???? Unknown (Bottled by Shortridge, Laughton and Co)

Tasting notes for individual Ports, with an index sorted by vintage and alphabetically.
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Tasting notes for individual Ports, with an index sorted by vintage and alphabetically.
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jdaw1
Cockburn 1851
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???? Unknown (Bottled by Shortridge, Laughton and Co)

Post by jdaw1 »

On Thursday 13th December 2012 a subset of the obvious suspects gathered at the Bell, Wendens Ambo CB11 4JY, to taste some treasures.

Links: Previously at the Bell: 2011, 2010, 2009, 2008.
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Alex Bridgeman
Graham’s 1948
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Joined: 13:41 Mon 25 Jun 2007
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Re: Unknown

Post by Alex Bridgeman »

Bottled by Shortridge, Laughton & Co. An unknown port, with a short and unbranded cork. A touch of bottle stink, but then lots of VA, toffee apple and bovril. Sharp and dry on entry; very concentrated, hugely acidic and concentrated building up to a massive palate. Lots of VA also showing on the palate. A huge colheita wine, tasting as though it is very old. 84/100.
Top Ports in 2023: Taylor 1896 Colheita, b. 2021. A perfect Port.

2024: Niepoort 1900 Colheita, b.1971. A near perfect Port.
winesecretary
Fonseca 1980
Posts: 1900
Joined: 15:35 Mon 13 May 2019

Re: ???? Unknown (Bottled by Shortridge, Laughton and Co)

Post by winesecretary »

The above tasting note is of a madeira not a port. Two sets of clues: one in the name of the shipper...

Shortridge Lawton were a fairly obscure Madeira shipper founded 1757 but, for me, really flowering in the Victorian and Edwardian era. They joined the MWC early. Fun fact: I understand they were the last shipper commercially to stick to the old practice of sending their wine on a voyage round the Cape to mature it, doing so latterly on container ships, rather than just using the estufagem or canteiro method of maturation. The last-bottled wines were filled in the 1980s (I had one years ago with an IVM seal but I've never seen one with an IVBAM seal) since when the house has been effectively extinct. Shortridge Lawton made wonderful wine, if one gives it enough air (several days) which the bottle you were drinking did not have. The FTLOP madeira crowd rhapsodise about the Shortridge Lawton 1861 Bual, and with good reason, as it, and their 1900 Moscatel, are two of the finest wines of any variety I have ever drunk.

… and several in your tasting note. Short unbranded cork. Bottle stink. Very high VA. Huge acidity. It's Madeira!
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jdaw1
Cockburn 1851
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Re: ???? Unknown (Bottled by Shortridge, Laughton and Co)

Post by jdaw1 »

Great post.
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Alex Bridgeman
Graham’s 1948
Posts: 14880
Joined: 13:41 Mon 25 Jun 2007
Location: Berkshire, UK

Re: ???? Unknown (Bottled by Shortridge, Laughton and Co)

Post by Alex Bridgeman »

Now you come to pull it all together, I can see how obvious it is! Thank you for taking the time to help us figure out what we were drinking. A shame we hadn't realised earlier what we were opening and therefore able to give it several days in the decanter. Oh well, we live and learn.
Top Ports in 2023: Taylor 1896 Colheita, b. 2021. A perfect Port.

2024: Niepoort 1900 Colheita, b.1971. A near perfect Port.
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