RARE MONIS 1961 COLLECTORS PORT 1987 PAARL 300 YEAR ANNIVERSARY LIMITED EDITION 3RD OF 5 BOTTLES ON AUCTION

THIS 1961 MONIS PORT IS A HIGHLY COLLECTABLE BOTTLE OF PORT, NOT ONLY BECAUSE OF THE VINTAGE, BUT ALSO DUE TO IT BEING A LIMITED ANNIVERSARY EDITION OF ONLY 8000 BOTTLES. IT WAS RELEASED IN THESE SPECIAL BLACK CERAMIC DECANTERS TO COMMEMORATE THE 300 YEAR ANNIVERSARY OF PAARL (1687-1987).
 
THIS HIGHLY SOUGHT AFTER PORT BOTTLES WAS BOTTLED IN 1987 IN A CHARACTERISTIC BLACK SHIP'S CERAMIC DECANTER WHICH REMINDS ONE OF THE PORT BOTTLES USED BY THE PORTUGUESE EARLY IN THE 18TH CENTURY. THE CERAMIC DECANTER IS STAMPED ON BOTTOM VITREOUS CHINA G.C. WARE MADE IN R.S.A.
 
STEEPED IN TRADITION , MONIS HAD THE LONGEST ESTABLISHED RANGE OF FORTIFIED WINES IN SOUTH AFRICA AND ENJOYED AN UNSURPASSED REPUTATION FOR QUALITY, TO WHICH THE STRING OF AWARDS GARNERED OVER THE YEARS BEARS WITNESS. 
 
THE 1961 VINTAGE WAS AN EXCEPTIONAL YEAR. AFTER TWO YEARS MATURATION IN 500 LITRE FRENCH OAK BARRELS, THE PORT WAS TRANSFERRED TO LARGE WOODEN VATS FOR FURTHER MATURATION. BOTTLING WAS POSTPONED UNTIL JUSTIFIED BY A SPECIAL EVENT, SUCH AS PAARL'S TERCENTENARY (300 YEAR ANNIVERSARY) IN 1987. THE PORT WAS THEN CAREFULLY DECANTED FROM THE VATS TO SEPARATE IT FROM THE NATURAL SEDIMENT THAT COLLECTED OVER THE YEARS. FEWER THAN 8000 BOTTLES WERE BOTTLED IN A LIMITED EDITION.
 
THE PORT'S TAWNY COLOUR, NUTTY TASTE AND RAISIN BOUQUET ENSURED THAT IT RECEIVED A SUPERIOR AWARD AS SEEN ON THE LABEL ON THE NECK OF THIS DECANTER. A MUST HAVE FOR THE COLLECTOR!
 
NOTE I HAVE 5 OF THESE 1961 MONIS COLLECTORS PORT BOTTLES FROM 1987 THAT COMMEMORATE THE 300 YEAR PAARL ANNIVERSARY ON AUCTION THIS WEEK. I ALSO SOME OTHER HIGHLY SOUGHT AFTER VINTAGE PORTS LIKE A 1948 KWV PORT LIMITED RELEASE VERITAS WINE AWARD WINNER, AN AMAZING 96 YEAR OLD 1929 KWV PORT, A SEDGWICK OLF BROWN SHERRY 750ML CERAMIC BOTTLE STILL FULL AND SEALED, A CLOS MALVERNE 2002 RESERVE 1,5L BOTTLE IN WOODEN CRATE AND TWO KWV MUSCADELL LIQUER WINE BOTTLES ONE FROM 1968 AND ONE FROM 1975. I HAVE SPACED OUT THE TIMES WHEN THE LISTINGS ENDS IN ORDER TO MAKE IT EASIER FOR BUYERS TO TRY AND WIN AS MANY AS POSSIBLE.
 
SIZE: 16CM HIGH 15CM DIAMETER
VOLUME 750ML
 
CONDITION: SEAL IS 100% AND LABELS AND CERAMIC DECANTER IN GOOD CONDITION.
ALTHOUGH FORTIFIED WINES (A WINE TO WHICH A DISTILLED SPIRIT, USUALLY BRANDY, HAS BEEN ADDED) LIKE PORT ALMOST NEVER SPOIL WITH AGE, I CAN UNFORTUNATELY NOT GUARANTEE HOW DRINKABLE THIS PORT WINE WILL BE. 
 
MONIS FORTIFIED WINES (1921-1966):
Roberto Moni, from Italy immigrated to South Africa in 1906. In 1921 he purchased a cellar in Paarl where he made his own range of natural and fortified wines. He formed Monis Wineries Enterprise Ltd in 1928. In 1966, he sold Monis to Stellenbosch Farmers Winery (formed in 1925), which later merged with Distillers Corporation from Anton Rupert to form Distell in the year 2000.
 
FORTIFIED WINES:
Fortification is the process of adding a grape spirit like brandy to wine during or after fermentation. The word fortify means to strengthen, reinforce, and protect. Back in the day before refrigeration winemakers had to figure out a way to preserve their wine and prevent spoilage. As it turned out, adding distilled spirits to the wine did the trick.

VITREOUS CHINA G.C. WARE MADE IN R.S.A.:
Vitreous china is an enamel coating that is applied to ceramics, particularly porcelain, after they have been fired. Enamel is a substance made from glass that is used to coat or protect clay, ceramics, metal and glass items. G.C. Ware as far as I can tell stands for Glass Ceramics Ware.
Online listings indicate these ceramic decanters were made in Ladysmith but more details about the company was not forthcoming.

PLEASE ALSO SEE MY OTHER ITEMS LISTED. COPY THE URL UNDERNEATH AND PASTE INTO GOOGLE AND IT WILL TAKE YOU DIRECTLY TO ALL MY LISTINGS THIS WEEK. https://www.bidorbuy.co.za/seller/3685641/ErnRex1545