ThePortForum.com

idj123 wrote: ↑17:52 Fri 28 Mar 2025

nac wrote: ↑12:14 Fri 28 Mar 2025 Have just had an offer from C&B for the new Taylor's 1975 Single Harvest.
£215/bt IB or £1275/6bt IB

Just beaten by what used to be BI at £212.50 IB!

Nickolls & Perks - £279 inc VAT & delivery

Has anyone bought a bottle of the Fletcher 10YO — now reduced from £7.99 to £6.99 in my local Aldi?

There were none on the shelf when I went in to look, so I couldn’t find out for myself, but does anyone know who the bottler is?

The Ruby comes from Quinta & Vineyard Bottlers. I’m curious to know where the 10YO comes from. £7 per bottle has surely got to be below cost. Duty and VAT between them are about £5.

Alex Bridgeman wrote: ↑08:14 Wed 02 Apr 2025 Has anyone bought a bottle of the Fletcher 10YO — now reduced from £7.99 to £6.99 in my local Aldi?

There were none on the shelf when I went in to look, so I couldn’t find out for myself, but does anyone know who the bottler is?

The Ruby comes from Quinta & Vineyard Bottlers. I’m curious to know where the 10YO comes from. £7 per bottle has surely got to be below cost. Duty and VAT between them are about £5.

Haven't yet, but will try and find some.

Alex Bridgeman wrote: ↑08:14 Wed 02 Apr 2025 There were none on the shelf when I went in to look, so I couldn’t find out for myself, but does anyone know who the bottler is?

Fletcher is a brand of Barao de Vilar, along with Palmer, Maynard, and (I think) Feuerheerd.

I see at least one picture that clearly shows it is bottled by Sogrape Vinhos S.A.

That said, Barao de Vilar Vinhos S.A. also does some bottling of their own. So it might depend on the bottle?

Glenn E. wrote: ↑17:42 Wed 02 Apr 2025

Alex Bridgeman wrote: ↑08:14 Wed 02 Apr 2025 There were none on the shelf when I went in to look, so I couldn’t find out for myself, but does anyone know who the bottler is?

Fletcher is a brand of Barao de Vilar, along with Palmer, Maynard, and (I think) Feuerheerd.

I see at least one picture that clearly shows it is bottled by Sogrape Vinhos S.A.

That said, Barao de Vilar Vinhos S.A. also does some bottling of their own. So it might depend on the bottle?

I thought that Fletcher was owned by Aldi (the shop) and its own brand.

is part of the labeling, Manufacturer: Specially Produced for Aldi Stores Ltd., PO Box 26, Atherstone, Warwickshire, CV9 2SH

hadge wrote: ↑18:12 Wed 02 Apr 2025

Glenn E. wrote: ↑17:42 Wed 02 Apr 2025

Alex Bridgeman wrote: ↑08:14 Wed 02 Apr 2025 There were none on the shelf when I went in to look, so I couldn’t find out for myself, but does anyone know who the bottler is?

Fletcher is a brand of Barao de Vilar, along with Palmer, Maynard, and (I think) Feuerheerd.

I see at least one picture that clearly shows it is bottled by Sogrape Vinhos S.A.

That said, Barao de Vilar Vinhos S.A. also does some bottling of their own. So it might depend on the bottle?

I thought that Fletcher was owned by Aldi (the shop) and its own brand.

is part of the labeling, Manufacturer: Specially Produced for Aldi Stores Ltd., PO Box 26, Atherstone, Warwickshire, CV9 2SH

I see that on some bottles, but not on others. It's possible that Fletcher is now a BOB for Aldi but didn't used to be? Or vice versa? Regardless, when we were at Barao de Vilar out in the Douro Superior in 2019 it was one of the brands that Alvaro told us about. We were only served Feuerheerd, Maynard, Palmer, and Barao de Vilar, though.

I’ve just walked into my local Waitrose and found this is happening again. Hey ho, more White Port for the summer heading home.

Alex Bridgeman wrote: ↑08:08 Wed 16 Apr 2025 IMG_1879.jpeg


I’ve just walked into my local Waitrose and found this is happening again. Hey ho, more White Port for the summer heading home.

