Order of Play

[idj123]

I appreciate that it's a bit last minute to be asking this question but I"be organised a small tasting (for7 people) this evening and I'd welcome some comments- particularly with regard to the running order.I'm trying to cover a range of Port styles and this is what I intend serving:

Aperitif of Ni white Port served with tonic, mint and lime

Kopke over 10yr aged white

Maynard's 1990 colheita

Taylor's Crusted 1973

SW 85

TV 65 (it was one of the attendee's 50th this year)

Given the colheita works really well accompanied by chocolate, should I serve right at the end- the bottle aged Ports will be accompanied by cheese and the whites with nuts? Comments on accompaniements and Ports to be served also welcome!

[PhilW]

Your running order looks fine to me, though I'd move the colheita later in the sequence - probably after the crusted (or even after the SW85). Optionally you could swap the '85 and the '73 crusted, since you have the '65 VP to follow, but I think as you have it is already good.

I'd have a range of cheeses (strong cheddar, port salut and light soft blue such as Castello blue), some nuts and some chocolate (milk and plain) as nibbles, assuming you're not serving this with dinner; Then people can try all the various flavours with the different ports. I'd also suggest having some bread and/or crackers, and lots of water.

Hope it goes well.

[Glenn E.]

Make sure your chocolate is not sweet or the Colheita will taste sour. I find Colheita pairs better with cheese, especially the non-stinky varieties.

[PhilW]

Make sure your chocolate is not sweet or the Colheita will taste sour. I find Colheita pairs better with cheese, especially the non-stinky varieties.

But - milk chocolate can go well with VP imo; I agree it doesn't really go with tawny/white for me. I also don't know if American chocolate differs from British at all in terms of sweetness?

[Glenn E.]

Make sure your chocolate is not sweet or the Colheita will taste sour. I find Colheita pairs better with cheese, especially the non-stinky varieties.

But - milk chocolate can go well with VP imo; I agree it doesn't really go with tawny/white for me. I also don't know if American chocolate differs from British at all in terms of sweetness?

My warning comes primarily from my experience with the "classic" pairing of Port with chocolate. I've never found that to work unless the Port is noticeably sweeter than the chocolate. I've never tried milk chocolate with LBV before (that I can remember), though, so I'll have to give that a shot. I've actually tried Port with baking chocolate - unsweetened - before in a desperate search, and that works better for me than just about any normal chocolate.

It wouldn't surprise me to find out that American chocolate is different than British chocolate, but I have no idea. Americans do seem to have a sweet tooth compared to Europeans. If British chocolate isn't as sweet, that might explain how Port with chocolate became a classic pairing despite the fact that it doesn't work for me.

[LGTrotter]

I have never understood the concept of chocolate and port, although being fond of dark chocolate the two have been taken together on occasion. I think that sweet things do not work well with port. I also would counsel slightly against cheese if you are trying to judge a wine. It has a tendency to clog the palate and flatter the wine, but I will allow enjoying hard English cheeses with the bite of lactic acid about them. I still think that an apple is the thing to go for. "Buy on apple, sell on cheese" as the French are wont to say.

[jdaw1]

Simple biscuits or crackers. Still water at room temperature. Half a pint of bitter.

[LGTrotter]

I forgot to say that a digestive biscuit is acceptable, but not too sweet, Doves Farm do a good one.

[PhilW]

How did your evening go Ian?
If the group was relatively port-unaware, how many of them preferred tawny vs ruby styles?

[griff]

Should I be invited to such an affair, a portion of aged Comté would be a wonderful companion. While it may suit neither tradition nor pedantry, it would be a welcome repast.

[djewesbury]

Were there many complaints over the chocolate / apples / crackers / cheese / digestives / baking soda / gentleman's relish / wotsits that you paired with the ports?

[djewesbury]

I usually serve toffee apples and peanut butter, unless I'm serving an unfiltered LBV, in which case I get some Duchy Originals shortbread and spread Nutella on them. Smoked organic mackerel that have been fed on polo mints are also good but not with any colheita that ends with a 7.

[djewesbury]

Also, marmite pork crackling.

[idj123]

The evening was a resounding success aided by the clement weather and as a consequence, the al fresco Porting and Cheesing. The white Port aperitif was well received and then I changed the order so that after the aged white Kopke, I served the TV65 (the WOTN), followed by the T Cr73 and SW83 (intended to be SW85 but I misread the label when I decanted!). The last Port was therefore the slightly chilled Maynard's 1990 Colheita.

