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‟So What’s the Best Single Quinta, then?”

Posted: 00:25 Mon 10 Jan 2011
by JacobH
I’ve wanted to arrange a Single-Quinta equivalent of the Dow-Fonesca-Graham-Taylor matrix tasting for a while. I wonder if there might be some interest in doing it sometime this year? I suggest tasting Croft Quinta da Roeda, Dow Quinta do Bomfim, Graham Quinta dos Malvedos, Taylor Quinta de Vargellas from 1967, 1978, 1987, 1998 or the nearest declared vintage. Each quad would be tasted blind, with the aim of coming up with an answer to the question ‟so what’s the best Single Quinta then?”. Is there any interest in this?

We could also throw in some jokers (perhaps a Noval ’67, Fonseca Guimarens ’78, Terra Feita ’88, Vesuvio ’98) for a slightly bigger tasting, or kill the final flight for a smaller one.

Roeda 1967: AHB, JacobH, RAYC
Bomfim 1967:
Malvedos 1968: DRT
Vargellas 1967: AHB*

Roeda 1980: WS1
Bomfim 1978: AHB, WS1
Malvedos 1979: AHB
Vargellas 1978: JacobH

Roeda 1987: RAYC
Bomfim 1987:
Malvedos 1987: AHB*, JacobH, WS1
Vargellas 1987: AHB*
[Cavadinha 1987: AHB, WS1]

Roeda 1997: JacobH, WS1
Bomfim 1998: AHB, RAYC
Malvedos 1998: DRT
Vargellas 1998: AHB, JacobH, RAYC
[Cavadinha 1996: AHB, RAYC]

[* = bottle in storage]

AHB also has 1976 Vargellas, 1996 Vargellas and 1996 Malvedos in halves.

In terms of dates, there seems to be a bit of gap in March (I think there are a few things planned for April), or we could aim for May.

Re: ‟So What’s the Best Single Quinta, then?”

Posted: 14:37 Wed 12 Jan 2011
by Alex Bridgeman
I like the idea, especially if we are able to keep this as an informal offline rather than a bigger tasting. It might even be practical to split this over a couple of offlines if there are not enough people able to make any single date.

If you want to do something more organised and formal, perhaps next year would be better as the "Birthday Party" offline in late March 2012.

I'll send you a PM with the single quinta bottles I have. There's not that many...

Re: ‟So What’s the Best Single Quinta, then?”

Posted: 15:54 Wed 12 Jan 2011
by JacobH
Informal is always my preference. If we are fewer in number, then I would certainly be willing to split the tasting into two; perhaps 67 and 87 on one evening and 78 and 98 on another.

I've added AHB's bottles to the list. For the 90s, we could think about having 1996 rather than 1998 since, having thought about it, that might be the more legitimate Single Quinta Vintage of the decade.

Re: ‟So What’s the Best Single Quinta, then?”

Posted: 21:27 Wed 12 Jan 2011
by DRT
I think I have a Malvedos 1968. Please stick me down for that and the Malvedos 1998.

Re: ‟So What’s the Best Single Quinta, then?”

Posted: 00:25 Thu 13 Jan 2011
by JacobH
Added 88)

Re: ‟So What’s the Best Single Quinta, then?”

Posted: 12:48 Thu 13 Jan 2011
by RAYC
I will have to check to see whether i still have a Roeda '87 i think i do.

I also have the following duplicates:
Roeda '67
Cavadinha '96
Bomfim '98
Vargellas '98.

Would not be too disappointed to lose the final flight if that makes more sense in terms of numbers/cost.

Re: ‟So What’s the Best Single Quinta, then?”

Posted: 13:00 Thu 13 Jan 2011
by JacobH
Added 88)

(The Roeda 1987 can be removed if it has already met its demise).

Re: ‟So What’s the Best Single Quinta, then?”