Those $@*%#! forced your hand...at least that's what I would say to my wife if I came home with another case or two of Port. Of course I still might have to sleep in the garage.

What whites did you pick up?

Mike J. W. wrote: ↑13:22 Wed 16 Apr 2025

Alex Bridgeman wrote: ↑08:08 Wed 16 Apr 2025 IMG_1879.jpeg


I’ve just walked into my local Waitrose and found this is happening again. Hey ho, more White Port for the summer heading home.

Those $@*%#! forced your hand...at least that's what I would say to my wife if I came home with another case or two of Port. Of course I still might have to sleep in the garage.

What whites did you pick up?

3 bottles of Kopke 10YO and 3 bottles of Kopke 2010 White Colheita. But, just to be clear, none of them are for me. They are all for the better half.

^^ I'm sure you won't drink even a drop!

MigSU wrote: ↑20:58 Wed 16 Apr 2025 ^^ I'm sure you won't drink even a drop!

I've heard he never touches the stuff.

Nice little score, Alex. Kopke's White Colheitas are tasty (as their Tawnies are as well, of course).

akzy wrote: ↑13:34 Tue 16 Jun 2020 Sorry to all those people who bought the Terra Feita at £27 - I've managed to nab some at £22 with the drink shop. They seem to have a bit of a Port sale atm, quite a large variety of LBVs.

As an aside to this, I'm currently working on a LBV/ SQVP searcher that also scours supermarkets and shops like the drinkshop (unlike regular winesearcher). If and when it works, I'll make sure its distributed for the Port proletariat looking for a good deal for their labours.

@akzy did you ever finish this?

rich_n wrote: ↑13:42 Thu 10 Jul 2025 @akzy did you ever finish this?

I got it to work for a bit but websites kept changing how prices were listed and the code wasn't sophisticated enough to handle that. Then kids came.

So no

akzy wrote: ↑06:25 Fri 11 Jul 2025

rich_n wrote: ↑13:42 Thu 10 Jul 2025 @akzy did you ever finish this?

I got it to work for a bit but websites kept changing how prices were listed and the code wasn't sophisticated enough to handle that. Then kids came.

So no

Fair enough! I thought that might have been the case but thought I'd check.

Waitrose are running their "buy 6 bottles and get 25% off" sale again until Tuesday 26th August. This is when I restock on Kopke 10YO White and maybe buy an extra bottle or two of Warre 2011 LBV.

Alex Bridgeman wrote: ↑07:01 Thu 21 Aug 2025 Waitrose are running their "buy 6 bottles and get 25% off" sale again until Tuesday 26th August. This is when I restock on Kopke 10YO White and maybe buy an extra bottle or two of Warre 2011 LBV.

Pocas 2016 available too, and at a price that ends up being under £25 a bottle. Very tempting...

Not Port, but possibly of interest.

The Wine Society have just offered up the Quinta do Vesuvio, Douro Superior, 2022.
3 magnums - £295IB
3 bottles - £145IB

Hi All - knowing quite a few here have one of the Quevedo wooden advent calendars, you may be interested to know that pre-orders for the refill packs have now opened.

Quevedo Advent Refill packs - £225

The content this year is:
1.“Mixology” Port
2. Porto Vintage 2023
3. Porto Vintage 2019
4.Late Bottle Vintage 2019
5.Colheita 2017
6. Colheita 2017 Quinta Vale D’Agodinho
7. First Organic Tawny
8. Late Bottle Vintage 2021 Organic
9. Colheita 2012
10. Colheita 2006
11. Colheita 2005
12. Colehita 2003
13. Colheita 2000
14. Colheita 1996
15. Colheita 1996
16. Colheita 1995
17. Colheita 1995
18. Colheita 1992
19. Colheita 1989
20. Colheita 1981
21. Colheita 1975
22. Colheita 1970
23. Very Old- Unrecorded White
24. Very Old- Unrecorded Tawny

If you want to know more about any of the individual Ports, you can preview Oscar's videos here - or wait until December and build a little anticipation!

