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Port corks with branding on the end

Posted: 15:28 Wed 02 Nov 2016
by PhilW
Perhaps a slightly obscure topic, but having recently opened a Dalva Golden White 1971 I discovered my third cork from a bottle of port with some form of branding on the end, not just the side of the cork. The three so far are as follows:
1943 Quinta da Eira Vehla cork, which has an 'O' branded on the top. 2013 Unidade cork, which has an 'A' on top and bottom of the cork. 1971 Dalva Golden White cork, which has "Colheita 1971" on the end of the cork.
QEV43_cork.jpg
QEV43_cork.jpg (30.81 KiB) Viewed 11183 times
Un13_cork.jpg
Un13_cork.jpg (41.33 KiB) Viewed 11183 times
Da71gw_cork.jpg
Da71gw_cork.jpg (36.34 KiB) Viewed 11183 times
Do folks have any other examples of port corks with branding on the ends? Perhaps branding the cork end has become simpler and hence cheaper recently, and will/has become more common - is it a common practise on other types of wine at all in people's experience?

Re: Port corks with branding on the end

Posted: 18:21 Wed 02 Nov 2016
by Alex Bridgeman
Oh no, my wife is not going to be happy with you as you get the blame for me emptying my giant jar full of old corks onto the living room floor.

"But, my love, Phil needed to know if any of these corks were branded on the ends as well as the sides."

Re: Port corks with branding on the end

Posted: 19:43 Wed 02 Nov 2016
by PhilW
Most excellent. But are you sure you have time tonight?

I will be interested in what you find, either way.

Re: Port corks with branding on the end

Posted: 22:04 Wed 02 Nov 2016
by Andy Velebil
It's a great way to immediately see what wine it is when lying on its side stacked in a cellar. I wish more producers would use them (at least those not using capsules, which is mostly dry wines).


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Re: Port corks with branding on the end

Posted: 22:27 Wed 02 Nov 2016
by Doggett
Having just had a quick look... I have noticed that a Vesuvio 94 cork is Just printed on the side, but a 2005 is printed on the end too. I am afraid I don't have enough of their corks to know when their 'style guide' changed.

Also, Grahams crusted bottled 2006 and 2007 have 06 and 07 indications on the cork ends. I will look through some other corks I have to look for more, but alas the older ones are too port stained. Photos can be emailed if you would like Phil?

Re: Port corks with branding on the end

Posted: 09:33 Thu 03 Nov 2016
by PhilW
Doggett wrote:Having just had a quick look... I have noticed that a Vesuvio 94 cork is Just printed on the side, but a 2005 is printed on the end too. I am afraid I don't have enough of their corks to know when their 'style guide' changed.

Also, Grahams crusted bottled 2006 and 2007 have 06 and 07 indications on the cork ends. I will look through some other corks I have to look for more, but alas the older ones are too port stained. Photos can be emailed if you would like Phil?
Good info, thanks Simon; I'd be interested to see images, yes please, particularly in case it is unusual - though it sounds as though perhaps less unusual recently. Will be interested to hear from Alex to see how far back it does/doesn't go for port and other wines from his cork collection.

Re: Port corks with branding on the end

Posted: 18:06 Thu 03 Nov 2016
by Alex Bridgeman
Lying conveniently placed on the top of the cork jar was a cork from a bottle of Chateau d'Angludet 2005. This was branded "05" on the top of the cork. Approximately 20 other corks were lying around this one and were just as visible but none of the others appeared to be branded on the top.

But as Simon says, many of the older corks are too stained to be able to tell.

(And no, I don't have time to empty the cork jar. I'm busy reading, then having to write some more of JDAW's dream, then some other stuff, then empty the cork jar.)

Re: Port corks with branding on the end

Posted: 18:16 Thu 03 Nov 2016
by PhilW
Ok, so '05 is the oldest we have so far between us, excepting the '43. Any advance on '05 anyone?

(Alex, you need a break from all that screen work, doing something physical with your hands will help your mental wellbeing; so am sure your wife will understand your need to pour your corks on the floor mid-evening. :)

Re: Port corks with branding on the end

Posted: 18:57 Thu 03 Nov 2016
by PhilW
(go on Alex, get your corks out, you know you want to!)

Re: Port corks with branding on the end

Posted: 19:19 Thu 03 Nov 2016
by Doggett
I have sent some photos through to you Phil, that include the port corks I mentioned earlier in the thread and the below French reds that all have the dates on the end.

Chateau Mouton Rothschild 2001
Chateau Palmer 1989
Chateau Kirwan (Margaux) 1984

Re: Port corks with branding on the end

Posted: 17:02 Fri 04 Nov 2016
by PhilW
From the images Simon emailed through, it is clear that the wine market has used corks with branding on the end for a while (though how commonly I cannot say). Simon's examples include:

Chateau Kirwan - Margaux 1984 - which has "1984" in a circle branded on the end
Chateau Palmer 1989 - which has "1989" on the end
Chateau Mouton Rothschild 2001 - which has "2001" on the end
Vesuvio 2005 - which has "2005" on the end
Grahams crusted bottled 2006 and 2007 - which have a cross on the end with '0' in top left quadrant and '6' or '7' respectively in the bottom right quadrant, as below.
IMG_1176.JPG
IMG_1176.JPG (40.59 KiB) Viewed 11094 times
The Graham's choice of design appeals, as an alternative to pure numbers.

