham and Dow. Warre looked the most mature of the three and had lost quite a bit of colour, particularly in magnum; very fragrant, harmonious, touch of spice, cloves, tangerine; stylish, beautifully balanced, gentle acidity. Drink now-2015.

2 cs 750ml 1970 Sandeman Port $ 78/btl

**** Broadbent (8/1990): Eleven notes, half between 1975 and 1979 and revealing bottle variations. One, bottle by Pasten's of Peterborough with a short cork, looked fully mature in 1986 and was chunky with rather a sandy texture. Other bottlings tasted more recently: medium-deep but still a little immature-looking; sweet, harmonious bouquet with pleasing fruit masking a hard core and considerable depth. Sweet, fullish, good flavour, firm, with lots of tannin and acidity. Attractive wine. Drink now-2015.


2 cs 750ml 1970 Warre Port $ 98/btl

***** Broadbent (12/1996): Well over two dozen, all complimentary. By 1990, pristine purple easing a little, and starting to mature; lovely fruit, fragrance and vinosity. One bottle in 1994 packing a punch, lacking Warre elegance, another, later, 'elegance' re-instated. Later still the same year, at a big Symington tasting, firm flavour noted. Next year in Hong Kong, complete. And so forth. My notes range from medium-sweet to very sweet but, as so often, one's perception depends on the context in which the wine is tasted and drunk. Let's settle for sweeet, full-bodied, rich, almost too rich, yet not overpowering, with the perfect weight and balance I expect from Warre at its best. Drink now-2020

3 cs 750ml 1975 Graham's Port $ 55/btl

**** Broadbent (7/1998): Impressively purple when young, but nearly 20 notes since 1983 indicate that it was probably at its best at 10-12 years of age. Yet, and yet, despite a loss of colour by the early 1990s, I found it a consistently pleasing drink. Rather strangely scented magnum noted in 1994. Most recently, a mature, fragrant, 'perfectly developed' bottle. One of the best of all the 1975.

5 cs 750ml 1977 Warre Port $ 75/btl

**** Broadbent (5/2002): Opening price to the trade GBP40 per case FOB or GBP43 in bond, London, 25 case minimum order. Discounts thereafter. Very deep, hard, tea-left in 1979. Over 20 notes since showing a slow but gradual development. Fragrant, tea-like bouquet evolving; rich spicy, lovely by the end of the 1980s. Consistenly good through the 1990s including a well-nigh perfect bottle at a Symington Symingtons, at the Wine Trades' Benevolent Banquet in 1996. Drinking well at the Garrick in 1999. Most recently, at home. Now fully mature-looking; somewhat unknit; a hot dry finish. I preferred it after a day or two in the decanter but overall a bit disappointing. tasting in 1994: typical Warre elegance, lissom and lovely.

1 cs 750ml 1980 Taylor Port $ 69/btl

***(*) Broadbent (2/1995): Decanted from four half-bottles shippers' samples for a Christie's wine course: opaque, purple; highly alcoholic but dumb; sweet, full-bodied, with bitter tannic finish in December 1982. Opening up pleasantly by the early 1990s but, alongside other ''80s the least mature looking and still with that bitter tannic finish. Nevertheless, very attractive. Good length. Needs time. Drink 2005-2020.

2 cs 750ml 1980 Warre Port $ 59/btl

**** Broadbent (12/1999): Opening price GBP52 FOG. Strangely, not tasted until 1990: rich, plummy, a uqick developer. At two Symington tastings in the mid-1990s, alongside Dow and Graham, at the first I gave it high marks, great length, superb; a year later found it looswer knit and prefered the Graham. 'Best wine of the evening', unsurprisingly, at a Distillers' ladies banquet, and four interesting notes since. Still very deep; fragrant; extraordinarily dense, figgy flavour and impressive, very dry finish. Drink now-2010.

2 cs 750ml 1983 Dow Port $ 64/btl

**** Broadbent (12/1999): Fifteen or so notes, starting with Michael Symington's tasting of a range of individual 'lodge lotes', all surprisingly different in colour and character, some lean, some fleshy, with a variety of herbaceous and fruit aromas, from which the final vintage blend was made, jst as Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Merlot and Petit Verdot are assembled to make a classed-growth Medoc. Even after two years in bottle, still opaque but starting to evolve nicely. In 1994, alongside Graham and Warre it was the least deep in colour, very forthcoming on the nose, sweet, slightly chocolatey. Four years later, thrown into a 'vertical' context at the Dow bicentenary tasting it was more open knit than the 1980, sweeter but also lightish in style. More recently, good flavour and balance. Dry finish. Drinking well. Drink now-2010.

3 cs 750ml 1983 Warre Port $ 64/btl

**** Broadbent (9/1997): Eleven notes. The usual classic appearance in 1985: opaque centre and violet rim. Very deep plummy purple by autumn 1986. In 1990 powerful yet restrained, almost chewable; sweet without being cloying, lovely flavour and textutre, a bit lean but with characteristic Warre elegance and firm dry tannic finish. Texture and harmony noted at the Dow, Graham, Warre tasting in 1994 and its smooth 'elegance' and flesh in 1996. Now medium-deep, mature, drinking well. An attractive 1983. Drink now-2015.

3 cs 750ml 1994 Graham's Port $ 75/btl

*(****) Broadbent (9/1999): Wonderful wine, its richness masking its 20% brandy at the Symington tasting in April 1996. I also noted an excellent '94 bottled in 1999 on a British Airways flight to New York in September 1999. Great wine. Drink 2006-2030.

