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In anticipation of a forthcoming Croft tasting in The Bunghole, 57 High Holborn, London WC1V 6DT, we thought that it might be a good idea for three of us to test the location. The trial run grew to six people, and was held in the larger room. Links:

• Review of the evening as a whole;
• 1980 Offley Boa Vista;
• 1970 Cockburn;
• 1968 Graham Malvedos;
• 1983 Graham;
• 1985 Fonseca;
• 2000 Tesco (Symington);
• 1996 Niepoort LBV;
• Placemats;
• Planning and arrangements.

To reach the larger room go forward and turn left immediately after the screen.

Having turned left, the larger room is ahead through the white-and-window doors.

This venue is quite splendid. It is the venue we have been seeking for years and it is not far from our usual haunting ground.

Space = excellent.
Lighting = excellent.
Privacy = excellent.
Service = excellent.
Glass cleanliness = excellent.
Steaks = excellent (although the raw flesh eaters mildly complained of over cooking)
Empty VP bottle decoration = needs work.

A very good evening with some excellent port, excellent company and and excellent venue.

Overall rating: a very good way to spend a Tuesday evening.

That is one glowing report on the venue from Derek! Assuming others felt the same, sounds good.

Interesting scoring; everyone except Jacob gave (almost) maximum points to the Cockburn 70, while Jacob who brought it gave it no points whatsoever. How was the guessing (this was blind, iirc) ?

DRT wrote:This venue is quite splendid. It is the venue we have been seeking for years and it is not far from our usual haunting ground.

Space = excellent.
Lighting = excellent.
Privacy = excellent.
Service = excellent.
Glass cleanliness = excellent.
Steaks = excellent (although the raw flesh eaters mildly complained of over cooking)
Empty VP bottle decoration = needs work.

PhilW wrote:Assuming others felt the same, sounds good.

I did. Excellent venue.

PhilW wrote:How was the guessing (this was blind, iirc) ?

JacobH guessed the GM68 to be GM68. We were impressed. DRT got several half-right (vintage not shipper). I was awful.

jdaw1 wrote:

PhilW wrote:How was the guessing (this was blind, iirc) ?

JacobH guessed the GM68 to be GM68. We were impressed.

I can imagine; Congrats to Jacob While some might also observe that a blind man throwing darts occaisionally hits bullseyes, I wouldn't ever bring that up of course

I hope to make it along to another offline before too long, nice to know we have another good venue in the list (am still wanting to get back to TCP having only been there once to date; I've been to the RAF club more!).

What is the Bunghole's policy on corkage? What time do they close and ask us to leave?

AHB wrote:What is the Bunghole's policy on corkage? What time do they close and ask us to leave?

Corkage was the same deal as TCP. We asked what time they closed and were told 11:00. We were not asked to leave but did so at around 11:15.

A lovely evening.

Very nice to be able to host Cynthia and provide a nice line-up for her.

We had a super bottle of Ck70 that really showed very well.

I enjoyed the F85 immensely - but this was definitely a more evolved bottle than the one tasted at BBR in December and (in my opinion) drinking much better because of that, albeit still with some years to go yet before it peaks.

The G83 was really a very good wine with great upside potential, though slightly closed on this occasion (and darker than the F85!). In fact, i think all 3 Graham full-declaration VPs from the 80s are worthy of space in the cellar. Thanks to Chris D for the tip and finally prompting me to open mine - i will be on the look-out for more.

I am immensely grateful to Derek for opening up his last GM68 - this was a beautiful mature wine but i would suggest not much room for improvement through further ageing! Though it is always sad to see a last bottle go, in some ways i think it is good that these were drunk before another few years in the cellar turned them into an old curiosity (rather than a good VP for drinking).

Pity about the Offley 80 - would like to try again.

The Niepoort 96lbv is a really great bottle for pop and pour drinking - at £10 per half really good QPR and i will be on the look-out for more. Contrast to the 1/2 bottle of Tesco Finest 2000, which may well come round in time to be a very nice bottle, but at the moment is unbalanced and ungainly, yet sold as a premium bottle in Tesco for current drinking. This seems to me counter-productive (in terms of encouraging repeat and more frequent port purchases), though i do not wish to dismiss the economic reality that port producers face and the supermarket-driven pressures that are behind the sale of this type of product. In some ways, it does sadden me though.

Venue was first rate, although the staff seemed slightly bemused at points!

I think the word I want is "maravilha" - thank you, once again, for including Nicola and myself at the last minute. It was a joy - and not just the wines! thank you!

Indeed, a splendid trial, and we had a rather nice selection of Ports from different ages to try which, except for the regrettably flawed Offley, were in excellent condition and showing very well. And, of course, I am rather smug about getting the Malvedos ’68 right (the fact that this is only the second time I’ve got one right in a properly blind tasting notwithstanding!).

I didn’t really like the Cockburn 1970 but that was just because it was too dry for my liking. I’m coming to the conclusion that I prefer my Ports when they are not austere and a bit more expressive which may explain the divergence of scoring.

The Graham’s 83 versus the Fonseca 85 is quite an interesting comparison which should be repeated!

It was nice, too, to meet Cynthia and Nicola and I hope they will join us again, soon.