Posted: 12:28 Fri 14 Jan 2011
by jdaw1
JacobH wrote:Informal is always my preference.
Does that imply sighted rather than blinded?
JacobH wrote:‟So What’s the Best Single Quinta, then?”
Surely answering that question requires consideration of Quinta do Vesuvio and Quinta do Noval? And perhaps also a famous sub-Quinta of Noval?

Re: ‟So What’s the Best Single Quinta, then?”

Posted: 13:27 Fri 14 Jan 2011
by JacobH
jdaw1 wrote:
JacobH wrote:Informal is always my preference.
Does that imply sighted rather than blinded?
No, simply having bottles wrapped in tin-foil or decanters that can be passed around, at somewhere like the Crusted Pipe, Portal or the Bell, rather than a pre-poured tasting with a served dinner at a club. The reason I am very keen on SQVP is that it is affordable and not-too-serious; something which I think this tasting should be.
jdaw1 wrote:
JacobH wrote:‟So What’s the Best Single Quinta, then?”
Surely answering that question requires consideration of Quinta do Vesuvio and Quinta do Noval? And perhaps also a famous sub-Quinta of Noval?
Not enough Vesuvio has been produced to include it (except as a "joker" in the 90s tasting); when the :tpf: members of 2040 re-run this tasting, I am sure it can be included.

Noval is trickier. For these purposes, I broadly define Single Quinta Vintage Port as a Vintage Port, produced from a single Quinta by a leading house in secondary years as a more affordable product then their classic blend. I therefore would discount something like Offley where the wine comes from a single Quinta but only in major years; Noval Nacional since it is a premium rather than affordable wine; and Fonseca Guimarens, since that has no pretenses to be from one Quinta. I note that we also can't easily answer the question in general, since many of the most important Quintas (e.g. Roriz or Eira Velha) have mostly been used in blended Ports.

I therefore think, since Noval is a primary rather than secondary label wine and has not been made in all the minor years (i.e. 87 and 98) it probably wouldn't be a target for this tasting if we do all four decades. However, if we just do the earliest two, then I would be happy to include it, if others are willing and there are enough participants to make it a sensible number.

Re: ‟So What’s the Best Single Quinta, then?”

Posted: 15:23 Fri 14 Jan 2011
by jdaw1
JacobH wrote:Each quad would be tasted blind
JacobH wrote:simply having bottles wrapped in tin-foil or decanters that can be passed around
The ‘matrix’ tasting, to which you referred in the first post of this thread, is semi-blind. That is years are revealed and grouped together shippers are not. Hence glasses are labelled α63 β63 γ63 δ63, ε66 ζ66 η66 θ66, ι70 κ70 λ70 μ70, ν77 ξ77 ο77 Ï€77. Semi-blind will be trickier to co-ordinate without central organisation; but fully blind would reduce the statistical power of the study’s answer to the question.
jdaw1 wrote:produced from a single Quinta by a leading house in secondary years as a more affordable product then their classic blend
A very sensible approach.

Re: ‟So What’s the Best Single Quinta, then?”

Posted: 15:40 Fri 14 Jan 2011
by JacobH
jdaw1 wrote:The ‘matrix’ tasting, to which you referred in the first post of this thread, is semi-blind. That is years are revealed and grouped together shippers are not. Hence glasses are labelled α63 β63 γ63 δ63, ε66 ζ66 η66 θ66, ι70 κ70 λ70 μ70, ν77 ξ77 ο77 Ï€77. Semi-blind will be trickier to co-ordinate without central organisation; but fully blind would reduce the statistical power of the study’s answer to the question.
Sorry, I think I was not being clear enough. What I had in mind was as the 'matrix' tasting: years revealed and grouped, wines not. I always associated "fully blind" with "bring a bottled wrapped in tin foil" so that one does not even have the advantage of knowing which Ports are on the table.

We've successfully sorted these semi-blind tastings out before, so I'm sure we can do it again (especially as it looks like it might only be four of us :cry: )!

Re: ‟So What’s the Best Single Quinta, then?”

