The Bell, Thu 15 Dec 2011

What happened?
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jdaw1
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The Bell, Thu 15 Dec 2011

Post by jdaw1 »

The annual Christmas event, this instance on Thursday 15th December 2011, as always in The Bell, Wendens Ambo, Essex CB11 4JY, and as always with the theme The Unknown Shipper and His Peculiar Friends.

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jdaw1
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Re: The Bell, Thu 15 Dec 2011

Post by jdaw1 »

The second year of stickers instead of placemats. Hopefully improved since last year further feedback welcomed.
[url=http://www.theportforum.com/viewtopic.php?t=175&start=92]Here[/url], on Sun 19 Dec 20[b]10[/b], jdaw1 wrote:At The Bell, for the Christmas tasting on 16 December 2010, for the first time, glass stickers were used rather than placemats. At the Bell glasses and space is tight, there just not being space for each person to use three pages of A4 of table.

The following quotations all come from the review thread.
jdaw1 wrote:This was the first placemat-free tasting, with glasses being identified with stickers. Feedback welcomed.
uncle tom wrote:Stickers for glasses works really well, except that we need one sheet of stickers person (or per two people) as we were constantly passing the sheets around and trying to find our respective labels - at one point [somebody] put one of his on his forehead so he could find it later!
jdaw1 wrote:Problems:
  • At the time the PDF is made, it isn’t yet known who will be sitting next to whom.
  • One sheet has 65 stickers, so one sheet per person would waste two-thirds to three-quarters of each sheet. :-(
WS1 wrote:Indeed one sheet per person would be too much waste; but would it be possible to slot the stickers of two or three people on equal sections onto one sheet (each person has ~20 stickers)? They could be after printing cut into the portions of the individual person.
JacobH wrote:The stickers also worked extremely well; thanks Julian. As Wolfgang suggested, the only improvement would be to have each person’s stickers as a block so they could be cut up and distributed before the tasting starts. Also, for blind tastings it might be nice if the number took up only half the sticker so that we can write the name of the wine in when revealed.
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Re: The Bell, Thu 15 Dec 2011

Post by jdaw1 »

AHB, by text message, wrote:First feedback on sticky sheets do we have water tick-boxes?
A fine question. Also posted in the thread entitled Software that makes placemats, which is probably the better thread to discuss this question.
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Re: The Bell, Thu 15 Dec 2011

Post by RAYC »

An incredible evening. To be able to drink these ports was a truly fantastic experience.

Added to the list should be a quite stupendous Noval 55, a BBR B.O.B 1977 (a Quarles Harris in spectacular condition), a Sainsbury TtD 03, an 1860 Madeira (name t.b.c. - notes not to hand), an 1860 Madeira solera, a magnum of Niepoort Robustus 05 and a 1911 Burgundy (which tasted of vinegar to me, but had apparently been very nice when first opened!).

more later!
Rob C.
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Chris Doty
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Re: The Bell, Thu 15 Dec 2011

Post by Chris Doty »

Where on earth is the ::jealous:: icon when you need it? :?:

:crying: Sorry to have missed out -- what a special line-up of wines!
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Re: The Bell, Thu 15 Dec 2011

Post by DRT »

A fabulous evening with some very impressive old wines. The steaks were spectacularly good and the staff at The Bell made us feel very welcome. A big thanks to Tom for his organisation of the event and I am pleased to report that no one was left behind this year :D
"The first duty of Port is to be red"
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Alex Bridgeman
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Re: The Bell, Thu 15 Dec 2011

Post by Alex Bridgeman »

It was a truly splendid evening. Tom did a terrific job organising large lumps of dead cow for everyone and a 72 seat coach to make sure no-one was left behind at the end of the evening.

