I spent a day and a half trying to find a courier who was able to move a bottle of wine 100 miles within the island of Ireland. I now know that there is none.Post Plus wrote:This parcel has been damaged. It is in the Northern Ireland depot. Please contact them on 04894488181 to advise. There is one bottle of port broken.
The curse of G77
- djewesbury
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The curse of G77
I am cursed. After this now this, my lovely magnum of G77 bought at auction (the night of our tasting in May):
Daniel J.
Husband of a relentless former Soviet Chess Master.
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Husband of a relentless former Soviet Chess Master.
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- djewesbury
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The curse of G77
Apparently the courier declined extra packaging when offered...
Daniel J.
Husband of a relentless former Soviet Chess Master.
delete.. delete.. *sigh*.. delete...
Husband of a relentless former Soviet Chess Master.
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Re: The curse of G77
I'm actually suprised that the auction house did not properly wrap the bottle / pack out the wooden box before sending. Or didn't put it in extra packaging themselves before giving it to the courier (why even the need to ask the courier?). Doesn't take a rocket scientist to know that that is not a particularly safe way to send unless you are using a specialist wine transport service.
Rob C.
- djewesbury
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Re: The curse of G77
I know, it's kind of depressing. Now I want to organise a G77 tasting. From halves, bottles, magnums, jeros, methuselahs and nebs.
Daniel J.
Husband of a relentless former Soviet Chess Master.
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Husband of a relentless former Soviet Chess Master.
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- Dalva Golden White Colheita 1952
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Re: The curse of G77
That is not a nice thing to see
In the past I've enquired of quite a few couriers and auction houses to check rates and services regarding delivery from auctions; almost all require you to pay for them to undo any crate or box, wrap all bottles individually (which for small quantity can be a high relative cost) and send - I guess they have had this type of incident too frequently without such packing when using standard couriers.
In the past I've enquired of quite a few couriers and auction houses to check rates and services regarding delivery from auctions; almost all require you to pay for them to undo any crate or box, wrap all bottles individually (which for small quantity can be a high relative cost) and send - I guess they have had this type of incident too frequently without such packing when using standard couriers.
Re: The curse of G77
stateside they alwasy ship bottles seperate from wooden cases/box
if they did ship it with the wood, there's heavy styro/pop ems wrapped all over the bottle and the box.
that's just painful to see.
if they did ship it with the wood, there's heavy styro/pop ems wrapped all over the bottle and the box.
that's just painful to see.
Disclosure: Distributor of Quevedo wines and Quinta do Gomariz
Re: The curse of G77
Very sad to see such a lovely bottle ruined.djewesbury wrote:I spent a day and a half trying to find a courier who was able to move a bottle of wine 100 miles within the island of Ireland. I now know that there is none.
But this quote makes me think of a very true saying:
In America, 100 years is a long time. In Europe, 100 miles is a long ways. Our concepts of time and distance are strikingly different.
I'd have probably driven 100 miles to pick up a magnum of G77. For example, tonight I leave for winery just the other side of Prosser, WA, so that I can judge a BBQ competition tomorrow. It's a little over 200 miles, or about a 3.5 hour drive. Not a big deal. In 2011 I drove to Los Angeles to go to a Port tasting at Andy's with Oscar Quevedo. 1150 miles. Each way. In a smart car. That's roughly equivalent to driving from London to Naples, Italy.
On the other hand, I think that 80-yr old houses are pretty cool because they are so old.
But for the record, you are now forbidden from ever shipping G77 anywhere again. Banned for life. Sorry, but it's just too nice of a Port for you to keep paying to have bottles broken for you.
Glenn Elliott
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Re: The curse of G77
I agree that there is probably a cultural difference in this regard. I put this down to the facts that Americans typically pay 2 cents per gallon for petrol while we pay about 5 cents plus 50 dollars in tax per gallon; and that Americans exaggerate a billion times more than EuropeansGlenn E. wrote:In America, 100 years is a long time. In Europe, 100 miles is a long ways. Our concepts of time and distance are strikingly different.