Posted: 20:42 Sat 15 Jan 2011
by WS1
Hi there,

I am also interested; I have Bonfim 1978, Malvedos 1987, Cavadinha 1987 and Roeda 1997. I think this is a great idea and do not think it is a problem to split it into two parts.

regards

WS1

Re: ‟So What’s the Best Single Quinta, then?”

Posted: 20:48 Sat 15 Jan 2011
by WS1
:idea: also forgot to ask if you would also accept Roeda 1980 which i also have. Roeda 1978 i had and would not like to get again; I am not so fond of 1978 ports anyway; sorry :?

regards

WS1

Re: ‟So What’s the Best Single Quinta, then?”

Posted: 11:06 Mon 17 Jan 2011
by DRT
jdaw1 wrote:
JacobH wrote:‟So What’s the Best Single Quinta, then?”
Surely answering that question requires consideration of Quinta do Vesuvio and Quinta do Noval? And perhaps also a famous sub-Quinta of Noval?
Not enough Vesuvio has been produced to include it.

I suppose that depends on what is meant by "What's". Is it "What was" or "What is"?

Re: ‟So What’s the Best Single Quinta, then?”

Posted: 12:35 Mon 17 Jan 2011
by JacobH
Added Wolfgang's bottles 88)

I'm relaxed about having a Roeda 1980 if the 1978 is weak. Do others have a preference?

The Bomfim looks a bit tricky to source. Wolfgang, do you know anything about this shop in Berlin which has the 1988? Although pricey it wouldn't be too extortionate if we wanted to fill in the last bottle or two for a tasting.

Re: ‟So What’s the Best Single Quinta, then?”

Posted: 18:44 Tue 08 Feb 2011
by JacobH
Shall we have a go at making this happen? How do the weeks beginning 20th and 27th March look to people?

Also, if anyone would like to take part but does not own any bottles, please let me know. We can certainly sort out some adoption to make this work 88)

Re: ‟So What’s the Best Single Quinta, then?”

Posted: 08:09 Fri 11 Feb 2011
by WS1
Hi Jacob,

my preference lays with the week beginning 20th of MArch. otherwise we also become very close to the Fonseca guimarens thingi.

regards

WS1

Re: ‟So What’s the Best Single Quinta, then?”

Posted: 15:25 Fri 11 Feb 2011
by JacobH
WS1 wrote:my preference lays with the week beginning 20th of MArch. otherwise we also become very close to the Fonseca guimarens thingi.
That sounds sensible. Does anyone else fancy doing this that week?

Re: ‟So What’s the Best Single Quinta, then?”

Posted: 01:53 Sat 12 Feb 2011
by Alex Bridgeman
JacobH wrote:Shall we have a go at making this happen? How do the weeks beginning 20th and 27th March look to people?

Also, if anyone would like to take part but does not own any bottles, please let me know. We can certainly sort out some adoption to make this work 88)
I'd rather do this either soon - in February - or in the Autumn/Winter season. Perhaps the theme for the birthday bash in 2012? w/c 20th and 27th March is a bit close to the Fonseca Guimaraens tasting for another major line-up.

Re: ‟So What’s the Best Single Quinta, then?”

Posted: 15:01 Wed 02 Mar 2011
by Alex Bridgeman
I take it that we are looking to do this in the Autumn / Winter now?

Re: ‟So What’s the Best Single Quinta, then?”

Posted: 00:36 Thu 03 Mar 2011
by JacobH
AHB wrote:I take it that we are looking to do this in the Autumn / Winter now?
I suppose so, or we could kick this into the long grass if there isn’t that much interest...

Re: ‟So What’s the Best Single Quinta, then?”

Posted: 00:58 Thu 03 Mar 2011
by jdaw1
I was very interested.

Re: ‟So What’s the Best Single Quinta, then?”

Posted: 11:19 Thu 03 Mar 2011
by Alex Bridgeman
I'm interested.

Perhaps it would make a good theme for a "Birthday Tasting" late March or early April 2012?