Port Vintages: The Book

[djewesbury]

Fascinating how the earlier prices are so divergent, from < 30s / doz. (£85 / pipe), up to the 50s paid by the Middle Temple only a few years later.

To say nothing of the steep appreciation in 25 years, evidenced by BBR's reassuringly expensive price.

[Alex Bridgeman]

Fascinating how the earlier prices are so divergent, from < 30s / doz. (£85 / pipe), up to the 50s paid by the Middle Temple only a few years later.

To say nothing of the steep appreciation in 25 years, evidenced by BBR's reassuringly expensive price.

Assuming the 1878 shipped in 1880, between shipping and most people having bought the stocks they wanted by 1887, UK prices generally deflated through the huge inflow of cheap raw materials coming from other parts of the world, which generated not far off a 10% reduction in what would now be regarded as the Consumer Price Index.

With a couple of exceptions (1900 - 5%) prices were pretty stable for the nearly 30 years until the First World War took its toll on both manpower and availability of goods in the UK. During and immediately after the First World War UK prices jumped by 160% over just 6 years (average of 17% pa). There was then a short correction (20% deflation over 2 years) before another period of pretty stable prices until World War 2 started, although the Depression during this time did have prices drifting downwards.

I don;t have the time to piece together the time line and see how inflation would have affected prices, but if someone else has the time I would be interested to see the results.

Historic UK inflation rates can be found at http://safalra.com/other/historical-uk- ... onversion/

[Alex Bridgeman]

â–º Worshipful Company of Merchant Taylors, Wine Committee, meeting 4 November 1880, discussed ‟2 Pipe of Port (1878) Croft, Dowes, Clode & Baker, Sandeman, Martinez”, ‟Write G Claridge Harp Lane for Samples”; [••LMA291••] and on 4 January 1881 noted ‟Ordered 5/1/81 Mr George Claridge Harp Lane One Pipe Croft’s Vintage 1878 as per sample sent on 5/11/80 @ £85 per pipe duty paid and delivered into Cellars. ! terms Cash less 5% discount”. [••LMA293••] On 10 December 1897, the wine committee tasted two samples, both bottled 1880, one of ‟Croft’s Dry” from Meryon, Roger & Co at 86/- per dozen, the other of ‟Croft’s” from Lister & Beck at 80/-. Ordered were 25 dozen of the former, 15 dozen of the latter, [••LMA348••] the cellar book recording delivery on later that month. Inconsistently with the minutes, the cellar book describes Lister & Beck’s as ‟very dry”. [••LMA176••] On 11 December 1917 the Committee ordered that 13+24 dozen and 1+7 be sold, ‟leaving 53 doz 7”. [••LMA387••] The minutes of 23 May 1918 record that lots 1333-7, totalling 37 dozen, were sold, after the auctioneer’s commission of 8d/£1 (3⅓%), for £289.5.6, so an average price of about 161/9 per dozen. [••LMA388••]

â–º Worshipful Company of Cordwainers, entry into cellar book on 21 November 1881: ‟Bottled Pipe of Port Crofts 1878. Purchas’d from Deut & Co June 1881. Bin 12. 57 doz + 9 Bottles”. [••LMA043••]

â–º The Army & Navy Co-Operative Society, January 1882, ‟Bottled Vintage Port for Laying Down”, ‟Croft’s 1878, per dozen 32⁄0”. [••DRT’s 007••]

â–º Middle Temple wine book lists ‟Thompson + Croft black seal” vintage 1878 bottled 1881, at ‟50/” (presumably per dozen), adjacent to which is written ‟£145” (presumably being value of the whole parcel, therefore 58 dozen, a generous pipe) received from Robertson+Nicholson on ‟Mar.3.1886”. [••4283 4311: why twice?••]

â–º Corney & Barrow order book, 24 March 1891, records the purchase of one of each of ‟T+C” 1875, 1878 (at 4/6), 1885 and 1887, presumably for a small vertical. Then on 24 August 1893 the National Liberal Club ordered ‟10 Dz Croft’s 1878 Vintage Port dip red” at £31.10s, so at 5/3 per bottle. [••5896 5990••]