3 cs 750ml 1994 Warre Port $ 59/btl

Broadbent (*****): Said to have a 'typical cistus nose' i.e. resinous. Anyway, the most intensely dark of all the Symington's '94s. Very sweet, lovely flavour, perfect balance, good length. Lasted tasted April 1996. Great future. Drink 2006-2026.

2 cs 750ml 1994 Taylor Port $ 158/btl

WA 97 (10/1996): When tasting young intage ports, Taylor is always the most backward. Yet potentially, it has the capability to be the most majestic. This classically made, opaque purple-colored wine is crammed with black fruits (blueberries and cassis). It reveals high tannin and a reserved style, but it is enormously constituted with massive body, a formidable mid-palate, and exceptional length. It is a young, rich, powerful Taylor that will require 10-15 years of aging. Compared to the more flashy, forward style of the 1992, the 1994 has more in common with such vintages as 1977 and 1970. Anticipated maturity: 2008-2045.

3 cs 750ml 1997 Fonseca Port $ 68/btl

IWC 93+ (6/2000): Full saturated ruby. Inky, brooding aromas of syrupy black fruits and violet. Dense, thick and tactile, with superb depth of flavor and compelling juicy sweetness. Finishes with powerful tannins and superb grip. Not as flamboyantly aromatic as this wine normally is in its youth, but structured for long, slow development in bottle.

WA 93 (1/2000): Somewhat of a lightweight for Fonseca, but undeniably charming, this dark ruby/purple-colored wine offers a floral, exotic, flamboyant bouquet, a sweet, fleshy style, but not a great deal of weight or massiveness. Heady alcohol, sweet tannin, and a velvety texture make for a gorgeous finish. While I would have preferred to have seen more weight, structure, and intensity, this is an outstanding, albeit lighter than normal Fonseca. Anticipated maturity: now-2020.

May Arrival

Thanks for your business...

Tom

[David Sweet]

Thanks a million Roy--just bought my first well aged VP from this announcement!

These are very helpful notices!!

[Dave Johnson]

For me, the "value" of this post resides with the M.B. tasting notes. Thanks Roy.

[Steve Saxon]

Thanks for the tip Roy, I just picked up the 94 Grahams we were talking about.

[Andy Velebil]

Roy, Thanks again, I just picked up a few.

i agree the MB's tasting notes are great to read.

[Roy Hersh]

Glad to see you guys are "smart" enough to take advantage of some great deals that wind up posted here. I used to post these on the Squires' BB for years, but it was rarely appreciated like what I see here. Now, it is a great way to offer you guys a reason to check in here.

Seriously, I love to offer up great values from folks who are willing to provide us with either discounts or advanced notices. As long as you folks keep mentioning the FTLOP to these retailers, they'll keep me ahead of the curve in sending these for posting here, before their own clientele ... which is VERY cool!

Roy

[David Sweet]

Absolutely agree!!!!!

Retailers take note--tell us first!!!

[Eddie]

Yes! Please continue to post these here rather than Squires!

Also three cheers for Flickinger - hip hip...

[D. Pirmann]

Flickinger won't ship to NJ... I can't stand these weird wine laws. Heck, there are places in NYC that will ship to NJ and some that claim it's illegal! Sherry-Lehmann and PJ Wines will but Astor Wines sez illegal. Do they really think places like S-L would risk their business to ship to NJ when it's "illegal"? Same with California. Winex will ship but others won't. Buh!

[Roy Hersh]

We can only hope that someday the neo-prohibitionists in the USA along with the lobbying dollars of WSWA (Wine and Spirits Wholesalers of America) that back the legislators that keep these antiquated laws in place, either lose steam, die off or have the Supreme Court make a new ruling that has some real teeth to it.

The prohibition of Interstate Shipping of wine is one of the most archaic and arcane business practices in this country. It really is high time, these assinine regulations get removed once and for all. WSWA is the group that pays to keep the three tier system in place and raises the bs issues about kids ordering wine over the internet, which we all know is like one hundredth of one percent of what is ordered on line. Stop the madness!

Regardless of my personal political beliefs, I do think that the makeup of the current Supreme Court is perfect (ONLY refering to direct shipping now) in it's pro-business, laissez-faire morality and would be able to topple the "system" as we know it today. I have followed this topic extremely closely over the years and one of the better organizations to support in the fight is http://www.freethegrapes.com if you are interested in seeking change!

[Andy Velebil]

WSWA is the group that pays to keep the three tier system in place and raises the bs issues about kids ordering wine over the internet, which we all know is like one hundredth of one percent of what is ordered on line. Stop the madness!

This is such a BS arguement. In the almost 15 years in law enforcement I have NEVER encountered a teenager who bought alcohol over the internet or phone. They almost all get it from a parent (who sometimes knows, but most often doesn't know it was taken), a friend, older sibling, or they buy it themselves.

Second, when was the last time you saw a bunch of teenagers drinking wine at a party. I went to a lot of parties as a teenager and NEVER saw wine. Ok, MD 20-20 and Boones Farm is not wine!! It was always the cheapest beer that we could find. More bottles for our buck...I guess that was my first lesson in bargain buying

[paul r.]

Roy,

as always thanks for posting on deals...just looking at these prices makes me shake my head and wonder why anyone would pay up for futures or full freight on 00VP-just doesn't make sense...