2011 Graham's Stone Terraces

[Chris Doty]

I haven't yet had the pleasure of tasting it, but it is already one of the most fascinating ports in recent memory. It is public that it has been released, it is public that it is being sold, it is public at what price it is offered, and yet it seems impossible to get. I have little doubt that its quality justifies the excitement (and I look forward to having that confirmed....repeatedly), but I must say I find it and its release somewhat...frustrating

It is easier to buy imperials of the 2011 Fonseca and or to hand bottle imperials of Quevedo!! (video forthcoming shortly)

Experiences/thoughts/suppliers?

[Alex Bridgeman]

I don't know how many imperials Fonseca are filling, but it is probably about the same number as there are cases of Stone Terraces. If I remember rightly, there are 250 cases (of 12) of Stone Terraces. Say that 50% of these have been held back for library stock, that leaves 125 cases for sale.

Now assume these are split roughly evenly between the 4 market areas of the UK, the US, Asia and the rest of the world. That gives each of these regions about 30 cases of 12. That's not much to go round!

[RAYC]

Certainly there's seems to me to have been far more general interest in in the UK in 2011 port than the last big en primeur campaign of 2007. A genuinely "great" vintage helps (or rather the positive enthusiasm of both the merchants and FT / Telegraph critics etc.), together with the fact that it has been a good 4 years since the last big campaign. However, i suspect the rather lacklustre 2011 and 2012 Bordeaux campaigns (together with a general disillusionment with Bordeaux prices and weariness after the 2009 / 2010 bordeaux en primeur experience) mean that there is a bit of appetite for something different right now. Anecdotally, i do know that certain people at my place of work who would not usually buy port have been buying not insignificant quantities of 2011...

As to Stone Terraces in particular (and to a lesser extent Capela), it seemed to be the case that Berry Brothers and Rudd, who must have had one of the largest UK allocations, generally diverted cases to the accounts of their big spenders before putting them on general sale (Capela made it onto sale on the website, Stone Terraces did not). Despite putting in my request to BBR for all they would sell me on the day after the Symingtons had declared it, i was only allocated a case of Stone Terraces (subsequently, and rather sheepishly, reduced to 6 bottles because i had been "over-allocated"). There seems to be a similar pattern with most of the merchants i have made enquiries with - the limited production wines being held back as "rewards" for their best customers.

[djewesbury]

limited production wines being held back as "rewards" for their best customers.

Definitely. Or, an 'incentive' to put in your whole 2011 order with one merchant in the hope of being able to also get some GST / Capela..

[jdaw1]

Were we punished for leaking it?

[DRT]

Were we punished for leaking it?

We didn't leak it, The BFT did.

[djewesbury]

Were we punished for leaking it?

We didn't leak it, The BFT did.

If any of this were found to be leaking somewhere, it would be nice to think that someone might catch it in a suitable receptacle.

[Alex Bridgeman]

I have to admit, I perceive the GST offer to have been very badly managed. Given that I am probably one of the largest private buyers and owners of vintage port in the UK, I am extremely disappointed not to have been able to buy any GST. Last time I was as disappointed as this was by the 2000 Bordeaux campaign when I failed to be offered any of the first growths that I had been regularly buying in small quantities (6 bottles of 2 or 3 of them each vintage) since 1982 - apparently the prices achieved in Asia meant that only very large UK buyers of Bordeaux were offered any of the first growths.

I have not bought any Bordeaux en primeur since, and only 2 cases in 12 years since then.

Right now I am as disillusioned with the outcome of the 2011 Port campaign as I was with the 2000 Bordeaux campaign.

[Chris Doty]

Despite putting in my request to BBR for all they would sell me on the day after the Symingtons had declared it, i was only allocated a case of Stone Terraces (subsequently, and rather sheepishly, reduced to 6 bottles because i had been "over-allocated").

Whoa-ho-ho'; Had you paid for them? If so, what you've described is a pretty 'cheese-ball' move to say the least*, and especially disappointing in light of BBR's thoroughly well deserved reputation for excellence and the Symington's well known generosity.



*edit: unless no other individual customer is being allocated a quantity greater than 6, at which point that explanation should have been given and confusion/etc avoided

[RAYC]

*edit: unless no other individual customer is being allocated a quantity greater than 6, at which point that explanation should have been given and confusion/etc avoided

This was apparently the case. I probably could have caused a stink, but it would have been a short term strategy in a relationship that i think has served me very well and would probably only have meant some internal hassle at BBR for the the person i deal with.

A pity because it would have been nice to open up bottles of GST at Port Forum events over the coming years to see how it evolves, but with only 6 bottles that becomes a somewhat harder proposition if i want to be able to open any of them at maturity!

Still, looking at the way it has sold, i am grateful to have got even a 6-pack. A surprise, since my initial feeling was that it was so esoteric (not to mention pricey) that it would appeal only to a very few people (cf previous vintages of Taylor Vargellas Vinha Vehla, which haven't exactly flown off the shelf). Well done to the Symingtons.

[Alex Bridgeman]

...my initial feeling was that it was so esoteric (not to mention pricey) that it would appeal only to a very few people (cf previous vintages of Taylor Vargellas Vinha Vehla, which haven't exactly flown off the shelf). Well done to the Symingtons.

I do agree with this. I was looking at wine-searcher at the Vargellas Vinha Velha and it's still quite easy to get hold of any of the recent vintages.

We're probably responsible for the fact that we can't get hold of any from having told all and sundry how nice it is!