â–º ‟Croft’s 1878” served by The Worshipful Company of Gardeners at the ‟Master’s Installation Banquet”, held on 6 July 1897 at ‟The Vintner’s Hall”. [••9143••] Drapers, Stock of Port of August 1898 includes Croft 1878, bottled 1880, 540 bottles in bin 25, this remaining in stock until 1923. This is also mentioned, from 1905, in a corresponding Bin Book, sold by Lister & Beck and being bottled 1881, and that in another bin as bottled 1880. [••2881 2910 3018 3024••]

â–º BBR, February 1907, at 132/- per dozen [••DSC00005••]

â–º The Worshipful Company of Vintners, as of July 1913, owned 583 bottles of ‟Port Thompson & Croft Vin 1878”, bottled August 1881, ‟(J&G White)”. [••5372••]

â–º Red Cross Auction Sale on 19 June 1918 (see Kopke 1878), lots ‟1006@1009”, 10 Dozens, bottled ’81, presented by ‟The Merchant Taylors Company”, at 240/ to 300/ (though the meaning of the price is unclear). [••LMA287••]

â–º Present in the vintage lists of André L. Simon (1919), Ernest Cockburn (1949), H. Warner Allen (1963), Wyndham Fletcher (1978), and George Robertson (1978).

â–º Tables of Content (1933), André L. Simon, #63: ‟Luncheon at 27 Clement’s Lane. 30 July 1931 ! The ’78 Croft”, served with ‟Cheese Souffl锝, ‟was a remarkably good bottle: absolutely fresh and lively.” [••9860••]

â–º ALS Vintagewise

â–º Shipper (email of March 2009).
Which are to be deleted, and why? Which are to be kept, and why?

I would keep:
1 - most comprehensive and interesting historical record
2 - mention of an old London Merchant seldom seen or heard of today
4 - mention of the colour of the wax
6 - nice variation of bottling dates
9 - I like the tie-in between the Worshipful Company of Taylors deciding to sell stocks and the auction on bahlf of the WCoT
11 - The only reference to food which was tried against the port and a reference to the most recent tasting note from a recognised authority

[jdaw1]

Draft of Graham chapter added. Comment welcomed.

[DRT]

Draft of Graham chapter added. Comment welcomed.

Link.

[jdaw1]

Draft of Graham chapter re-added to PortVintages.com, having applied the comments PhilW sent last March, and having added Christie’s data. Comment welcomed.

[jdaw1]

Draft of Noval chapter re-added to PortVintages.com, having added Christie’s data. Comment welcomed.

[jdaw1]

Draft of Fonseca chapter re-added to PortVintages.com, having added Christie’s data. Comment welcomed.

[jdaw1]

Draft of Warre chapter re-added to PortVintages.com, having added Christie’s data. Comment welcomed.

[jdaw1]

Draft of Taylor chapter re-added to PortVintages.com, having added Christie’s data. Comment welcomed.

[jdaw1]

Draft of Sandeman chapter re-added to PortVintages.com, having added Christie’s data. Comment welcomed. (Even from the person formerly described as ‘co-author’, who hasn’t seen it.)

[jdaw1]

Draft of Niepoort chapter re-added to PortVintages.com, having added Christie’s data. Comment welcomed.

That has added the Christie’s data to all the existing drafts. Next, Dow. Be not impatient.

[DRT]

This venture started out many years ago with equal enthusiasm and energy from both authors. As time passed it has become increasingly clear that one author has much less enthusiasm, time and energy than the other to the extent that there really is, and has been for some time, only one author.

I look forward to reading Wiseman's Port Vintages in the not too distant future, within which there might still be room for a fleeting reference to a once diligent and hard working research assistant.

Could the author please get his posterior into gear and get this thing published?

[jdaw1]

This venture started out many years ago with equal enthusiasm and energy from both authors. As time passed it has become increasingly clear that one author has much less enthusiasm, time and energy than the other to the extent that there really is, and has been for some time, only one author.

Thank you.

I look forward to reading Wiseman's Port Vintages in the not too distant future, within which there might still be room for a fleeting reference to a once diligent and hard working research assistant.

I also look forward to reading it. And there will be mention of a “once diligent and hard working research assistant”.

Could the author please get his posterior into gear and get this thing published?

Working on Martinez chapter today.

[jdaw1]

Draft of Martinez chapter added to PortVintages.com. Comment welcomed.