Buying port in the U.K.

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Monique
Cheap Ruby
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Joined: 15:16 Sun 28 Aug 2016
Location: The Netherlands

Buying port in the U.K.

Post by Monique »

I've been drinking, enjoying and collecting port (mostly vintage port) for about 15 years now. The 2000 vintage was the first generaly declared year I bought directly on release. As a novice to port I didn't realise I also should have been buying the 1994 and 1997 and even older ports at the time as they were quite available and didn't cost me an arm and a leg. But I didn't... The last few years I've been buying some VP's from 1977, 1980 and 1985, but not enough to fill the gap. They aren't available in the Netherlands or the price is way to high. I have been searching on the internet and keep ending in the U.K. as the availability seemes almost endless.
My question now is could you give me some advise about were to buy; which retailers could you recommend me?
LGTrotter
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Re: Buying port in the U.K.

Post by LGTrotter »

It depends on what your priorities are. I suppose that being based in the Netherlands that you would rather buy from trusted suppliers rather than the cheapest. I also wonder whether you are planning to have them sent to the Netherlands straight away or storing them in the UK.

Either way I would suggest you begin with well established merchants. There are several in London which spring to mind, I use Berrys (Berry Brothers and Rudd) but this is habit as much as anything else. Corney and Barrow, Justerini and Brooks, Farr vintners have reputations to lose and so are generally reliable. There are many good regional merchants who have excellent reputations too. The difficulty with these merchants is they are often not the cheapest. However if you hunt around in their stock they usually have wines which are competitively priced. I assume you use Wine Searcher to find prices.

I might suggest that if you find a wine you want to buy ask here about the specific merchant you are thinking of buying from (don't mention which port though because someone might sneak in and buy it first). Usually someone will have bought wine from them and may be able to give you some feedback.

In terms of storage you can either leave them with the merchant (although many merchants outsource this facility) or consolidate them into one place, I hear Seckfords are good at this. Most of the big merchants will organise overseas shipping for a price. I might suggest you check about this before you buy as I have no idea what the costs are. I would have thought it would be cheaper to get a bit of a stash together and ship it all over at once.

The other thing I have thought of is that there is no rush. If you have limited ports in the Netherlands you might feel like a kid in a sweetshop looking at the options in the UK. Availability is good here for most ports back to the 1977s and even before this there are plenty of options if you can afford them. Prices are creeping up but it is very rare that you see a port at a price which doesn't come around again.
Monique
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Re: Buying port in the U.K.

Post by Monique »

Thank you for your quick reply LGT.
My husband has a colleague who lives in the U.K. near London, so I've asked him if I could have the port send to him. We could collect the bottles after some time, spending some days in beautiful London, so the shipping is no problem.
I do use wine searcher, but surf on the internet also. When I find something I would want to buy, I'll ask here about the retailer. Thanks!
Any other good advise from other nice Englishmen is welcome too.. :wink:
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Alex Bridgeman
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Re: Buying port in the U.K.

Post by Alex Bridgeman »

Seckfords have a decent port list that changes as they get access to more stock, often that stock comes from their clients who store wine with them - a lot of the people on the Port Forum use Seckfords for storage as they offer good value for money in the market and are always very professional.

I would also recommend them as a retailer.

Don't be afraid of buying at auction to get the best prices. If you're willing to buy a case of port you can often get port from an auction for 20-30% below retail price but you do need to do your homework and
(a) ask lots of questions about provenance, storage and get pictures
(b) know what the market price is for what you're buying and make sure that you don't bid about that (after adding buyer's premium and shipping costs)

Other retailers I use are Berry Brothers (BBX occasionally offers a sensibly priced options, as does their occasional sale), Corney & Barrow, Farr Vintners, Fine & Rare and smaller retailers I can visit (like Eton Vintners, Soho Wine Shop, Turville Valley Wines or MWH Wines). Peter Wylie Fine Wines often have old or rare bottles, but I don't recall ever having bought from them.

And then there are the supermarkets. With good fortune and good timing you can pick up some astonishing deals. The post I made recently about my local branch of Sainsbury clearing their shelves of 1998 and 1999 vintage port @ £9 per bottle is an example of this.

