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A nice development- the need for which has previously been discussed on this board.

Interesting that they have chosen to stick to Malvedos (if Graham full blend is not declared) - it might have been nice to offer Vesuvio as an optional fallback instead but I can see why that might be more difficult.

And if their recent efforts with premium packaging extends to this product, I can see this making a very nice gift (given what i usually spend on gifts for special events of close friends, it would be nice to be able to buy a bond for a Capela/Bioma-style 3-pack...!)

I also wonder whether there will be a package that includes storage through Fells for 18 / 21 years...

A great idea and I hope it is a success.

Perhaps the Syms are restricting this to Graham brands to gauge interest so it is possible that it will expand into other brands if successful, or if other producers follow the lead and bring out similar products.

It might not be too long before we see mailshots for "A Pipe of Port"

DRT wrote:It might not be too long before we see mailshots for "A Pipe of Port"

In my discussions with the IVDP a limit of 18L was volunteered.

A whole Pipe, you say? That would be more likely if Mr Farage were to get his way, but even then not certain.

Once was enough.

Clarification: I did not mean "a pipe" in the traditional sense, but was thinking of 56 dozen being offered at a preferential price en primeur to those inclined to purchase in that volume for a descendant.

…but a proper pipe would be more fun, and would perhaps re-open a market that has otherwise been denied to the trade provided it was directly sold as retail rather than wholesale.

DRT wrote:Perhaps the Syms are restricting this to Graham brands to gauge interest so it is possible that it will expand into other brands if successful, or if other producers follow the lead and bring out similar products.

Perhaps, but having reflected further I would hesistate to use this at the moment not because of lack of interest but because of the way it is structured (indeed, rather than spending hundreds each year on presents via the ubiquitous John Lewis lists, it is something I have wished I could have done at almost every single wedding I have attended).

Why? Simple - since 2008, my gift to a couple for their wedding / newborn would have ended up as Graham Malvedos in all but one of those years (likely including 2013/2014) - a port that they see sitting on the supermarket shelves every week, often deeply discounted. Now I know Malvedos is good, and undervalued, but to be honest I don't want to give it to my friends as my special wedding / child birth-year present. Perception matters.

However, if the fallback were Vesuvio (no need to double the quantity) or even a port they bottle under eg: the Gould Campbell brand (which otherwise seems to have little ongoing role in the Symington empire), I'd put my money down. Perhaps the average consumer looking for a special gift does not think like this though...

DRT wrote:Clarification: I did not mean "a pipe" in the traditional sense, but was thinking of 56 dozen being offered at a preferential price en primeur to those inclined to purchase in that volume for a descendant.

I think BBR did that already with the 2011s. I did ask whether anyone had gone for it, but did not receive a reply.

I think your observations are very fair, Rob. But I can see the rationale for limiting the number of brands exposed to this new venture. Perhaps it would have been safer to use the Vesuvio brand rather than Graham's on the basis that a wine in almost every year would have been available under the same label without the need to distinguish between declared and non-declared years? The problem with that would be brand recognition. I am sure many more people who are not like us have heard of Graham's but wouldn't necessarily know the relative ranking of Vesuvio.

The Financial Conduct Authority, in [url=http://fshandbook.info/FS/html/FCA/PERG/8/16]its Handbook’s §Pᴇʀɢ 8.16.1[/url], wrote:A financial promotion about funeral plans is subject to the restriction in section 21 of the Act if it relates to a pre-paid funeral plan of any kind where the provider of the plan carries on the regulated activity of entering as provider into a funeral plan contract under article 59 of the Regulated Activities Order (see PERG 2.8.14 G).

If pre-paid funeral plans, will the regulators’ net enlarge to include pre-paid birth drinking plans? I hope not.

And what happens if, 1993-style, the year is a wash-out in which nobody would have wanted to be born?

jdaw1 wrote:And what happens if, 1993-style, the year is a wash-out in which nobody would have wanted to be born?

I think they are saying they will make some port every year and if it is Malvedos you get twice the amount.

RAYC wrote:I think BBR did that already with the 2011s. I did ask whether anyone had gone for it, but did not receive a reply.

Wasn't this simply an offer of a mixed 50 cases of port rather than a pipe with your name on it?

LGTrotter wrote:

RAYC wrote:I think BBR did that already with the 2011s. I did ask whether anyone had gone for it, but did not receive a reply.

Wasn't this simply an offer of a mixed 50 cases of port rather than a pipe with your name on it?

Yes - I was responding to the part where Derek clarified that he wasn't thinking about a pipe in the traditional sense, but an equivalent number of cases being offered at a preferential price en primeur (though I concede that here it was a merchant putting together their own offer on a mixed lot, rather than a producer offering a pipe-equivalent direct)

Was anything more announced about these yet? Rachel has a new niece as of yesterday (Tuesday), and I would like to ensure that Martha Rose Milne has a fair chance of developing our interest in her adulthood.

I think the first round of press announcements mentioned it would be available from December. And possibly from Fortnums (given the quote included from the Fortnums winebuyer)

These are now available. I know you can get them via Berry Brothers, Fortnums and Seckfords. If you fancy finding out more details from Seckfords then ask for James Maitland.

Elys' family is from Brazil and their family Christens with port wine. I think a drop of port wine is given to infant right after birth or something like that...

AHB wrote:These are now available. I know you can get them via Berry Brothers, Fortnums and Seckfords. If you fancy finding out more details from Seckfords then ask for James Maitland.

And if anyone does follow up then please let the rest of us know.

Hi,

Just started my own thread about this but got pointed in this direction,

Some details from trade press,

http://www.thedrinksbusiness.com/2015/0 ... eme-in-uk/

The bond will retail for about £390 and entitles the bearer to 6 bottles of Grahams VP, 12 bottles Malvedos if the vintage is not declared or a refund if no Port made in that vintage.