Port corks with branding on the end

Anything to do with Port.
PhilW
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Port corks with branding on the end

Post by PhilW »

Perhaps a slightly obscure topic, but having recently opened a Dalva Golden White 1971 I discovered my third cork from a bottle of port with some form of branding on the end, not just the side of the cork. The three so far are as follows:
1943 Quinta da Eira Vehla cork, which has an 'O' branded on the top. 2013 Unidade cork, which has an 'A' on top and bottom of the cork. 1971 Dalva Golden White cork, which has "Colheita 1971" on the end of the cork.
QEV43_cork.jpg
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Da71gw_cork.jpg
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Do folks have any other examples of port corks with branding on the ends? Perhaps branding the cork end has become simpler and hence cheaper recently, and will/has become more common - is it a common practise on other types of wine at all in people's experience?
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Alex Bridgeman
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Re: Port corks with branding on the end

Post by Alex Bridgeman »

Oh no, my wife is not going to be happy with you as you get the blame for me emptying my giant jar full of old corks onto the living room floor.

"But, my love, Phil needed to know if any of these corks were branded on the ends as well as the sides."
Top Ports in 2023: Taylor 1896 Colheita, b. 2021. A perfect Port.

2024: Niepoort 1900 Colheita, b.1971. A near perfect Port.
PhilW
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Re: Port corks with branding on the end

Post by PhilW »

Most excellent. But are you sure you have time tonight?

I will be interested in what you find, either way.
Andy Velebil
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Re: Port corks with branding on the end

Post by Andy Velebil »

It's a great way to immediately see what wine it is when lying on its side stacked in a cellar. I wish more producers would use them (at least those not using capsules, which is mostly dry wines).


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Doggett
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Re: Port corks with branding on the end

Post by Doggett »

Having just had a quick look... I have noticed that a Vesuvio 94 cork is Just printed on the side, but a 2005 is printed on the end too. I am afraid I don't have enough of their corks to know when their 'style guide' changed.

Also, Grahams crusted bottled 2006 and 2007 have 06 and 07 indications on the cork ends. I will look through some other corks I have to look for more, but alas the older ones are too port stained. Photos can be emailed if you would like Phil?
PhilW
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Re: Port corks with branding on the end

Post by PhilW »

Doggett wrote:Having just had a quick look... I have noticed that a Vesuvio 94 cork is Just printed on the side, but a 2005 is printed on the end too. I am afraid I don't have enough of their corks to know when their 'style guide' changed.

Also, Grahams crusted bottled 2006 and 2007 have 06 and 07 indications on the cork ends. I will look through some other corks I have to look for more, but alas the older ones are too port stained. Photos can be emailed if you would like Phil?
Good info, thanks Simon; I'd be interested to see images, yes please, particularly in case it is unusual - though it sounds as though perhaps less unusual recently. Will be interested to hear from Alex to see how far back it does/doesn't go for port and other wines from his cork collection.
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Alex Bridgeman
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Re: Port corks with branding on the end

Post by Alex Bridgeman »

Lying conveniently placed on the top of the cork jar was a cork from a bottle of Chateau d'Angludet 2005. This was branded "05" on the top of the cork. Approximately 20 other corks were lying around this one and were just as visible but none of the others appeared to be branded on the top.

But as Simon says, many of the older corks are too stained to be able to tell.

(And no, I don't have time to empty the cork jar. I'm busy reading, then having to write some more of JDAW's dream, then some other stuff, then empty the cork jar.)
Top Ports in 2023: Taylor 1896 Colheita, b. 2021. A perfect Port.

2024: Niepoort 1900 Colheita, b.1971. A near perfect Port.
PhilW
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Re: Port corks with branding on the end

Post by PhilW »

Ok, so '05 is the oldest we have so far between us, excepting the '43. Any advance on '05 anyone?

(Alex, you need a break from all that screen work, doing something physical with your hands will help your mental wellbeing; so am sure your wife will understand your need to pour your corks on the floor mid-evening. :)
PhilW
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Re: Port corks with branding on the end

Post by PhilW »

(go on Alex, get your corks out, you know you want to!)
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Doggett
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Re: Port corks with branding on the end

Post by Doggett »

I have sent some photos through to you Phil, that include the port corks I mentioned earlier in the thread and the below French reds that all have the dates on the end.

