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Sweeney
Cruz Ruby
Posts: 7
Joined: 10:05 Wed 04 May 2016

Hello to all

Post by Sweeney »

[background=]Hello to all.
A quick introduction. I've just returned from a great weekend in Lisbon where I had a wonderful evening tasting wines and ports.

We tried a lovely 2012 LBV and a 2012 'quinta' vintage.

I'm looking to learn a bit more around Port and I'm looking forward to hearing from you and hope to contribute a bit more as time moves on.

With this in mind I am going to ask my first couple of new comer questions.

On my way home I purchased a Ramon Pinto LBV 2011 unfiltered bottle. Question 1 is for a LBV is the 2011 the production date, which I am led to believe is a good year, or the bottling year for an earlier production.
Secondly, would this be ready to drink now or would it still benefit from storage?

Thanks for listening and I look forward to to expanding my knowledge with you all.
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PhilW
Dalva Golden White Colheita 1952
Posts: 3501
Joined: 14:22 Wed 15 Dec 2010
Location: Near Cambridge, UK

Re: Hello to all

Post by PhilW »

Hi Sweeney, and welcome to :tpf:
Sweeney wrote:On my way home I purchased a Ramon Pinto LBV 2011 unfiltered bottle. Question 1 is for a LBV is the 2011 the production date, which I am led to believe is a good year, or the bottling year for an earlier production.
Yes, the year shown is the year of harvest for an LBV (as for vintage ports and colheitas also); 2011 was indeed an excellent year, with most if not all producers declaring a vintage port. As this is an LBV, it will have been matured in cask for 4-6 years (or 4 to 4.5 years in this case given the current date) and then bottled; the label may provide a bottling date in small type somewhere.
Sweeney wrote:Secondly, would this be ready to drink now or would it still benefit from storage?
As this is an unfiltered LBV, it will continue to mature in the bottle, so you could drink this now or you could keep it for the future; this is a matter of taste preference. Note that as this is an unfiltered port, it will need to be decanted before drinking.
Sweeney
Cruz Ruby
Posts: 7
Joined: 10:05 Wed 04 May 2016

Re: Hello to all

Post by Sweeney »

Thanks PhilW.

Once I put on my reading glasses I could see the bottling date of 2015 in very small print :)

Perhaps I should have bought a couple of bottles. Drank one now and kept one for a while to see how it changes. That may well be my next move. I guess I was being a bit tentative as this is my first foray into Port. I know it wasn't expensive but you can't just throw it away can you :wink:

I hope once I begin to get an understanding I will venture into some beginners VP purchasing. Some to drink straight away and some to keep, so any advice on what to look for and what to expect is always welcome.
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jdaw1
Cockburn 1851
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Re: Hello to all

Post by jdaw1 »

Sweeney wrote:Perhaps I should have bought a couple of bottles.
You are going to fit in here. This is an entirely standard regret. ‘Perhaps I should have bought a couple of bottles | dozen | pipes | quintas’.
Sweeney
Cruz Ruby
Posts: 7
Joined: 10:05 Wed 04 May 2016

Re: Hello to all

Post by Sweeney »

Ha, yes I should have realised that as I was writing it.
idj123
Morgan 1991
Posts: 1113
Joined: 20:54 Tue 13 Nov 2012

Re: Hello to all

Post by idj123 »

Welcome aboard!

Good unfiltered LBV (which besides Taylor and Graham seems be becoming more the norm these days) is indeed a relatively inexpensive means of making a first foray into bottle matured Port. I would also suggest looking out for Crusted Port (which is a mix of different vintages and just to be confusing, the date on the label is the bottling date) that again offers an insight into 'true' Vintage Port but at a more affordable entrance fee.
Sweeney
Cruz Ruby
Posts: 7
Joined: 10:05 Wed 04 May 2016

Re: Hello to all

Post by Sweeney »

Thanks for the advice. I will keep an eye out for the crusted ports too. Any particular houses that seem to specialise in them?

I hope to add a couple of mid nineties to early 2000 vintage and grow with them over the coming years. They still appear to be not extortionately priced yet.

So here's to the future.
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Alex Bridgeman
Graham’s 1948
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Joined: 13:41 Mon 25 Jun 2007
Location: Berkshire, UK

Re: Hello to all

Post by Alex Bridgeman »

Waitrose currently have Sandeman LBV marked down by 25%. This is an unfiltered LBV that will reward patience in the cellar - or can be drunk now.

Waitrose also sell Warre Bottle Matured LBV (2003, I think is the current vintage). Older bottles occasionally crop up on the auction circuit and can be absolutely delicious. Buying at auction can be a bit chancy, but if you fancy giving it a go then take a look at http://www.the-saleroom.com

I should also suggest that if you are anywhere near London, consider joining us for one of our tastings. They are open to anyone and everyone and most of today's regular attendees started by nervously taking the plunge and coming to an offline. These give you a real opportunity to try different things and see what you like. If you did step forward we'd probably use your attendance as an excuse to bring a real variety of different styles of port just to challenge your belief that you like ruby style ports and not tawny style ports.

Have you tried a 2011 vintage port? There are some cheap ones around at the moment and they are stunning at this baby age.
Top Ports in 2023: Taylor 1896 Colheita, b. 2021. A perfect Port.

2024: Niepoort 1900 Colheita, b.1971. A near perfect Port.
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jdaw1
Cockburn 1851
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Re: Hello to all

Post by jdaw1 »

AHB wrote:I should also suggest that if you are anywhere near London, consider joining us for one of our tastings. They are open to anyone and everyone and most of today's regular attendees started by nervously taking the plunge and coming to an offline.
E.g. — and he hasn’t missed a tasting since!
Sweeney
Cruz Ruby
Posts: 7
Joined: 10:05 Wed 04 May 2016

Re: Hello to all

Post by Sweeney »

Cheers AHB, I'll have a look at Waitrose and see what I can pick up.

A tasting sounds like a pretty good idea. I will keep my eyes peeled for a suitable one.
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Alex Bridgeman
Graham’s 1948
Posts: 14868
Joined: 13:41 Mon 25 Jun 2007
Location: Berkshire, UK

Re: Hello to all

Post by Alex Bridgeman »

Sweeney wrote:Cheers AHB, I'll have a look at Waitrose and see what I can pick up.
Don't neglect the supermarket own label vintage ports. Tesco often include port in their "buy 6, get 25% off" promotion which makes their Finest vintage port remarkably good value for mony (although I think the 1994 vintage has now sold out) and Sainsbury's Taste The Difference vintage port is pretty good. Both of these will cellar well and can be bought relatively cheaply if you time your purchase well.
Top Ports in 2023: Taylor 1896 Colheita, b. 2021. A perfect Port.

2024: Niepoort 1900 Colheita, b.1971. A near perfect Port.
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