Thanks Ben, I've got my order in and I'm now thoroughly enjoying the videos.

I’ve just noticed that Aldi have switched their sourcing for the Fletcher’s Ports to the Fladgate Group (10YO and LBV).

Van Zeller are still the name behind the Special Reserve in 20cl bottles.

nac wrote: ↑11:09 Sat 29 Mar 2025

idj123 wrote: ↑17:52 Fri 28 Mar 2025

nac wrote: ↑12:14 Fri 28 Mar 2025 Have just had an offer from C&B for the new Taylor's 1975 Single Harvest.
£215/bt IB or £1275/6bt IB

Just beaten by what used to be BI at £212.50 IB!

Nickolls & Perks - £279 inc VAT & delivery

C&B have just done a fresh offer on these - now £165/bt in bond.

Was in the Berry Bros shop on Monday just prior to a meeting there and they had W 77 at £76 a bottle which I thought wasn’t too bad for a high-end retailer-unless that is I misread it and it was £176 a bottle!

£76 is quite nice. £176 not so much!

Waitrose are running their “buy 6 bottles and get 25% off” offer this week.

A new consumer-to-consumer wine selling platform - https://squelch.wine/

I've listed a few bottles, sold one, and purchased a couple. All seems to work quite well.

There's even some VP listed (not mine).

User SteveO seems rather optimistic on values, and has listed his Krohn Colheitas as Vintage Ports. (It's entirely possible that the latter problem is a limitation of the site. The former, however...)

Glenn E. wrote: ↑22:34 Tue 16 Dec 2025 User SteveO seems rather optimistic on values, and has listed his Krohn Colheitas as Vintage Ports. (It's entirely possible that the latter problem is a limitation of the site. The former, however...)

There’s definitely a tendency for users to list too high on these type of platforms. I suspect they benchmark using online retail sellers (such as VWP) ignoring quality guarantees, etc, rather than basing on achieved auction prices.

That said, there are some bargains on here. I picked up a bottle of Musar 1995 for £40 delivered, which is probably about a third of current retail.

Quinta do Bomfim 2013 under £25 at Asda, until you get to the checkout whereupon it’s £19.97 per bottle. Might go back again later…

Farr Vintner sale has started this morning.

Bertie3000 wrote: ↑08:02 Tue 06 Jan 2026 Farr Vintner sale has started this morning.

Amazing to see how the price of the 2017 vintage has fallen since release

Dow 2017 @ £245 a case now (in bond) v about £330 on first release
Warre 2017 @ 180 v about £260
Fonseca 2017 @£220 v about £310

Going off thread, but I've seen similar falls in price for vintages as far back as 2004, although 2011 has held better than its peers.

I have been asked why I've stopped buying newly released vintages - not in an attempt to persuade me to start buying again, but more to get a better understanding of changes in the market. My answer was two-fold:
(1) I am too old to be able to enjoy the vintage Ports I buy today at their peak in 50-60 years time and my children are less interested in VP than I am; and
(2) I am fecking annoyed with the fact that I could today be buying, eg., 2017 vintage wines for 20% less than I paid on release and would have had free storage for the last 6 years

I honestly think the business model for vintage Port has to change so that less is made, a lot less is released 2 years after harvest and most of the production is held back, matured by the producers and sold 20, 25, 30, 40 and 50 years after the harvest.

I was looking at a Bonhams affiliate's auction in Denmark and came across this Port. I've never heard of it before. Has anyone ever tried it or heard of it? It's a 1935 bottling.

Mike J. W. wrote: ↑18:32 Thu 08 Jan 2026 I was looking at a Bonhams affiliate's auction in Denmark and came across this Port. I've never heard of it before. Has anyone ever tried it or heard of it? It's a 1935 bottling.

Pimpernel Vintage Port.png

That’s a new one to me!

Pimpernel: not known to The Book, nor to the database from which — in part — it was derived.

A search of this forum reveals only the recent mentions in this thread, and the equivalent search of FTLoP reveals nothing.

Possibly a retailer’s own blend à la Avery - we’ve definitely seen the retailer before.