Dirk was on splendid form, but the story of the night has to belong to Anne, the owner of the Bell. She was attending a sales tasting by one of her suppliers, which was mostly focused on table wines but did include Tweedle Dum and Tawny Dee ports from Niepoort. When Anne commented that she knew the person who made the wines, she was told not to be silly - he was Portuguese and she was very unlikely to have met him. When she insisted that she did, the salesman challenged her to explain where she had met him. "Oh, you know", she replied "he pops into my pub each year a week or two before Christmas!" Priceless.
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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Re: The Bell, Thu 15 Dec 2011

Post by Alex Bridgeman »

RAYC wrote:...an 1860 Madeira solera...
This was a Cossart Gordon sercial.
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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Re: The Bell, Thu 15 Dec 2011

Post by jdaw1 »

It is easier to add them all at once. Other than the 1860 solera Cossart Gordon sercial, are any missing?
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Re: The Bell, Thu 15 Dec 2011

Post by WS1 »

A truly fantastic evevning and morning! The ports and wines were showing spectacularly. My WOTN was the Niepoort VV followed by this fanatstic showing Taylor 1927. Thank you very much to Tom for organising it all. The lumps of dead cow were terrific and the atmospehere was also brilliant. My inidicator for this is my voice who gets louder the more excited/influenced by alcolhol I get. DRT kindly had to tone my down in the bar in the Saffron hotel during having an after tasting refreshing drink. :oops: :roll: :lol:
The gentle snow the next morning when waking up was just the last piece missing for a true christmas tasting. :D

just brilliant!
:P
regards

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Re: The Bell, Thu 15 Dec 2011

Post by DRT »

jdaw1 wrote:It is easier to add them all at once. Other than the 1860 solera Cossart Gordon sercial, are any missing?
1860 Boal A.L.S.
1911 Burgundy (I don't know which producer)
1955 Quinta do Noval (the one that only Tom thought said 1945 on the cork)
1977 Berry Brothers (Quarles Harris)
2003 Sainsbury Taste The Difference VP
2005 Robustus (Magnum)
WS1 wrote:My inidicator for this is my voice who gets louder the more excited/influenced by alcolhol I get. DRT kindly had to tone my down in the bar in the Saffron hotel during having an after tasting refreshing drink. :oops: :roll: :lol:
I can confirm that WS1 was very "excited" when we got back to the hotel :lol:
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Re: The Bell, Thu 15 Dec 2011

Post by jdaw1 »

DRT wrote:1860 Boal A.L.S.
¿ALS = André L. Simon?

DRT wrote:1911 Burgundy (I don't know which producer)
Details?

DRT wrote:1955 Quinta do Noval (the one that only Tom thought said 1945 on the cork)
Does this replace the N45?
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Re: The Bell, Thu 15 Dec 2011

Post by DRT »

jdaw1 wrote:
DRT wrote:1860 Boal A.L.S.
¿ALS = André L. Simon?
No. A.L.S. is apparently the brand of a small and little known producer.
jdaw1 wrote:
DRT wrote:1911 Burgundy (I don't know which producer)
Details?
Someone else might know.
jdaw1 wrote:
DRT wrote:1955 Quinta do Noval (the one that only Tom thought said 1945 on the cork)
Does this replace the N45?
No. There was a Noval 1945 (Bottle 2) and a Noval 1955 (Bottle 21), which Tom thinks was a 1945.
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Re: The Bell, Thu 15 Dec 2011

Post by jdaw1 »

Pls post all the bottle numbers. It will help those entering their TNs.
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Re: The Bell, Thu 15 Dec 2011

Post by uncle tom »

1955 Quinta do Noval (the one that only Tom thought said 1945 on the cork)
I still have the cork - one of the most clearly branded you'll ever see - definitely '45
I may be drunk, Miss, but in the morning I shall be sober and you will still be ugly - W.S. Churchill
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Re: The Bell, Thu 15 Dec 2011

Post by DRT »

uncle tom wrote:
1955 Quinta do Noval (the one that only Tom thought said 1945 on the cork)
I still have the cork - one of the most clearly branded you'll ever see - definitely '45
Does the cork still say "Bottled in 195?" ? If so, and if it is indeed a 1945, we were drinking a wood aged port that tasted like a classic vintage port. A first for me!
"The first duty of Port is to be red"
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Re: The Bell, Thu 15 Dec 2011

