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Tasted at the Crusting Pipe on 3 April 2011, a pre-FG warm-up session.

Links:

Review of the evening as a whole

2009 cask sample [RLC to confirm naming permitted]
1995 Vesuvio
1991 Quinta de la Rosa
1988 Dow Quinta do Bomfim
1985 Martinez
1985 Taylor
1978 Taylor Vargellas
1970 Ramos Pinto
1970 Royal Oporto quinta [Das Carvalhas] - t.b.c.
1963 Graham

2006 Niepoort Charme
2004 Crasto Vinha da Ponte

NV Tactical Nuclear Penguin

Planning and arrangements
Paperwork (tasting mats, note sheets and bottle labels)

A well-travelled bottle with plenty of air miles, this showed really well and i'd be more than happy to drink again.

Selected by ADV after scouring TPF tasting notes for gaps in the knowledge. Rare - winesearcher reveals two examples worldwide - at £159 per btl and (gulp) £384 per bottle.

ADV’s RP70. Brown and cloudy. Hot, oxidised. Some candy. More heat mid-palate. Not much fruit: ‟basic reasonable old port”.

Guesses included Mz75 (from JDAW), WC78, Ch82, DB78, Ni80. My notes also suggest that somebody guessed an illegible ’74, but that might be my error.

Many thanks to ADV for bringing such a rarity. You rarely see Ramos Pinto VP in the UK and this was the first old one (and possibly first one) I’ve tried.

Slightly cloudy pink. A bit musty and muddy on the nose. A hit of sherbet-like sugar, with a small amount of fruit which fades quickly. Not great, unfortunately.

Opened 3 April 2011 and decanted for about 36 hours before being tasted. Slightly cloudy appearance, deep orange in colour, opacity difficult to determine because of the cloudiness. Very closed and flat on the nose, a little musty if anything. Perhaps a spoiled bottle? Flat and hollow entry showing little on the palate other than some light sugar. A bit of treacle on the finish, some warmth and grassiness that lasts well. Overall, this shows as a weak and tired wine ”“ but I suspect that this is not a typical bottle. Perhaps this could be a light damaged ’63 from a second tier producer, such as Royal Oporto? 76/100.