2004 ports and more

[Frederick Blais]

Sorry Roy, but this is exactly the truth!! What we are saying is the same. They are releasing some at young age and keeping some for later. The market have change, so their releasing method of Malvedos. I don't think that you could buy some 86 Malvedos in 1989. I know they did not change the definition of Mature VP, it was more of a joke there to point out that American wants to drink his VP at a younger stage and SQVP is a good compromise for that!

Fred wrote:

I don't think this is the case anymore, or they have change the definition of mature SQ VP according to a market that wants to drink its VP younger.

This is absolutely contrary to what we were told by Paul Symington. They are obviously releasing some of the 2004 SQVPs on the market now in the USA and typically in Jan/Feb of 2007 in the UK. But the rest he said would be held for a decade to allow them to reach the market with some bottle maturity. Am I the only one who heard this during our Gaia visit to Graham's Lodge?

[Andy Velebil]

I recall this discussion. Paul Symington gave a rather generic answer. He basically said, world wide a lot of people are drinking their Ports at a much younger age now. Other reasons, which included the fact that the tradition of buying, cellaring, and passing on ones cellar to their children has dropped significantly in recent years. He also stated, based on market needs, they MAY release a SQVP earlier. At that time he did not mention they would do this with every SQVP, just as they deemed appropriate.

However, understandably it was a vague answer as no one can accuritly predict what will be done several years down the road.

[Stuart Chatfield]

If others wish to spend $30 a time buying nice boxes then that's fine, I just wish we didn't all have to pay the extra if we would rather have more VP than wood :?

Derek

If you'd have all followed my advice you'd have trundled down to Costco in Lakeside in the summer where they had a mountain of box-less mature Vesuvio at a fraction of the normal retail price. You're not telling me that someone emptied all the boxes and ditched them? There must be the odd release of box-less stuff?

I've only just joined this thread so sorry if someone has said this, but BBR have Vesuvio '04 at GBP24 per bottle:

http://www.bbr.com/GB/db/product/64072B ... X3TP0000BS


(If you didn't buy the 95 for much less at Costco earlier in the year )

[Derek T.]

Stuart,

I understand that Costco found a man in Basingstoke who paid them a small fortune to take a few hundred empty Vesuvio boxes off their hands for his latest building project

I kept meaning to go to Costco but never got the chance as the nearest one to me at the time was about 40 miles away. However, a new one has just opened near me so let me know if any more goodies come up.

Derek

[Lafty]

This is absolutely contrary to what we were told by Paul Symington. They are obviously releasing some of the 2004 SQVPs on the market now in the USA and typically in Jan/Feb of 2007 in the UK. But the rest he said would be held for a decade to allow them to reach the market with some bottle maturity. Am I the only one who heard this during our Gaia visit to Graham's Lodge?

Roy,
At a port tasting at Berry Bros last week in London Peter Symington said something similar. Two thirds of a vintage is sold to merchants "en primeur", whilst the remaining third is held back for later sales. Interestingly, he also said the reason for the earlier release in the US was so bottles are in stores in time for Thanksgiving, given that Americans tend to drink their ports younger.

Regards,
Mark

[Jay Powers]

This is absolutely contrary to what we were told by Paul Symington. They are obviously releasing some of the 2004 SQVPs on the market now in the USA and typically in Jan/Feb of 2007 in the UK. But the rest he said would be held for a decade to allow them to reach the market with some bottle maturity. Am I the only one who heard this during our Gaia visit to Graham's Lodge?

Roy, this is what I recall exactly. 2004 Vesuvio and the 2004 Quinta Senhora da Ribeira released now, and the other Symingtons in 10 years. I even specifically wrote it down in my notebook. He may have had more comments while I was not paying attention, but the above is my recollection.

Jay

[John Owlett]

I've only just joined this thread so sorry if someone has said this, but BBR have Vesuvio '04 at GBP24 per bottle:

I was Berrys' in Basingstoke yesterday (the white Christmas Burgundy run) and asked about 2004 Quinta do Noval. They didn't have any, nor did they have Vesuvio any more.

Apparently they ordered 600 bottles of Vesuvio. It has not yet arrived but it has all been sold, en primeur, in units of two half-cases. Rats! I had been hoping to buy a couple of bottles to try.

They have also sold all of their much smaller allocation of 2004 Quinta de Vargellas Vinha Velha.

Later,

Dr Owl

----------------------------
John Owlett, Southampton, UK

[Al B.]

I've got to say that I'm pleased for Berry's that they have sold out of the 2004's that they were offering. When I last spoke to their port buyer (nearly 2 weeks ago), he had told me that sales were going well but they still had plenty left.

I thought that Berry's offered the 2004 VP's at very sensible prices. Given how often we see the 1996 Vesuvio being shown at tastings (a wine which is very good, but expensive compared to the other wines that are competing for my money), I suspect that there are still large stocks of this wine available and that Berry's buying strategy has changed since that vintage.

I do recall that Berry's felt that the QdN 2004 was expensive for the wines from the vintage and - I presume - they therefore felt it would be difficult to sell. I believe that Roy is writing a review of the 2004's shortly so it will be interesting to see where Roy rates the QdN compared to some of the other wines that are being offered from this vintage.

Alex

[Roy Hersh]

My review of the 2004 Vintage Port Forecast is completed and all TNs etc. are finished in what turned out to be a full 10 page report. This newsletter is very long, with enough pages to keep you reading steadily between Christmas and New Years in case you are bored.