For The Love Of Port

After posting about the 1995s a few days ago and getting some interesting positive comments, I decided to jump in and bid for a case of 1995 Taylor Q. de Vargellas at the Acker Merrall auction that just ended today. I bid the minimum, which was much less that I saw it for on Winesearcher, and I won the lot. All in, including buyer's premium but before tax, my price was $29.98 per bottle. Seems cheap to me. Any opinions? In deference to the free advice I got here, I would be willing to share one bottle with any New Yorkers who want to get together and see what it tastes like, at some appropriate local food service establishment.

Don't think I ever bought this particular bottle before, but sounds like a good price to me. I'll take you up on that next time I am in New York

That sounds pretty good to me - but everything here in Canada is so overpriced, so it means nothing! :)

Honestly, merchants know that "Taylor Fladgate is a big, important Port producer, therefore I should probably be able to charge a LOT for ANY bottle of Taylor Port."

And we pay it… oh, do we pay it.

Todd

I think that is a pretty good price, and if I lived in NY still I would take you up on your offer!

Jay

Sounds pretty godd translated into punds, the wine society over here sells it at GBP30 (admittedly the FX is winging around a bit but not that much).

Jay,

I think that the price at which you got the '95 Vargellas was very good. If that was the minimum bid then that still works out cheap, a pity you couldn't have gone one bid lower!

Its a great wine and one which will reward patience. If you can afford to lock them away for a few years they will mature and improve for a while yet.

And when I travel over to NYC in October, I will make sure you get to hear about it

Alex

Al B. wrote: . . . If that was the minimum bid then that still works out cheap, a pity you couldn't have gone one bid lower! . . . And when I travel over to NYC in October, I will make sure you get to hear about it . . .

The minimum was $300 for the case plus premium. The pre-sale estimate range had a minimum higher than $300, so I bid the minimum and won. I also bid $140 for 6 bottles of Fonseca Guimaraens but someone bid $150 so I let it go. . . . As to coming to NY in October, my wife hates Port. She refused to try any when we had a 1977 horizontal at my house. So I can always use an excuse to open a bottle.

I paid about the same, maybe a little more? Any Taylor VP of any year for under $40.00 is a deal in my book.

Moses Botbol wrote:I paid about the same, maybe a little more? Any Taylor VP of any year for under $40.00 is a deal in my book.

Even under 60$ is a deal for Taylor (in my canadian point of view)...

I think it was a pretty good price.

Looks like a very fair price to me. I paid €25,- a bottle and was happy with that. Recently drank a bottle too. It's beginning to show really nicely. A good, solid port as you can expect from Vargellas.

I have a ton of this particular wine and I'd say that you got a deal! Your per bottle price (even including auction fees) is the lowest price that I've seen for a Taylor's '95.

Great price. Less than what I paid on release (~$35-40)

Alex,

I will be in NYC in October as well. Maybe an offline in the making, although I was planning a stop over in London too.