ThePortForum.com

A Ragbag of Good Port, Monday 19 September 2011, at the Steak Exchange. Links:

• Review of the evening as a whole;
• 1970 Martinez;
• 1970 Offley Boa Vista;
• 1970 Croft;
• 1996 Vesuvio;
• 1977 Niepoort;
• 1977 Warre;
• 1991 Croft;
• 1991 Morgan;
• Planning and arrangements;
• Placemats.

More mature in appearance than the Croft 1991 shown alongside - slightly cloudy. Mucky, muddy nose - not attractive; perhaps some residual bottle stink? Some hollowness on entry; harsh and acidic in the mouth. Unbalanced. Some tannins still show through. Harsh aftertaste, but a very long finish shows what this port might be. Could this be shutting down again? Whatever the reason, this was not a good showing. 86/100.

Before and during the event there was speculation around whether or not Mg91 and Cr91 were the same wine, or contained some of the same wines.

I did not take a descriptive TN of the MG91 but did note: "Beyond any doubt - not Cr91!"

I clearly remember the reasons for writing that note. Those reasons were that the colour, texture, nose and flavour of the Mg91 bore no resemblance whatsoever to the Cr91.

Not as impressive as the previous outing of this bottle at the Nineties tasting just a few weeks earlier, so I'm tempted to say this was just a slightly flawed bottle rather than indicative of the port shutting down. In fact, i'm entirely certain i would not have picked them as the same wine in a blind line-up. */** on this occasion.

As DRT says, definitely not the same juice as went into the Croft 1991!