Birth year wines - but not the usual question...

[Bick]

I often see references to birth year wines being bought, or enquiries about what to buy for the long haul for this reason. I just wondered who on here bought 'birth year wines' long ago and has actually got around opening them up at an 18th or 21st birthday for the kid(s) in question? Did the wines live up to expectations and what is the oldest wine that anyone's celebrated a childs birthday with? I have about 15 years to wait... and no decent 06 stocked yet. I may get a Grange, 1st growth, something similarly silly at some stage but no rush for me. Anyway, just curious, it would be great to hear a few stories...

[DJ]

My baby brother is 16 years my junior and a 1986 birth year. I gave Dad some 1986 Baileys of Glenrowan Vintage Port, Dad kept a Tyrrells Vat1, both were opened at the 21st. Port was initially a bit spirity, I can't remember the Vat 1. I have drunk one or 2 of my 86 reds (Wynns C/S, Bin 28) with the family including baby bro but he is not the wine obsessive like the rest of the family. Originally I had in mind to drink one of my 3 86 Granges with the family but so far this hasn't happened.

Certainly I have really enjoyed some birth year wines for my birth year - sourced mainly from auction. Especially around 2000 (my 30th) there were 1970 wines that were really singing - especially the Lindemans Hunter River whites (when the corks were okay). Nobody in the family kept anything specifically for me but Dad brought out his last bottle of 1965 Elliotts Dry Red for my 30th and it was fabulous despite decades of abuse in Dad's uninsulated wine cupboard.

It is the real enjoyment of some very old wines which has insipired me to collect birth year wines for my kids (2002 and 2005). At the moment I have a significant proportion of my cellar in these 2 vintages. I am currently thinking through what I actually want to have kept for each of them. I guessing 12 magnums, 1 case of white, 2 cases red and a six pack of Stanton & Kileen VP each.

[bacchaebabe]

Haven't kept anything for kids but have opened 1963 Dows, Sandeman and Taylors vintage ports - all singing - over my 40th celebrations. Also got a 52 Basedows madeira ! for a friend that was amazing and the oldest (but not oldest wine I've had) was a 45 Penfolds Grandfather port for my Mum's 60th which was truly sublime.

I guess for an 18th or 21st, there's plenty of stuff that will go the distance but to last til a 40th or 50th or 60th, you've really got to be looking at fortifieds. Obviously there's some exceptions but fortifieds are probably the safest route unless it's an absolute blinder of a year.

[Davo]

I buy birth year + 100 Seppelt Para Ports for the grandkids so I guess they should hang in there another 20 years. The Hardy VPs I bought for my own kids 21sts were bloody lovely, 1977 and 1979.

[Luke W]

My work colleagues gave me a 1986 Pyrus when my son was born in 1990 and suggested that I wet his head with it. I said that I would keep it for his 18th birthday (2008). In about 2003 it started to leak a bit (high shoulder) and I topped it up with some 389 or something like that and re-corked it.

I drank it with my wife and he had a small glass (but isn't a wine drinker) on his 18th. It surprised me with its elegance. It still had enough fruit and balance to surprise us. It created some lovely memories of my work colleagues and his birth.

cheers

Luke

[Muscat Mike]

The Hardy VPs I bought for my own kids 21sts were bloody lovely, 1977 and 1979.

Did you allow them to have any Davo?
Mike.

[monghead]

Another way to go for the older birth year wines eg 40 years plus, are the Armagnacs...

[odyssey]

No kids yet so no birth year wines purchased, but I will always remember receiving the best 21st birthday present ever from my grandfather - 2x 1974 Granges (not my birth year, which was 1977)... what a great gift, a memory to treasure. (one bottle opened at the time, the other one was given a few more years)

I think I'll wait until at least 21st if giving a Grange or the like, and might consider a birth-release wine rather than birth year (to get that extra age and make it suitable for opening at the time). For 18th maybe a St Henri or similar would be suitable... Speaking for myself when I was that age, as a brand new drinker without any palate experience I don't think an 18 year old can fully appreciate the wine as either a gift or as a drink, but it is great to have an introduction... leading by example he taught me to respect wine, and I think that's very important.

Even a 21 year old is still a total beginner, I'm glad I left the 2nd bottle for some time and even then I was barely beginning to open my eyes to the wine world (I barely still am now, 12 years down the track!).

[bacchaebabe]

Speaking for myself when I was that age, as a brand new drinker without any palate experience I don't think an 18 year old can fully appreciate the wine as either a gift or as a drink, but it is great to have an introduction.

Even a 21 year old is still a total beginner, I'm glad I left the 2nd bottle for some time and even then I was barely beginning to open my eyes to the wine world (I barely still am now, 12 years down the track!).

I guess at that age with little experience, it's hard to get the full experience however I've made a point of giving my nephews half decent wine to try at various family gatherings and they've both appreciated the better wine. The older one is 19 and the younger 17 now and the older one would consume his fair share of alcopops, I reckon, but he has been able to enjoy and be surprised by some of the wine I've given him over the years.

I've put away a Grange for each of them being the 90 and 92 vintages but I'll be saving them for when I reckon they are ready to drink (the Grange) and when they can truly appreciate the wine (with me!). It will much more than likely be their 30th birthdays but I hope to give them both plenty of training in the interim. I've got a few 1990 Granges so the older one will probably get one for his 40th too.

[Davo]

The Hardy VPs I bought for my own kids 21sts were bloody lovely, 1977 and 1979.

Did you allow them to have any Davo?
Mike.

Hell no. Way to good for the likes of them

[rooman]

Not having had my kids during my 20s, or even 30s for that matter, there is an odds on chance I may not be around one day for some of their major milestones such as kids of their own etc. So I like the idea of leaving something they can share if I am there or not. My boy was born in 2005 so that was a no brainer. I have tucked away 10 cases or more of decent Bordeaux for him (and some burgundy and Port etc), some of which may go 50 years or more, so no hurry to have at his 21st. My girl however was born 2007 which has proved more difficult. Bordeaux is out given I won't buy 1st growths (at present) so primarily I am targeting German rieslings, Sauterne, Southern Rhone and in due course Port to go the long haul.

Whilst I am still knocking around the mortal coil, I like the idea of opening some of the earlier drinking 05s & 07s each year at Xmas and birthday times. Thankfully for me, having kids has proved to be the best thing I have done so far in life so celebrating it is a joy. I am just disappointed we can lock and load and have another before the end of the year given I am told 09 in Bordeaux is another stunning year.

[Brucer]

I was conceived in 1956. Born in 1957. yes, yes, I am old

I found a bottle of Penfolds Club Port 1956 in the Silverton Pub, of all places about 10 years ago. I still have it.

Not sure when to open it.

[Bick]

I found a bottle of Penfolds Club Port 1956 in the Silverton Pub, of all places about 10 years ago.

That's pretty funny. Left behind by a forgetful film star perhaps? I've been to Silverton and liked it a lot. I had a beer in the pub, no vintage port for me. To a visiting Brit, Silverton seemed like another planet. (A hot one!)

[Brucer]

I found a bottle of Penfolds Club Port 1956 in the Silverton Pub, of all places about 10 years ago.

That's pretty funny. Left behind by a forgetful film star perhaps? I've been to Silverton and liked it a lot. I had a beer in the pub, no vintage port for me. To a visiting Brit, Silverton seemed like another planet. (A hot one!)

I have friends who live in Silverton, and visit regularly. They had about 3 bottles. No idea where they came from. They are building a massive windfarm there, so we will have to wait and see how it effects things.