Even though I'm sure I had advised people to have at least a snack beforehand nobody (except my wife and I) did and everyone turned up encumbered by a vast array of cheeses including a couple of Manchegos, a couple of Stiltons, an aged Comte and an English aged Gouda (the Cheese of the night) plus various relishes (including a block of quince jelly) and crackers. Therefore cheesing started when the decanter of TV65 was produced and seemed to continue for the full period when the three decanted Ports were on the table. Finally, some dark chocolate (one with a hint of orange and the other with pistachio) was served with the colheita (I should add that nuts accompanied the white Ports).

All Ports were readily drained (so just over six bottles) and evening ended (still al fresco) with a healthy cigar. A repeat performance is planned for the winter months (albeit indoors).

[Alex Bridgeman]

Also, marmite pork crackling.

It's a little early for you to have been drinking. Or is this a suggestion for breakfast?

The evening was a resounding success aided by the clement weather and as a consequence, the al fresco Porting and Cheesing. The white Port aperitif was well received and then I changed the order so that after the aged white Kopke, I served the TV65 (the WOTN), followed by the T Cr73 and SW83 (intended to be SW85 but I misread the label when I decanted!). The last Port was therefore the slightly chilled Maynard's 1990 Colheita.

Even though I'm sure I had advised people to have at least a snack beforehand nobody (except my wife and I) did and everyone turned up encumbered by a vast array of cheeses including a couple of Manchegos, a couple of Stiltons, an aged Comte and an English aged Gouda (the Cheese of the night) plus various relishes (including a block of quince jelly) and crackers. Therefore cheesing started when the decanter of TV65 was produced and seemed to continue for the full period when the three decanted Ports were on the table. Finally, some dark chocolate (one with a hint of orange and the other with pistachio) was served with the colheita (I should add that nuts accompanied the white Ports).

All Ports were readily drained (so just over six bottles) and evening ended (still al fresco) with a healthy cigar. A repeat performance is planned for the winter months (albeit indoors).

I, for one, am pleased to hear that there was a successful introduction to increasing the consumption of port in Surrey. Long may that continue.

[djewesbury]

Yes it does sound rather like it was a success. Mainly because you disregarded the doctrinaire guidance offered by those posting in this thread - "don't eat the cheese with a Crusted older than '87!" "You don't mean to tell me you ate Guatemalan chocolate with an aged tawny?" "Crackers made at night-time are the only food that should be eaten with Oporto-bottled Taylor 66..."

I think we run a great risk of veiling port drinking in abstruse ritual when we seek to extrapolate 'rules' from subjective preferences. Open bottle. Decant bottle. Drink port. Eat something. Drink more port. Repeat final two steps until bottle is empty.

[jdaw1]

Yes it does sound rather like it was a success. Mainly because you disregarded the doctrinaire guidance offered by those posting in this thread - "don't eat the cheese with a Crusted older than '87!" "You don't mean to tell me you ate Guatemalan chocolate with an aged tawny?" "Crackers made at night-time are the only food that should be eaten with Oporto-bottled Taylor 66..."

I think we run a great risk of veiling port drinking in abstruse ritual when we seek to extrapolate 'rules' from subjective preferences. Open bottle. Decant bottle. Drink port. Eat something. Drink more port. Repeat final two steps until bottle is empty.

An excellent post indeed. I shall cite the rule about crackers made at night-time and Oporto-bottled Taylor 66.

[PhilW]

Even though I'm sure I had advised people to have at least a snack beforehand nobody (except my wife and I) did and everyone turned up encumbered by a vast array of cheeses including a couple of Manchegos, a couple of Stiltons, an aged Comte and an English aged Gouda (the Cheese of the night) plus various relishes (including a block of quince jelly) and crackers. Therefore cheesing started when the decanter of TV65 was produced and seemed to continue for the full period when the three decanted Ports were on the table. Finally, some dark chocolate (one with a hint of orange and the other with pistachio) was served with the colheita (I should add that nuts accompanied the white Ports).

(sufficiently) aged Comté happens to be one of my favourite cheeses; As Daniel says, a good spread of options and then every can pick what they like best; Sounds like an excellent evening was had.

[LGTrotter]

doctrinaire

Moi? I have just eaten hard boiled eggs with Chateauneuf du pape and am about to have a pistachio mini magnum with a glass of Verdelho. Daring, possibly but not doctrinaire. I was tempted to make some suggestions as to what variety of apple to try but resisted the urge to avoid any taint of doctrinosity. I can't stay here chatting as I have to cool my Verdelho by 2.4 degrees.