Is the secondary market price for Port changing?

[jdaw1]

is it possible that Michael Broadbent switched them by mistake in a note?

► Michael Broadbent in 1991 described the Noval 1931 as “the Everest of vintage ports”, but in 2002 this accolade was for the Nacional. From The Great Vintage Wine Book II (1991):

      1931 … good wine was made, but the towering reputation of this vintage rests on Noval, a wine I have long thought of and described as the Everest of vintage ports. …

Noval Nacional … Some of the above Novals might have been made from the 10% of the vineyard traditionally planted, ungrafted, with the local fruiting varieties. Usually however, “Nacional” appears somewhere on bin label, wax seal and/or cork. This particular bottle came from a Nacional wooden case, had a black wax seal and its cork branded “Noval 1931 bottled 1933”.

And from Vintage Wine (2002):

      1931 … good wine was made, but the towering reputation of this vintage rests on Noval, whose ’31 Nacional I have long since considered as the ‘Everest’ of vintage ports.

Noval, Qda do … I have been privileged to note this on no fewer than 18 occasions … A variety of bottlings, all good, some unstated on cork or capsule but including Justerini & Brooks and, perhaps the most superlatively typical, by Fearon, Block, Ridges, Routh …. Also … shipped by Averys and imported from Bristol, where it had been bottled in 1933 by Louis Glunz, Lincolnwood, Ill.: … But an excellent example, the bottler’s seal embossed ‘Sandeman & Co, Glasgow, vintage 1931’

[DaveRL]

I watched the Christie's sale. The prices seemed at times very high, but the wines were originally bought well and stored well, with a long history, which makes them worth a premium. That much premium? Not for some, no. Not for the amended to low shoulder D27. Those bidders were nuts. But for the W63, say, I think maybe. Provenance is important. One would only know on popping the cork.

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[uncle tom]

One would only know on popping the cork.

Indeed. Poorly cellared stashes are relatively rare when case quantities are sold but are much more common with odd old bottles that may have been found in a cupboard during a house clearance.

Paying a significant premium instead of opening a bottle to try does not often make sense when you're buying by the dozen, and sometimes when the entire contents of large house's cellar comes to auction, with the promise of some excellent provenance to hand, the results can be disappointing. Looking at the entire stash pre-auction can sometimes set off alarm bells.

Common bad signs include dust round the necks of bottles, indicating vertical storage, faded labels with shading, indicating light exposure, or excessive numbers of ullaged or leaky bottles, indicating poor housekeeping and storage conditions.

Another concern is evidence of glue streaking on labels, which can be heat induced. Some labels are prone to streaking in the best of conditions, but if it turns up unexpectedly, it's a big red flag - the bottles may have been stored in a hot shed or even an attic.

When auction lots say that bottles have been stored in a 'temperature controlled room' I look closely at the levels. Some chilling systems seem very good at provoking ullage, possibly through repeated stop/go chilling or excessively low humidity.

[JacobH]

► Michael Broadbent in 1991 described the Noval 1931 as “the Everest of vintage ports”, but in 2002 this accolade was for the Nacional. From The Great Vintage Wine Book II (1991):

      1931 … good wine was made, but the towering reputation of this vintage rests on Noval, a wine I have long thought of and described as the Everest of vintage ports. …

Noval Nacional … Some of the above Novals might have been made from the 10% of the vineyard traditionally planted, ungrafted, with the local fruiting varieties. Usually however, “Nacional” appears somewhere on bin label, wax seal and/or cork. This particular bottle came from a Nacional wooden case, had a black wax seal and its cork branded “Noval 1931 bottled 1933”.

And from Vintage Wine (2002):

      1931 … good wine was made, but the towering reputation of this vintage rests on Noval, whose ’31 Nacional I have long since considered as the ‘Everest’ of vintage ports.

Noval, Qda do … I have been privileged to note this on no fewer than 18 occasions … A variety of bottlings, all good, some unstated on cork or capsule but including Justerini & Brooks and, perhaps the most superlatively typical, by Fearon, Block, Ridges, Routh …. Also … shipped by Averys and imported from Bristol, where it had been bottled in 1933 by Louis Glunz, Lincolnwood, Ill.: … But an excellent example, the bottler’s seal embossed ‘Sandeman & Co, Glasgow, vintage 1931’

Thanks for this. At least, in my mind, the comment about the Nacional in the 2002 books appears to be an anomaly and probably a mistake. He definitely isn’t lauding the 1931 Nacional over normal blend.

Incidentally, I have set my eyes on Everest once after several days sitting on a mattress in the back of a landrover. I had attitude sickness; it was freezing; and despite being in a tourist “hotel” on the Tibetan plateau there was no hot water. It might be suggested that a bottle of Port would have relieved the experience but it firmly reinforced my view that the only metaphorical us of Everest should be to mean “the tallest”!