ThePortForum.com

Scheduled
60@60 (some time in 2020)
1992 Horizontal (JDAW)
Warre vertical (NAC)
A 'port I own for which there isn't a tasting note on the tasting notes list' tasting (GEAG)
BBR Vertical (IDJ)
Kopke/Krohn vertical (TC)
1980 Horizontal - 80 @ 40 (GEAG)
70 @ 50 (in 2020)
Y2K vertical (CMAG)

Perhaps consider for beyond 2020?
Dow vertical (MPM)
Taylor vs Fonseca mini vertical (MPM)
An NV (i.e. not colheita port) 40-year-old tawny tasting (GEAG)
A 1950 horizontal tasting (GEAG)
1980, 1983 and 1985 Matrix (AHB)
'63, '66, '70 Matrix tasting (CMAG)
SW Vertical (IDJ)
Dutch/Belgian VP bottlings, perhaps held in NL
97@25 sometime in 2022 (NAC)


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Following this observation

winesecretary wrote: ↑19:44 Wed 11 Dec 2019 There are several more tastings in my mind for the next couple of years...

I thought it would be useful to have a place to list ideas. I'l start with a few, and as others suggest, I'll extend the list accordingly. Names in brackets are who made the suggestion, which need not be the ultimate organiser.

70 @ 50 - we can argue with those who are 50 next year how complete this should be

I intend to arrange a 1992 horizontal.

AHB wrote: ↑14:24 Thu 12 Dec 2019 70 @ 50 - we can argue with those who are 50 next year how complete this should be

In heaven there exists a room where every day is a 1970 horizontal. If I'm late for any appointments, please check for me there.

jdaw1 wrote: ↑15:13 Thu 12 Dec 2019 I intend to arrange a 1992 horizontal.

I would attend, if in the country

In making suggestions I have also considered what I have that I could bring, which is premature but sensible.

- A 'port I own for which there isn't a tasting note on the tasting notes list' tasting.

This would be likely to produce some cheerfully bad ports but maybe also a few gems. I have a Sainsbury's (Quinta Dona Matilde) 1985, which might well be in the former category...

- An NV (i.e. not colheita port) 40-year-old tawny tasting

There are circa 22 on the market that I am aware of, so we could do a fairly representative selection quite easily. I only have Andresen and Taylors immediately to hand, but I am in the process of stocking up on some of the more obscure releases.

- It's been, I think, 12 years since there was a broad 1980 tasting

...to go with the below-suggested 1950 horizontal tasting, uncle tom's 1960 birthday tasting, the 1970 tasting... from 1980 I only have G and D (plus GC in halves).

- A 1950 horizontal tasting

Although for jdaw1's tastes the ship may have sailed on these, I imagine AHB might enjoy it. But I was in two minds about whether to suggest it. It may be that the view is that wines of this age are best drunk as single bottles on their own, rather than compared and contrasted. It would also be a fairly limited event- I am aware only of 9 VPs (Ck, Cr, OBV, N, S, SW, TH, D, RP) plus the TSQ- and also these seem to have become really rather expensive while I wasn't looking. I only have a solitary bottle of D (for which, I also note, there isn't a tasting note on the tasting notes list).

- jdaw1 suggested a madeira tasting. One for possible further discussion. Madeira is/was my primary vinous interest but, after all, this is a port forum. Also, to do it in a way that was interesting and informative would make it a fairly expensive adoption process.

I have all the wines in my own cellar to do a double/triple run of the major grapes (Sercial Verdelho Bual Malmsey Terrantez) in a way that would also illustrate the various styles available, plus examples of bar steward*, Moscatel, and Listrao (the latter is a variety grown only on Porto Santo). I drank my last old bottle of fortified Verdelho from Pico (in the Azores) twenty years ago, but it wasn't in truth very good so I am not worried about excluding that...

- As for the 1992 horizontal tasting jdaw1 is planning to arrange - like CSD, I'm also available that day...

* The filter does not accept the name of the grape, but you can probably work it out

The first tasting I organised - back in 2005 - was a matrix tasting where we drank and compared wines from Fonseca, Graham, Sandeman and Taylor from each of the vintages of 1963, 1966 and 1970. That was 15 years ago. The wines at that time were 42, 39 and 35 years of age.

I'd like to do something similar in 2020 - a matrix tasting of wines of roughly the same age. I have in mind a matrix tasting of 1980, 1983 and 1985 the wines from Warre, Graham, Taylor and Fonseca. We keep debating about whether the 1980s are a decade to be overlooked. This should help us come to a conclusion.

AHB wrote: ↑21:09 Sun 15 Dec 2019I'd like to do something similar in 2020 - a matrix tasting of wines of roughly the same age. I have in mind a matrix tasting of 1980, 1983 and 1985 the wines from Warre, Graham, Taylor and Fonseca. We keep debating about whether the 1980s are a decade to be overlooked. This should help us come to a conclusion.

