For The Love Of Port

Are you currently stocking up on 2000 and 2003s before their prices go up? Or do you prefer to seek out older vintages before they disappear? Is anyone out there picking up the inbetween vintages like 1996, 1999, 2001 or older ones like 1987, 1989, 1995?

I have already stocked up on most of the 2003 that I wanted. Thats not to say if a really good deal comes along I won't buy more though :twisted: . I am still trying to get a few more of the 2000's when the prices are right. Seems a lot of retailers stocked up on the 2000's and didn't sell them so they occassionally are still selling them for good deals from time to time.

I am still trying to play catch up with the 1990's though. Seems prices on these vintages are really high still. Not sure why, but the 80's are only a few dollars more in most cases. Which means I would rather buy the 80's and build up a nice selection of ports that are ready to start drinking now, and are still at an affordable price point.

Thanks to your last post in the Market Place section I was able to pick up some 1970's vintages. This was the right timing as my stock of the 70's was quite low. Now the 1960's are a different story, darn things are almost more than my budget allows, so I can only get one or two at a time...when prices are really good. That means I only have a few at this point. Hope to get more soon...As soon as that tax return shows up

Currently I'm picking up 1995, 1996 as well as '80s, '83s & '85s for current drinking. If a see an interesting '66, '63 or '55 I'll pick it up and squirrel it away in my cellar. As far as the '70s are concerned some I believe that some are fully mature and ready to drink (such as Warre's '77), but others I'm holding off drinking for the forseeable future (such as Fonseca '77, Niepoort '70). Now if a Graham's '45 came my way......

Marc

Hi Roy, et al.:

I do not have any 2003's YET. I am looking, shopping deciding... The most recent port purchases were 1980, 1983, a couple of 1994's and a 10 year tawny. Some of the 2003's are too expensive IMHO. The local shop has Graham's 2003 for $99.99! Yes I live in a medium size town, but even on the internet this same wine sells for $85. I just bought those two 94's for that price point. I am close to buying some of the 03's, and would like to end up with 6 or 8. It is just a matter of waiting on the discretionary $$ to end up in my pocket.

Steve Harrison

I did start buying VP with the 97 Vintage. So most of my VP are from 97,2000 and 2003 Vintage that I bought 2-3 bottles of my favorite houses. I managed to buy a few 91 and 94 with connections and traveling. Not always at the best prices but you have to buy them for the vertical! Select of old vintage is not always great here, but I managed to buy a few Single quinta from 86-88 that I really enjoy. As for me in Quebec the older vintage are really expensive, I did pile( and drank ) a few 83, one of my favorite vintage so far. For the 66-77 I do buy them when I have friends travelling to the USA. I'll probably buy a few more of Noval and Warre's when I'll have the chance, my two favorite Vintage so far but I did not taste Graham's, Taylor and Fonseca in the top house

Just for fun, here are the % of the last 4 big vintage in my cellar. So clearly I'll try to get more chances to buy older vintages.
1994 11,43%
1997 13,57%
2000 25,71%
2003 18,57%

I'm trying really hard to keep in budget so this month have bought from the 60's, 70's, 80's, 90's and 00's :?

Derek

Derek and I have a standing joke about our inability to control our budgets - and he seems to have been able to have outsource some of his budget deficit to me

I have been very good recently. Since Christmas, I have bought 6 bottles of 2000, ½ of 1997, 1 of 1996, 1 of 1995, 6 of 1991, 1 of 1983, 3 of 1966, 10 of 1963, 1 from pre 1963 and a bottle of crusted port. I am always looking out for opportunities to buy things I haven't tasted before, young or old, provided they are sensibly priced.

Just as a matter of interest, I track my port cellar as pre- or post-1994. It is 43% pre 1994.

Alex

I hope that others will also post here as I have really enjoyed reading some of your new purchases.

Alex and Derek, you might as well admitted your addicted to Port. Wasn't that a song with some scantilly clad women in black and Robert Palmer?

Perhaps we could start-up the UK branch of PA (Portoholics Annonymous)

Derek

I 'spose I might as well face it, I'm addicted to port.

More seriously, that little buying spree that I've gone on since Christmas is not typical, but is just a practical illustration of the fact that port prices seem to drop immediately after Christmas in a number of sales and clearances.

I should also point out that in the 12 weeks since Christmas I have drunk port from 2003, 2000, 1999, 1996, 1995, 1994, 1991, 1988, 1983, 1981, 1980 and 1963 so I'm only up on my buying by 18 bottles and those are the ones that need to be tucked away to improve or to be kept for a special occasion.

Or am I clutching at straws and in self-denial...

Alex

Alex,

It's all self-denial

But don't feel bad, I have spent more money on port in the past 12 months than I have spend on all wine in my life time :!: :twisted:

hi,

i'm still quite young, so i have purchased more from the younger vintages. i purchased gould-campbell, niepoort, dow, croft, noval silval from 2003 vintage. i also purchased some cockburn quinta from 2001, warre quinta 1995 as well. kopke is also quite popular here so also have some kopke 1999 and 2000 as well.

cheers,

rob

Andy,

If you ever get to meet my good friend Nicos Neocleous from this message board, he could tell you stories that would prevent you from having a normal night's sleep ... re: procurement of VP.

Roy,

Obviously he would be a good...er, I mean bad, influence, HUH!!! :twisted:

Roy,
I see this is an older thread, but new to me so here's my 1-and-a-half cents worth:

I thought I was done buying 2000 and 2003, but recently stumbled across some prices that I couldn't pass by. For the most part I have given up on trying to resist new vintages, and have compromised by trying to buy old and new on at least a 1 to 1 ratio. I particularly would like to fill in the Symington 1991s and 1997s, but I am finding them difficult to locate right now.

Purchases in the last few months:
1966 Graham -- 2 bottles (six more on order)
2003 Gould Campbell -- 1 case
2003 Vesuvio -- 1 case
2000 Warre -- 1 case
2000 Gould Campbell -- 1 case
1983 Dow -- 1 case
1997 Dow -- I case

An atypical spree.

BTW, a great site and terrific information. Thanks!