ThePortForum.com

Can anyone advise me please on the following: I have just inherited a bottle of Porto Colheita 1968. Unfortunately I took
the seal off before finding out that this is a rare and expensive bottle of
port, costing on average £275 per bottle. I did not touch the cork.

I have photos of the bottle and all pieces of the seal, should anyone want
to see them.

Can you please advise me on what I can do with this bottle of port now that
I have removed the seal? My questions are:

1. Can it still be sold?
2. If not then could it be consumed, or is this a collector's bottle only?
3. What would it taste like if opened?

I do not know when my late relative purchased the bottle, or if he
inherited it himself, but I do know it was kept in a glass covered cupboard
in a darkened hallway for many years.

Looking forward to any information you can offer.

Many thanks.
Susan

I assume you're in the UK. If so your price is way high for that side of the pond. In the USA, this bottle stored as it was is probably worth around $150 max, in reality less. In the UK this would sell for less than that (in Pounds).

Sadly, what Andy says is true. By removing the seal you have significantly reduced the value of the bottle.

Our usual advice to vendors gives some guidance that a bottle in good condition and which has been stored well would normally be expected to net the seller something in the region of 50% of current low retail value, which is £225 according to www.wine-searcher.com

Sadly, your bottle has not been stored well (being exposed to light, even if in a dark hallway) and has had the seal removed. At auction my estimate is that this might sell for £50-80 from which you would then have to deduct the auctioneer's commission.

On the back of the bottle should be a date showing when the bottle was filled. This is usually printed in red diagonally across the paper back label. Could you let us know what the date is?

I'd also observe that if you know anyone with a 50th birthday or a 50th anniversary this year that it would make a great gift for them...

Hello AHB,
Thank you indeed for your advice, which is most appreciated as I know nothing about port auctions.
I have attached 2 photos: one of the back of the bottle, which as you will see is a little damaged, and another of a scratch, which I have just noticed on the front of the bottle.
Once again, any advice on what to do with this bottle would be most helpful.
What would it taste like if we decide to drink it?
Kind regards,
Susan

Appears to have been bottled in 1979. A rather young bottling of this Tawny. Sadly, that too will affect the overall price of it and not in a good way. If this spent more time in barrel before being bottled that would be better. This is basically a young 10 year tawny that's been in bottle for a very long time.

For reference, the legal minimum a tawny must be kept in barrel prior to being bottled is 7 years. This is just past that minimum.

Susan, sorry for the less than ideal news. Colheita is tawny port from a single year, aged in a wooden barrel and then at some point bottled. The longer the ageing in barrel the better for sale price, as this increases complexity and depth of flavour. 11 years before bottling is rather short. It would have changed, perhaps getting better over the first 10 years after being bottled, and then perhaps declined. They do not age the way a Vintage Port would - ageing in bottle here is desired. Also, long term storage in a cupboard in the hall is not the best location, but port is quite robust. I'm sure it will be perfectly drinkable, probably quite nice, just not hugely valuable. It will have sweet caramel toffee notes. Perhaps some hints of fading red fruit. Drinking it or giving it to a friend/relative with a 1968 birthday is a good idea. If you still wanted to sell it, you might get a offer from someone on this forum, or ask and someone could advise an auction or wine merchant near you that could help. Where do you live?

Hello Dave,
Thank you for your advice, which is invaluable to me.
I am based in the UK near to Brighton BN15.
I would be interested to see if someone on the forum would give me an offer. But I will be travelling to Portugal in the next 10 days, where I will stay for a couple of months.
I will also talk to any local wine merchants and see if they can advise me of any auctions.
Susan