RARE VINTAGE PORT

December 5

Chiswick Auctions in London is offering four lots of Graham’s Port 1977, three of which are in their original cases (estimate £700-£850 each) and one of four bottles (£100-£150). The port was ordered for a visit by Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother to the British seaside town of Margate in 9 , the fortified wine being her favourite drink. The unused bottles were then placed in storage for more than 30 years. The port is described by the house’s head of wine as being “luscious [and] smooth, with the last hurrah of thick tannins lining the tongue and laying down a plush carpet for the chewy fig and lingering acidity to mingle on”. In other words, it’s rather good.

A HIGHLIGHT OF RM SOTHEBY’S ARIZONA AUCTIONS ON JANUARY 16-17 IS THIS JUNIOR-SIZE, TWO-THIRDS-SCALE, PETROL-POWERED REPLICA OF A RACING JAGUAR XK 120