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On Thursday 21^st April 2016, the night before The Big Fortified Tasting, at the Boot & Flogger, we met for a double-vertical, Dow versus Graham.

Links:

• Review of the evening as a whole;
• Placemats;
• Planning and arrangements.

45% opacity, warm red, slight cloudiness. Smooth entry, medium bodied, very gentle head in the finish. Quite fruity, redcurrants, nice round mouthfeel. Good balance although tannins muted. Some thought this slightly flawed. I didn't notice on the night - perhaps the darker hue suggest faint TCA? Others can speak more firmly than me about it.

Bottled by Courtenay Wines. A lovely red colour with a rose rim. Antiseptic / hospital nose, very pronounced. Dry but ripe fruit on entry with an underlying tone from the antiseptic. Dry on the palate with plenty of fruit but by no means sweet. Pleasant redcurrants on the aftertaste and a dry finish with a slight tannin edge. Very long and showing multiple phases. More time in the glass emphasised the flaw in the wine. A poor bottle, initially scored at 89/100. Not rated.

D70. Dark red, 60% opaque. Palate of cherries, full-bodied, and heat mid-palate. But on the far side of the hill: library stock only, Drink down to your last quarter pipe.