Niepoort levels

Anything to do with Port.
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uncle tom
Dalva Golden White Colheita 1952
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Joined: 23:43 Wed 20 Jun 2007
Location: Near Saffron Walden, England

Niepoort levels

Post by uncle tom »

This is a little exercise that I've been meaning to do for ages and have finally got round to - determining equivalent levels on Niepoort bottles.

As we all know, it's very hard when looking at that swept neck to decide whether the level is IN or BN etc. Moreover, this is not an exact science as the necks of port bottles vary in their diameter, and consequently, capacity.

However after messing around with various empty bottles, I've worked out the following ready reckoner, using a Niepoort '80 VP bottle. When I get the chance, I will check to see if there's any variation between different batches of these bottles.

Using a graduated builder's set square, measure the distance from the top of the bottle down to the level of the wine. If the bottle has a T-stopper, you will need to subtract the thickness from the measurement.

A distance of under 6cm represents high fill - (a 750ml fill comes to 6.5cm down)

Anything less than 8cm should be considered In Neck (IN)

8 - 8.5cm equates to Base of Neck (BN)

Greater than 8.5cm and we move into very top shoulder territory (VTS)

After this it gets tricky, as this is where the Niepoort bottle widens out rapidly, there is also a lot of volume variation in other bottle designs as we move from VTS to TS to MS etc.

One of my reference bottles whilst doing this was an Oporto bottled Offley '63 - I was quite surprised to discover that this bottle was slightly under size - a 750mL fill reached the ring on the neck, about 15mm from the top of the bottle. The most this bottle could have ever held was about 735mL.

How a glass bottle maker could get this wrong amazes me..
I may be drunk, Miss, but in the morning I shall be sober and you will still be ugly - W.S. Churchill
winesecretary
Fonseca 1980
Posts: 1900
Joined: 15:35 Mon 13 May 2019

Re: Niepoort levels

Post by winesecretary »

That latter sounds like a 73cl bottle, not uncommonly used in the 60s and 70s in the wine trade. Does the Offley bottle it say 75cl on the label, or is it silent on volume?
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uncle tom
Dalva Golden White Colheita 1952
Posts: 3518
Joined: 23:43 Wed 20 Jun 2007
Location: Near Saffron Walden, England

Re: Niepoort levels

Post by uncle tom »

That latter sounds like a 73cl bottle, not uncommonly used in the 60s and 70s in the wine trade. Does the Offley bottle it say 75cl on the label, or is it silent on volume?
That's a new one on me - the label is silent, as you say.

How on earth did they arrive at the figure of 73cL? I know they used to be 70cL..
I may be drunk, Miss, but in the morning I shall be sober and you will still be ugly - W.S. Churchill
winesecretary
Fonseca 1980
Posts: 1900
Joined: 15:35 Mon 13 May 2019

Re: Niepoort levels

Post by winesecretary »

Possibly regional variation in barrel sizes, at least for the period once bottles were machine-made? I've seen, from memory, 68cl and 72 cl as well (not for port but other wines). Vin Jaune is still in 62cl. From 1990 70cl is standard for spirits. I am not sure the explanation proffered elsewhere of 'putting 73cl/148cl on the label because of UK law requiring the bottle to contain at a minimum the amount stated' is necessarily correct, I'm pretty sure I've seen bottles with 73cl embossed in the glass and I'd be very surprised if they then hold 75cl. I will see if I can dig out and photograph some when I am next up at my cellar-cum-interesting-old-bottle-bank. Possibly also measure how much liquid fits into them!
winesecretary
Fonseca 1980
Posts: 1900
Joined: 15:35 Mon 13 May 2019

Re: Niepoort levels

Post by winesecretary »

And like magic I find contemporaneous evidence of 73cl bottle use already noted by JDAW at viewtopic.php?t=3401?
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