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Obvious suspects gathered in The Bung Hole, theoretically to quality-assure Tom’s new case of 1958 Delaforce, but really for good company and ports.

Links:

• Review of the evening as a whole;
• 1958 Delaforce;
• 1958 Royal Oporto;
• 1970 Berry Bros & Rudd (Warre);
• 1970 Croft;
• 1970 Croft Quinta da Roeda;
• 1963 Borges & Irmão;
• Offley crusted, bottled 1965;
• 1985 Quinta do Sibio;
• 1978 Dow Quinta do Bomfim;
• 1979 Dow Quinta do Bomfim;
• 2010 Quinta do Vesuvio;
• Placemats;
• Planning and arrangements.

Winner 1970 Berry Bros & Rudd (Warre) with 11½ points, closely followed by Offley crusted, bottled 1965 with 11; then 1958 Delaforce with 8; then 1970 Croft with 5. Points well dispersed, both 1958 Royal Oporto and 1970 Croft Quinta da Roeda getting 2, and 1963 Borges & Irmão getting 1½.

People liked the circle watermarks on the TN sheets. The code has just been changed such that these default to being present.

A very good evening - i must admit i held little hope for the quality of drinking we would experience, but i was proved wrong!

That said:

- Sibio 85: plain awful. I am minded to write and warn L&W that they should test a bottle before selling any further!

- Dow 78/79: did Dow's cork problem extend beyond the 77 vintage? Or just we had very bad luck...!

- 58s: both drinking very nicely - even the RO!

- Roeda 70: against the flow, i preferred this to the regular blend.

- Offley Crusted: were crusteds taken more seriously in those days? Or should we be ageing the new release Graham crusteds like this?!

- Borges was also surprisingly drinkable.

Good to meet David and Theresa and hope they get in touch to let us know whenever they come back to town in case a tasting can be arranged.