In what way different to the {Dow, Graham, Fonseca, Taylor, Warre} × {1980, 1983, 1985} tasting on Thursday 9^th March 2017 with Jancis Robinson? (No need for difference — I’d attend a repeat — but is it different?)

Wholly and entirely different. That one included Dow.

AHB wrote: ↑10:57 Mon 16 Dec 2019Wholly and entirely different. That one included Dow.

I struggle to see the omission of Dow as an improvement. Obviously I am but a young Padawan with much to learn.

jdaw1 wrote: ↑11:55 Mon 16 Dec 2019

AHB wrote: ↑10:57 Mon 16 Dec 2019Wholly and entirely different. That one included Dow.

I struggle to see the omission of Dow as an improvement. Obviously I am but a young Padawan with much to learn.

It is a difference. Whether an improvement will only be known after the tasting.

I would rather like to do the Matrix tasting of 2005 again. Would be great to compare 63,66 and 70.

Christopher wrote: ↑13:57 Mon 16 Dec 2019I would rather like to do the Matrix tasting of 2005 again. Would be great to compare 63,66 and 70.

Of 2005? Pre-TPF, and pre my meeting any of you. Please say more.

In 2011 there was {D, F, G, T}×{’63, ’66, ’70, ’77} (review, planning).

Dow would be fantastic. Also baby brand tasting?

Only good years and all three side by side? 63-66-70-77-80-85

Axel

I quite fancy (and I think that it has been mentioned before) a BBR vertical and I wonder if I may be able to get someone from the family to attend if I do.

Always wanted to do a SW vertical as well although conscious of the scarcity of older bottles.

idj123 wrote: ↑19:34 Mon 16 Dec 2019I quite fancy (and I think that it has been mentioned before) a BBR vertical and I wonder if I may be able to get someone from the family to attend if I do.

Yes please.

idj123 wrote: ↑19:34 Mon 16 Dec 2019Always wanted to do a SW vertical as well although conscious of the scarcity of older bottles.

Yes please. FYI, there has been a SW vertical in New York on 08 Jan 2011, and a GC + SW + QH triple vertical on 17 Nov 2011. A re-sampling of Smith Woodhouse is long overdue.

- An SW vertical (say to 1997 or 2000) would be a splendid idea. It's not been done. And of the wines that I have had, I like them all. But as idj123 correctly points out, the 1960s and earlier wines are rare.

Is there any interest in an occasional non-port tasting/dinner?

Whilst I potentially run the risk of being branded a heretic for even suggesting this within these hallowed pages, I think there may be an appetite.

For example, I can offer up a vertical of the Bonneau du Martray Corton and Corton-Charlemagne, which at least one other correspondent might fancy (based on the Festive Drinking thread). Other possibilities immediately springing to mind are Napanook/Dominus, Musar, Hermitage la Chapelle, Flor de Pingus, Vega Sicilia,...

nac wrote: ↑09:54 Mon 30 Dec 2019 Is there any interest in an occasional non-port tasting/dinner?

I'd be up for something non port. I think the challenge though, will be finding a wine that enough people here hold, to make a tasting viable. Of course if someone alone had a deep vertical of Pétrus that they want to lay on at a nice price, I'll be there!

Top post updated.

Axel - I wasn't sure what you meant by baby brands:

Axel P wrote: ↑19:07 Mon 16 Dec 2019 Dow would be fantastic. Also baby brand tasting?

Only good years and all three side by side? 63-66-70-77-80-85

Axel

flash_uk wrote: ↑12:07 Mon 06 Jan 2020

nac wrote: ↑09:54 Mon 30 Dec 2019 Is there any interest in an occasional non-port tasting/dinner?

I'd be up for something non port. I think the challenge though, will be finding a wine that enough people here hold, to make a tasting viable. Of course if someone alone had a deep vertical of Pétrus that they want to lay on at a nice price, I'll be there!

For the examples I quoted I'd be able to supply verticals for a tasting/dinner for max 6-8 heads.
I'll check exactly what I've got & suggest a couple of options.

A tasting of Dutch and/or Belgian bottlings of (Vintage) Ports, perhaps to be held in The Netherlands

A kopke vertical would be an interesting event. I have a few vintages (but never enough). I would be happy to organise if enough interest.

Warre vertical?

Potentially including some different shippers for the same vintage.

I'd be happy to organise this one if it was of interest...

forest26 wrote: ↑09:19 Tue 14 Jan 2020A kopke vertical would be an interesting event. I have a few vintages (but never enough). I would be happy to organise if enough interest.

Yes please. I have a little Kopke St Luis 1970.

nac wrote: ↑16:18 Tue 14 Jan 2020Warre vertical?

Yes please.