Re: Port corks with branding on the end

Posted: 23:17 Sun 06 Nov 2016
by /2alph
Malvedos 2004 has also a brand on top

Image

Re: Port corks with branding on the end

Posted: 16:43 Tue 08 Nov 2016
by John M
2011 Quinta do Crasto LBV has both ends stamped!
2011 Crasto LBV Cork.jpg
2011 Crasto LBV Cork.jpg (69.25 KiB) Viewed 11044 times

Re: Port corks with branding on the end

Posted: 01:08 Fri 18 Nov 2016
by jdaw1
John M wrote:2011 Quinta do Crasto LBV has both ends stamped!
Stamped or branded? If branded then good. If stamped, with ink, the ink will get into the wine, and the wine will dissolve the ink — not good.

Re: Port corks with branding on the end

Posted: 15:41 Fri 18 Nov 2016
by John M
Did not think to ascertain and believe the cork is gone---good excuse to open another which I will do in next month.

Re: Port corks with branding on the end

Posted: 00:07 Wed 01 Mar 2017
by LGTrotter
Here's one. Senhora do Convento 2009. Branded both ends 2009, with 'VINTAGE QSPA' on the side.

Re: Port corks with branding on the end

Posted: 09:58 Wed 01 Mar 2017
by PhilW
It certainly seems that for corks used in port bottled in 2009+ that branding on the end has become more common. Aside from the '43 and re-corked bottles, Simon has shown wine corks with end-branding from significantly before that, but no other port corks bottled pre-2009.

Alex - did you ever get the chance to empty and check your cork jar? BTW, I'm about to start another thread giving you a second reason to do so also :)

Re: Port corks with branding on the end

Posted: 18:54 Sat 15 Apr 2017
by Alex Bridgeman
I've just opened a bottle of Duorum 2007 vintage port. This has "Duorum Vintage" branded on the side of the cork and "2007" on the ends.

Re: Port corks with branding on the end

Posted: 22:04 Sat 15 Apr 2017
by PhilW
Looking back through this thread, unless it was recorked (which it didn't look like from the image posted), current winner of the "earliest branded on the end of cork VP" is /2alph's GM2004 (presumably bottled 2006/7) - which I had missed with my last summary post (apologies /2alph, and thanks for posting the GM2004 image).

Re: Port corks with branding on the end

Posted: 22:46 Sat 15 Apr 2017
by Alex Bridgeman
I'm pretty sure the 2007 Duorum cork was branded and not stamped

Re: Port corks with branding on the end

Posted: 12:12 Fri 21 Apr 2017
by CPR 1
I was rummaging the other night and noticed that I have a cork from Taylor 03, that has 03 on the end

Re: Port corks with branding on the end

Posted: 14:06 Thu 27 Apr 2017
by Axel P
I have numerous Ports, who all have a side-branding. My first sweep through the first case brought up the following:
Corc Golden White Colheitas Dalva (3).JPG
Corc Golden White Colheitas Dalva (3).JPG (53.13 KiB) Viewed 10296 times
Churchill Vintage Port 2011 2014.JPG
Churchill Vintage Port 2011 2014.JPG (52.95 KiB) Viewed 10296 times
Confraria VP 2007 2.JPG
Confraria VP 2007 2.JPG (43.25 KiB) Viewed 10296 times
Corks Croft.JPG
Corks Croft.JPG (60.44 KiB) Viewed 10296 times
Corks Fonseca.JPG
Corks Fonseca.JPG (61.04 KiB) Viewed 10296 times
Corks Graham.JPG
Corks Graham.JPG (58.34 KiB) Viewed 10296 times

Re: Port corks with branding on the end

Posted: 14:07 Thu 27 Apr 2017
by Axel P
Corks Vesuvio.JPG
Corks Vesuvio.JPG (72.36 KiB) Viewed 10296 times
Crasto LBV Vintage.JPG
Crasto LBV Vintage.JPG (51.8 KiB) Viewed 10296 times
Infantado Vintage 2013.JPG
Infantado Vintage 2013.JPG (46.26 KiB) Viewed 10296 times
La Rosa LBV 1998.JPG
La Rosa LBV 1998.JPG (39.21 KiB) Viewed 10296 times
La Rosa LBV 2005.JPG
La Rosa LBV 2005.JPG (40.25 KiB) Viewed 10296 times
LBV 2005 Noname.JPG
LBV 2005 Noname.JPG (35.44 KiB) Viewed 10296 times

Re: Port corks with branding on the end

Posted: 14:08 Thu 27 Apr 2017
by Axel P
No Name.JPG
No Name.JPG (68.02 KiB) Viewed 10296 times
Osborne LBV.JPG
Osborne LBV.JPG (55.29 KiB) Viewed 10296 times
Ramos Pinto Ervamoira VP 2002.JPG
Ramos Pinto Ervamoira VP 2002.JPG (40.82 KiB) Viewed 10296 times
Santa Eufemia LBV  2004.JPG
Santa Eufemia LBV 2004.JPG (41.64 KiB) Viewed 10296 times
Warre Cavadinha VP 2005.JPG
Warre Cavadinha VP 2005.JPG (39.62 KiB) Viewed 10296 times
Warre LBV 2002 2.JPG
Warre LBV 2002 2.JPG (39.6 KiB) Viewed 10296 times

Re: Port corks with branding on the end

Posted: 14:09 Thu 27 Apr 2017
by Axel P
On some producers I can see the pattern that they always sidebrand the cork or never. On some there is no pattern transparent to me. Maybe a good discussion when we are together with "mixed" producers next time.

Axel