Christmas is Coming

Post by **Alex Bridgeman** » 18:48 Thu 04 Oct 2007

About this time of year, as it gets dark and cold on my morning walk to the station, I start to cheer myself up with thoughts of what to open for Christmas. I like to open something out of the ordinary, but not something I only have one of.

So far I have considered and rejected several bottles:
Croft 45 - being opened for Roy's visit on the 12th
Mitcheltomb Unknown - being opened for the TPF Xmas bash
Taylor 1963 - being provided by someone else for Roy's visit

I have a couple of bottles of 1963 Unknown Shipper, believed Fonseca. One of these is the current favourite for my Christmas tipple.

Has anyone else started planning their Christmas festivities?

The great thing that I find for me as I start planning so early is that every day I change my mind and then the anticipation starts all over again.

OK. I accept it. I'm just sad.

Alex

Conky · Post by **Conky** » 19:31 Thu 04 Oct 2007

Alex,

What's Mitcheltomb-unknown ?

Is that another Producer I've never heard of?

I'm shortly going to have a stab at the Martinez 85, that Killerb aquired for us at the last Off-Line. If it's as good as it should be, I'll also treat myself over the Christmas Holiday to another one. On Christmas Day itself, I suspect I'll have a VP of some description as a present, so that will be my Christmas Day drink. Wish me luck...it could be ANYTHING!!!

Alan

Post by **Alex Bridgeman** » 21:03 Thu 04 Oct 2007

Mitcheltomb & Co Ltd was a wine merchant based in Somerset some years ago, I'm not sure when they went out of business.

The bottle is old, but I'm not sure how old. I think from the design of and quality of the outside appearance of the bottle that it is between the wars or perhaps just after. Say 1920-1950 but corks could make a fool of me if they are branded. However, I can confidently say that the wine is older than 1970 as it is UK bottled.

And weren't you the lucky recipient of the Cruz '89 for Christmas last year?

Alex

Conky · Post by **Conky** » 21:12 Thu 04 Oct 2007

AHB wrote: And weren't you the lucky recipient of the Cruz '89 for Christmas last year?
Alex

No, Debs just bought me that while she was out one day. I thought 'How unlucky is that!' having heard all the Cruz comments, but was pleasantly surprised at my first ever taste of Cruz.

When we were recently in Gaia, I only ever mentioned VP and the Big names to her...So I'll probably get a Cockburns Ruby!

uncle tom · Post by **uncle tom** » 21:29 Thu 04 Oct 2007

For Xmas eve I have a T55 pencilled in - I've got in the habit of doing a Colheita on Xmas night - probably pop one of the Niepoorts.

Tempted to crack an F63 at some point, before I jet off to warmer climes...

Tom

Axel P · Post by **Axel P** » 10:42 Mon 08 Oct 2007

Alex,

to get totally drunk during the Christmas time, you need more than one bottle. Especcially because when you open them you can call it experiment and later on you explain, that you have to finish the rest.

My favourites are a bottle of Niepoorts 70 VP and Colheita, which should be very nice to compare.

Axel

Andy Velebil · Post by **Andy Velebil** » 19:29 Mon 08 Oct 2007

NOt sure what I am going to open...but I do have a nice set of 12 IVDP approved galsses taht I pick up last week in Portugal to drink it out of.

Ohh and I confirmed the glasses are made by Schott Zwiesel, but not listed on their website. I can say everyone was using these new glasses by Schott Zwiesel. They are obviously making a big push for producers to use them. All but the Taylors group had logo'd glasses this year. Wonder when they'll make it to the States....sorry for a bit of thread drift.

Post by **DRT** » 23:14 Sun 14 Oct 2007

I always suffer from the same dilema each Christmas. For reasons best not explained here our Christmas dinner happens about 1 week before Christmas Day. The attendees are always the same, 2 sets of parents, Jo and I and 2 boys.

I am the only attendee who knows the difference in taste between NN31 and ASDA Ruby

(apart from Jo who know what to buy when she needs to

)

So, what do I open? A Fonseca 1966 - not a chance. It would kill me to watch Dad throw 3 glasses over his neck in one gulp each and say "that's lovely, can I have a whisky now?". Should I open a Taylor's LBV 2001? - not a chance. I need some decent port with my Christmas dinner!

The solution - 2 bottles. 1 of them a good quality mature VP and one of them not. Both will be decanted and the good one served first in reasonably small measures. The second will then be served in larger measures. By this time there will be no more than 2 people wanting more port (including me) and there will be more than half a bottle of the good stuff left. The second person wanting more will be Mum, and she will say "which one was the good one? Just give me the other one, I can't tell the difference". Job done

So, what to have? Here are the current candidates:

The Good One

Gould Campbell 1983
Dow 1970
Smith Woodhouse 1977

The Other One

Warre's LBV 1995
Morgan 1991

Derek

Post by **jdaw1** » 01:23 Mon 15 Oct 2007

How good is GC83? TPF lacks a TN on it, but my prejudice—disliking 1983, though not as much as I dislike 1975—says that this isn’t a particularly good one.

Post by **DRT** » 07:49 Mon 15 Oct 2007

Sorry, I actually should have typed Smith Woodhouse 83.

I don't actually have nor have I ever tasted GC83. I can tell you that the SW83 is very nice.

Derek

Post by **Alex Bridgeman** » 18:47 Mon 15 Oct 2007

I'm quite impressed by the selection of "not so good" port being offered to the whisky drinkers.

Alex

Frederick Blais · Post by **Frederick Blais** » 19:36 Mon 15 Oct 2007

Derek T. wrote:Sorry, I actually should have typed Smith Woodhouse 83.

I don't actually have nor have I ever tasted GC83. I can tell you that the SW83 is very nice.

Derek

I've tasted a few 83 from the Symington's and I must say they have nailed this Vintage. Decanter gave all their 83 a 5 star raiting(this was in 2001 tasting I believe). Even the Quarles Harris was very good. For me, Quarles Harris and Smith Woodhouse are better than Dow's from this year. Graham's is evolving very slow and still is a baby.

83 is my favourite Vintage from the 80's even though none come close in quality to Fonseca 85 but overall I prefer 83. Just my 2 cents to defend to Vintage

Post by **DRT** » 13:57 Tue 16 Oct 2007

AHB wrote:I'm quite impressed by the selection of "not so good" port being offered to the whisky drinkers.

Alex

Alex,

You mst remember that I am Scottish and therefore price is also a consideration here. I can live with watching half a bottle of Morgan 91 being thrown down the necks in short order in the knowledge that it only costs £8 to replace

Derek