TCP Offline April 10 2008

[Alex Bridgeman]

Christopher and I were joined by newcomers Alex, Neil and Ben - who we hope will all subscribe to TPF - for a very pleasant evening of port consumption.

More details will be posted later (I was hoping to post live using TCP's new wireless service, but it's not working yet), but the ports we thoroughly enjoyed were Vargellas 1995, Warre 1991 (slightly stewed), Warre 1983, Graham 1983 and Martinez 1955.

And many thanks to Julian for the tasting mats that kept us all in order.

Alex

[DRT]

On the slow late-night train to Wokingham again, AHB?

[Alex Bridgeman]

<<smiley emoticon>>
It's no slower that the early night train to Wokingham.

And it's not the last train home <<beaming proudly emoticon>>

[DRT]

<<smiley emoticon>>
It's no slower that the early night train to Wokingham.

And it's not the last train home <<beaming proudly emoticon>>

I am sure Elizabeth will be appreciative of both of these points when you crawl into bed and wake her up at 01:25 whilst stinking of the remains of that Martinez 55 that you have been sinffing from an empty Reidel-Vinum-in-a-box all the way home

Derek

[jdaw1]

sinffing

Marvellous new word, but more appropriate to glue.

A few links (there doubtless being more to come):

• Arrangements;
• Placemats.

[Alex Bridgeman]

We used the Boardroom at The Crusting Pipe again and with five of us present we had plenty of room. CG and I welcomed three new port-lovers, who we hope to convert to forum members in due course. They were AB (not to be confused with AHB), NS and BR.

The five ports we served, all completely blind, were:

• Graham 1983 - strangely acidic at first in the glass and didn't start to really show at its best until it was nearly time to leave. I guessed this to be Fonseca 1980 and CG guessed Warre 1983.
  
  Vargellas 1995 - showing strongly the typical mint (AB said spearmint) and eucalyptus nose that hinted that this was a Taylor. I guessed Vargellas 1991 and CG guessed Dow 2003.
  
  Berry Brothers & Rudd 1983 (shipped by Warre) - lovely, refined and delicate, fairly evolved. This was voted wine of the night by AB, NS and BR and was the wine I brought. CG guessed Warre 1985.
  
  Martinez 1955 - lovely and amazingly robust and alive. My wine of the night. I guessed it was a Croft 1970 from the zinging oranges on the nose. Very generous of CG to bring this to share with us.
  
  Warre 1991 - unfortunately, this was stewed. The stewed flavours made me guess tentatively that it was a Vesuvio 1990.

The blind tasting theme was a great success and one which I am sure we will try again soon.

Full tasting notes will be posted separately in the tasting notes section.

Alex