For The Love Of Port

As promised:

Decanted 8 hours. As large-scaled a monstrosity of a young port as I've ever had. Intensely sweet dark, rich fruits and mint. Firmly tannic with an alcoholic bite. A tasty and fun experiment, but just too massive and young for any sort of meaningful assessment.

Not surprisingly smoothed out and more enjoyable on day two. Potent floral and menthol type under ultra-concentrated black fruits. Thick and creamy on the palate with great length and firmly mouth-gripping tannins. Heat seems to have dissipated some.

Considerably more integrated on day three. Creamy chocolate covered cherry-type notes. Fresh, long tannic finish. Delicious.

Finished on day four, unchanged.

So when do you reckon that others who own bottles, should open theirs ... and when do you see this VP drinking in its prime?

"You are a better man than I, Gunga Din!"

Really, as inexperienced as I am with port it's hard for me to answer that intelligently. I own two more bottles that I would think shouldn't be opened for a very long time; however, given my impatience and their value, I'm really considering selling them off for more affordable/drinkable wines.

Phillip,

IMHO, that would be a mistake at this point. Do you have any idea how valuable the great 2000 VPs will be and the fact that Nacional is THE MOST collectable of all, bodes very well for the future value of your bottle. Forget selling it. In a decade, you'll get a case of wine for this one bottle. Hold off on your idea to dump 'em now!

Philip,

I entirely agree with Roy provide you have the facilities to store these bottles in perfect conditions. Just take a look at the price of NN63's and 66's and you will get an idea of the potential growth there is in the value of this wine.

What you should also consider is whether or not you want to be able to experience tasting this wine again in 10, 20 or 30 years time. If you sell these now you will have to fork out a small fortune to buy them back again in the future.

Derek

PS: Roy, it's not often I use the first 5 words in this posting, is it?

There is a first time for just about everything my friend. The second time may not be as much fun, but it is usually as interesting. 8)

It would be a heck of a boring place, if everyone around here agreed with me!

Agreed - Oh NO - I've done it again :x

:x OK. To stop this love-in, I'm going to disagree. :x

Winesearcher tells me that Nacional 2000 is available at retail in the UK today for about £625 a bottle (inc. tax and delivery).

Nacional 1966 went at auction yesterday for £517 a bottle (inc. buyers premium, tax and delivery).

So which is the better buy? Which is the better wine? Which would you prefer, 6 year old Nacional from a great year or 40 year old Nacional from a great year? Given auction prices are generally around 20-25% below retail prices Phillip could almost auction his two bottles of Nacional 2000 and use the money to buy two bottles of Nacional 1966. (OK. I know that realistically you couldn't do that because of sellers commissions etc. etc., but you get my point.)

And - if resources are limited as they are for most folks - which is better value for money, 2 bottles of Nacional 2000 that will be drinking beautifully around 2040 or 18 bottles of Fonseca '66 .... or 2 dozen Vesuvio '94?

So Phillip, if you've tasted the Nacional 2000 and satisifed your curiosity and now want to trade in the remaining two bottles you own for other wines, then I say go ahead and do it....

....but do us all a favour and post your sale in the market place of this forum before you offer the bottles to the "general public". You never know, you might find one or two of the folks on this forum would like to try the wine.


Alex

My thoughts exactly Alex. I'm offering these for sale here: http://www.fortheloveofport.com/forum/v ... =7410#7410.