Re: The curse of G77
dude, it was THAT big!PhilW wrote:I agree that there is probably a cultural difference in this regard. I put this down to the facts that Americans typically pay 2 cents per gallon for petrol while we pay about 5 cents plus 50 dollars in tax per gallon; and that Americans exaggerate a billion times more than EuropeansGlenn E. wrote:In America, 100 years is a long time. In Europe, 100 miles is a long ways. Our concepts of time and distance are strikingly different.
Disclosure: Distributor of Quevedo wines and Quinta do Gomariz
- djewesbury
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The curse of G77
Lessons learned, lessons learned. If I'd known exactly how the bottle would be treated I'd have walked there to get it myself. After a day and a half of "no, we wouldn't be able to take that", or "no, if it broke it wouldn't be insured", or just no answer at all (and don't get me started on the DHL website, sorry AHB...) I guess I just caved in.
This is NEVER happening to me again.
This is NEVER happening to me again.
Daniel J.
Husband of a relentless former Soviet Chess Master.
delete.. delete.. *sigh*.. delete...
Husband of a relentless former Soviet Chess Master.
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- djewesbury
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The curse of G77
I'm actually being employed by Adrian Bridge to destroy all stocks of G77. I keep saying to him, "You know, there is a more enjoyable way to do this..."Glenn E. wrote:But for the record, you are now forbidden from ever shipping G77 anywhere again. Banned for life. Sorry, but it's just too nice of a Port for you to keep paying to have bottles broken for you.
Daniel J.
Husband of a relentless former Soviet Chess Master.
delete.. delete.. *sigh*.. delete...
Husband of a relentless former Soviet Chess Master.
delete.. delete.. *sigh*.. delete...
Re: The curse of G77
Well sure, but we're only getting American gallons.PhilW wrote:I agree that there is probably a cultural difference in this regard. I put this down to the facts that Americans typically pay 2 cents per gallon for petrol while we pay about 5 cents plus 50 dollars in tax per gallon; and that Americans exaggerate a billion times more than EuropeansGlenn E. wrote:In America, 100 years is a long time. In Europe, 100 miles is a long ways. Our concepts of time and distance are strikingly different.
And is that a British billion (one million millions) or an everywhere else in the world billion (1000 millions)?
Glenn Elliott
- djewesbury
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Re: The curse of G77
I thought we'd given up on that one years ago.. Around the time that 'access' became a verb...Glenn E. wrote:And is that a British billion (one million millions) or an everywhere else in the world billion (1000 millions)?
I'm drowning my sorrows.
Daniel J.
Husband of a relentless former Soviet Chess Master.
delete.. delete.. *sigh*.. delete...
Husband of a relentless former Soviet Chess Master.
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Re: The curse of G77
Glenn E. wrote:
And is that a British billion (one million millions) or an everywhere else in the world billion (1000 millions)?
everywhere else in the world...?
I thought the UK was pretty much the only country in Western Europe whose billion is only 1000 million....
or is this the US exaggeration Phil was mentioning!!
Rob C.
Re: The curse of G77
A yard is three feet; a billion has three sets of zeroes.J. D. A. Wiseman, in [url=http://www.amazon.co.uk/exec/obidos/ASIN/0471487007/jdaw]Pricing Money (2001)[/url], wrote:The word billion used to be ambiguous. In American English a billion is a thousand million, but it meant a million million in old British English, and still does in some other languages. In English the Americans have won: a billion is always a thousand million, and a trillion is always a million million. Because the words ‘million’ and ‘billion’ sound so similar, in spoken English the word ‘yard’ (a contraction of ‘milliard’) is often used as a synonym for a thousand million.
- djewesbury
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Re: The curse of G77
by people who often talk about a thousand million...jdaw1 wrote:J. D. A. Wiseman, in [url=http://www.amazon.co.uk/exec/obidos/ASIN/0471487007/jdaw]Pricing Money (2001)[/url], wrote: the word ‘yard’ (a contraction of ‘milliard’) is often used as a synonym for a thousand million
Daniel J.