It's also worth keeping an eye on TPF. Occasionally people sell wine from their own collections through TPF.
Top Ports in 2023: Taylor 1896 Colheita, b. 2021. A perfect Port.

2024: Niepoort 1900 Colheita, b.1971. A near perfect Port.
LGTrotter
Dalva Golden White Colheita 1952
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Re: Buying port in the U.K.

Post by LGTrotter »

AHB wrote:Peter Wylie Fine Wines often have old or rare bottles, but I don't recall ever having bought from them.
I have bought from Peter Wylie Fine Wines, they are local to me, however not recently as their pricing seems to be more optimistic than realistic these days. They also do not accept credit cards which is a pain. Their customer service can be a little erratic as well. I remember going there to buy about £500 worth of wine only to have the chap quibble about me being 36p short. I was about to get shirty, tell them to keep their wine and stomp off in high dudgeon when somebody else turned up and told the chap to take the money give me the wine and forget the 36p. A bit annoying.

Having read this it is a little unfair. I have had some excellent bargains from them too. 63 Martinez for £35, 33 Malmsey for £75. Actually I have quite a lot to thank them for.
Monique
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Re: Buying port in the U.K.

Post by Monique »

AHB wrote: And then there are the supermarkets. With good fortune and good timing you can pick up some astonishing deals. The post I made recently about my local branch of Sainsbury clearing their shelves of 1998 and 1999 vintage port @ £9 per bottle is an example of this.
You can't be serious about this.....
Over here the supermarkets hardly sell any vintage port, mostly only the plain ruby, tawny and some LBV. Most LBV's are about 15-20 euro a bottle...

But thank you again for the advise you've given me, I'll keep an eye open!
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gerwin.degraaf
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Re: Buying port in the U.K.

Post by gerwin.degraaf »

Hi Monique,
I'm also from the Netherlands, and have bought VP in the UK a couple of times.
I've bought VP on release at Uncorked.co.uk: VP 2007, which I have collected over there, and VP 2011 which I have had deliverd from the UK to my house (delivery by Connaisseur international, not cheap but, with the right amount of bottles, also not too expensive).

I've also bought from Farr Vintners once (some older VP's, 1963 and 1966), which I had also had delivered by Connaisseur.
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jdaw1
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Re: Buying port in the U.K.

Post by jdaw1 »

Why have a few ‘groups’ on TPF, such as London tasters and New York tasters. If wanted I’d be happy to create a group, perhaps called ‘Dutch Port collectors’. If one of you is transporting Port from the UK to the Netherlands, that group could be messaged suggesting a larger single delivery, which might cost less per bottle.

If yes, who should be in that group?
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gerwin.degraaf
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Re: Buying port in the U.K.

Post by gerwin.degraaf »

jdaw1 wrote:Why have a few ‘groups’ on TPF, such as London tasters and New York tasters. If wanted I’d be happy to create a group, perhaps called ‘Dutch Port collectors’. If one of you is transporting Port from the UK to the Netherlands, that group could be messaged suggesting a larger single delivery, which might cost less per bottle.

If yes, who should be in that group?
Sounds like an excellent idea and suggestion to me. If others agree, please create that group and put me up for it!
Thank you very much,
best regards,
Gerwin
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jdaw1
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Re: Buying port in the U.K.

Post by jdaw1 »

Sorry, typo: ‘why’ should be ‘we’.
Monique
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Joined: 15:16 Sun 28 Aug 2016
Location: The Netherlands

Re: Buying port in the U.K.

Post by Monique »

gerwin.degraaf wrote:
jdaw1 wrote:Why have a few ‘groups’ on TPF, such as London tasters and New York tasters. If wanted I’d be happy to create a group, perhaps called ‘Dutch Port collectors’. If one of you is transporting Port from the UK to the Netherlands, that group could be messaged suggesting a larger single delivery, which might cost less per bottle.

If yes, who should be in that group?
Sounds like an excellent idea and suggestion to me. If others agree, please create that group and put me up for it!
Thank you very much,
best regards,
Gerwin
Nice!
Count me in also!
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jdaw1
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Re: Buying port in the U.K.

Post by jdaw1 »

Who else should be added to Dutch Port buyers?
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