Chateau Mouton Rothschild 2001
Chateau Palmer 1989
Chateau Kirwan (Margaux) 1984
PhilW
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Re: Port corks with branding on the end

Post by PhilW »

From the images Simon emailed through, it is clear that the wine market has used corks with branding on the end for a while (though how commonly I cannot say). Simon's examples include:

Chateau Kirwan - Margaux 1984 - which has "1984" in a circle branded on the end
Chateau Palmer 1989 - which has "1989" on the end
Chateau Mouton Rothschild 2001 - which has "2001" on the end
Vesuvio 2005 - which has "2005" on the end
Grahams crusted bottled 2006 and 2007 - which have a cross on the end with '0' in top left quadrant and '6' or '7' respectively in the bottom right quadrant, as below.
IMG_1176.JPG
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The Graham's choice of design appeals, as an alternative to pure numbers.
/2alph
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Re: Port corks with branding on the end

Post by /2alph »

Malvedos 2004 has also a brand on top

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John M
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Re: Port corks with branding on the end

Post by John M »

2011 Quinta do Crasto LBV has both ends stamped!
2011 Crasto LBV Cork.jpg
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jdaw1
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Re: Port corks with branding on the end

Post by jdaw1 »

John M wrote:2011 Quinta do Crasto LBV has both ends stamped!
Stamped or branded? If branded then good. If stamped, with ink, the ink will get into the wine, and the wine will dissolve the ink — not good.
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John M
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Re: Port corks with branding on the end

Post by John M »

Did not think to ascertain and believe the cork is gone---good excuse to open another which I will do in next month.
LGTrotter
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Re: Port corks with branding on the end

Post by LGTrotter »

Here's one. Senhora do Convento 2009. Branded both ends 2009, with 'VINTAGE QSPA' on the side.
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PhilW
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Re: Port corks with branding on the end

Post by PhilW »

It certainly seems that for corks used in port bottled in 2009+ that branding on the end has become more common. Aside from the '43 and re-corked bottles, Simon has shown wine corks with end-branding from significantly before that, but no other port corks bottled pre-2009.

Alex - did you ever get the chance to empty and check your cork jar? BTW, I'm about to start another thread giving you a second reason to do so also :)
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Alex Bridgeman
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Re: Port corks with branding on the end

Post by Alex Bridgeman »

I've just opened a bottle of Duorum 2007 vintage port. This has "Duorum Vintage" branded on the side of the cork and "2007" on the ends.
Top Ports in 2023: Taylor 1896 Colheita, b. 2021. A perfect Port.

2024: Niepoort 1900 Colheita, b.1971. A near perfect Port.
PhilW
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Re: Port corks with branding on the end

Post by PhilW »

Looking back through this thread, unless it was recorked (which it didn't look like from the image posted), current winner of the "earliest branded on the end of cork VP" is /2alph's GM2004 (presumably bottled 2006/7) - which I had missed with my last summary post (apologies /2alph, and thanks for posting the GM2004 image).
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Alex Bridgeman
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Re: Port corks with branding on the end

Post by Alex Bridgeman »

I'm pretty sure the 2007 Duorum cork was branded and not stamped
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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Re: Port corks with branding on the end

Post by CPR 1 »

I was rummaging the other night and noticed that I have a cork from Taylor 03, that has 03 on the end
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Axel P
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Re: Port corks with branding on the end

Post by Axel P »

I have numerous Ports, who all have a side-branding. My first sweep through the first case brought up the following:
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Churchill Vintage Port 2011 2014.JPG
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Confraria VP 2007 2.JPG
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Corks Croft.JPG
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Corks Fonseca.JPG
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Corks Graham.JPG
Corks Graham.JPG (58.34 KiB) Viewed 10288 times
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Axel P
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Re: Port corks with branding on the end

Post by Axel P »

Corks Vesuvio.JPG
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Crasto LBV Vintage.JPG
Crasto LBV Vintage.JPG (51.8 KiB) Viewed 10288 times
Infantado Vintage 2013.JPG
Infantado Vintage 2013.JPG (46.26 KiB) Viewed 10288 times
La Rosa LBV 1998.JPG
La Rosa LBV 1998.JPG (39.21 KiB) Viewed 10288 times
La Rosa LBV 2005.JPG
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LBV 2005 Noname.JPG
LBV 2005 Noname.JPG (35.44 KiB) Viewed 10288 times
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Axel P
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Re: Port corks with branding on the end

Post by Axel P »

No Name.JPG
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Osborne LBV.JPG
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Ramos Pinto Ervamoira VP 2002.JPG
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Santa Eufemia LBV  2004.JPG
Santa Eufemia LBV 2004.JPG (41.64 KiB) Viewed 10288 times
Warre Cavadinha VP 2005.JPG
Warre Cavadinha VP 2005.JPG (39.62 KiB) Viewed 10288 times
Warre LBV 2002 2.JPG
Warre LBV 2002 2.JPG (39.6 KiB) Viewed 10288 times
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Axel P
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Re: Port corks with branding on the end

Post by Axel P »

On some producers I can see the pattern that they always sidebrand the cork or never. On some there is no pattern transparent to me. Maybe a good discussion when we are together with "mixed" producers next time.

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