Husband of a relentless former Soviet Chess Master.
delete.. delete.. *sigh*.. delete...
Husband of a relentless former Soviet Chess Master.
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Re: The curse of G77
My most sincere condolences at your loss. A number of years ago I lost three or four oversized magnums of 1963 Dow in a similar fashion. Tragic. Hundreds of bottles of port later, I still bear the scars.djewesbury wrote:I am cursed. After this now this, my lovely magnum of G77 bought at auction (the night of our tasting in May):
I spent a day and a half trying to find a courier who was able to move a bottle of wine 100 miles within the island of Ireland. I now know that there is none.Post Plus wrote:This parcel has been damaged. It is in the Northern Ireland depot. Please contact them on 04894488181 to advise. There is one bottle of port broken.
Last edited by TLW on 23:59 Fri 07 Jun 2013, edited 1 time in total.
Re: The curse of G77
I have bottles and magnums of the 77 Graham, and am very curious as to the effect of differing bottle sizes on port in the very long term; however, given the potential for any one of the bottles being corked, substantial reserves may be necessary . If I happen to be in the UK when you organise the G77 tasting, would love to bring something along. Anyone have any double magnums or imperials?djewesbury wrote:I know, it's kind of depressing. Now I want to organise a G77 tasting. From halves, bottles, magnums, jeros, methuselahs and nebs.
- djewesbury
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Re: The curse of G77
I think I know one man who could tell us whether doubles or imperials were even made of this vintage - if they were, I presume they are still in Gaia though..TLW wrote: Anyone have any double magnums or imperials?
On another note, I am looking into the cover offered to me by my credit card. Since the UK has consumer credit laws covering the condition of supply of goods there might just be an avenue here...
Daniel J.
Husband of a relentless former Soviet Chess Master.
delete.. delete.. *sigh*.. delete...
Husband of a relentless former Soviet Chess Master.
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Re: The curse of G77
Though shorter-term than ‟very long term”, we recently compared a half bottle of Sandeman Vau 2000 to a double magnum, and, for two reasons, preferred the latter.TLW wrote:I have bottles and magnums of the 77 Graham, and am very curious as to the effect of differing bottle sizes on port in the very long term;
- uncle tom
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Re: The curse of G77
And if a place is 100 miles away, a New Zealander will say it's two hours away..In America, 100 years is a long time. In Europe, 100 miles is a long ways.
My 144yr old house is bloody freezing..!I think that 80-yr old houses are pretty cool because they are so old.
I may be drunk, Miss, but in the morning I shall be sober and you will still be ugly - W.S. Churchill
Re: The curse of G77
My house was built in 1894. In 2014 it will have some refurbishment done, the completion of which I hope to celebrate with a VP of the appropriate vintage. Alas ’94s are hard to find if you have a spare, please let me know.
- uncle tom
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Re: The curse of G77
In the classic 1949 Ealing comedy, Kind Hearts and Coronets, vintage port gets one of its few big screen mentions:
'The Cockburn '69 my lord - there is no finer wine'
(the port was subsequently poisoned, and used to kill the vicar..)
My house being built in 1869, I have searched for this elusive liquor, but without success...
'The Cockburn '69 my lord - there is no finer wine'
(the port was subsequently poisoned, and used to kill the vicar..)
My house being built in 1869, I have searched for this elusive liquor, but without success...
I may be drunk, Miss, but in the morning I shall be sober and you will still be ugly - W.S. Churchill
Re: The curse of G77
Could this be a Croft-Cockburn ’68-’69 switch, the author being aware, even if only vaguely, that the Croft ’69 was not all what it seemed? It might be a literary device, echoing a poisoned wine, without involving libel lawyers.uncle tom wrote:'The Cockburn '69 my lord - there is no finer wine'
- uncle tom
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Re: The curse of G77
I've never heard of a Croft 1869 - in fact, the oldest on my database just happens to be 1870..Croft ’69 was not all what it seemed?
My guess is that it was a bit of poetic rhyme - 'wine and nine'
I may be drunk, Miss, but in the morning I shall be sober and you will still be ugly - W.S. Churchill