Post by jdaw1 »

Please take several photographs of the cork, both in focus and in the best possible lighting, and email to me. I will post originals and digital clarifications.
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Re: The Bell, Thu 15 Dec 2011

Post by uncle tom »

Does the cork still say "Bottled in 195?" ?
No, there is no bottling date - just: 1945 Vintage
I may be drunk, Miss, but in the morning I shall be sober and you will still be ugly - W.S. Churchill
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Re: The Bell, Thu 15 Dec 2011

Post by jdaw1 »

Tom, just for the record, just to establish the completeness of your correctness, etc etc continued page 94, please email photographs.

If appropriate, DRT will eat humble pie” .

”  Traditionally made with steak and kidneys and cheese.
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Re: The Bell, Thu 15 Dec 2011

Post by DRT »

uncle tom wrote:
Does the cork still say "Bottled in 195?" ?
No, there is no bottling date - just: 1945 Vintage
Then the cork you are looking at is from the bottle that everyone agreed was Noval 1945, which was Bottle 2. Bottle 21 had a cork with one end broken off. It clearly said "Quinta do Noval" and clearly said "Bottled 195". What came after the 5 was missing. Most, but not me, thought they could read the vintage as 1955. I think you have the cork from Bottle 2.

Would you like me to post the Humble Pie to you? :lol:
"The first duty of Port is to be red"
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Re: The Bell, Thu 15 Dec 2011

Post by uncle tom »

Tom, just for the record, just to establish the completeness of your correctness, etc etc continued page 94, please email photographs.

If appropriate, DRT will eat humble pie” .
I just tried, but my limited photographic technology is inadequate..

BTW - I don't think Derek saw the cork - it never left my house..
I may be drunk, Miss, but in the morning I shall be sober and you will still be ugly - W.S. Churchill
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Re: The Bell, Thu 15 Dec 2011

Post by DRT »

uncle tom wrote:BTW - I don't think Derek saw the cork - it never left my house..
That confirms my theory above. The 1955 was brought by Alex and decanted in front of me at The Saffron Hotel.
"The first duty of Port is to be red"
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Re: The Bell, Thu 15 Dec 2011

Post by jdaw1 »

jdaw1 wrote:Pls post all the bottle numbers. It will help those entering their TNs.
It will also help avoid other confusion. Please post, then I’ll expand the set of TN threads.
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Re: The Bell, Thu 15 Dec 2011

Post by Axel P »

Excellent venue, excellent wines and excellent company. Big thanks to Alex and Tom for organising and Tom for additionally suplying these fantastic bottles.

Axel
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Re: The Bell, Thu 15 Dec 2011

Post by DRT »

jdaw1 wrote:
jdaw1 wrote:Pls post all the bottle numbers. It will help those entering their TNs.
It will also help avoid other confusion. Please post, then I’ll expand the set of TN threads.
1. 1860 Cossart Gordon Sercial
2. 1945 Quinta do Noval
3. 1860 A.L.S. Boal
4. 1940 Dalva Colheita
5. 1960 Cockburn
6. Niepoort V.V.
7. 1935 Croft
8. 1924 Offley
9. 1927 Taylor
10. Didn't turn up :cry:
11. Didn't turn up :cry:
12. 30Y Casa Santa Eufemia White
13. Didn't turn up :cry:
14. Didn't turn up :cry:
15. Noval 40Y Tawny
16. Didn't turn up :cry:
17. Didn't turn up :cry:
18. Didn't turn up :cry:
19. 1922 Warre
20. 1922 Martinez
21. 1955 Quinta do Noval
22. Didn't turn up :cry:
23. Didn't turn up :cry:
24. Didn't turn up :cry:
25. Didn't turn up :cry:
26. Didn't turn up :cry:

The other wines and ports consumed did not have numbers allocated.

I have just remembered that some of us also had a Taylor 20Y Tawny (bottled too long ago and brought along by Axel) before going to The Bell.
"The first duty of Port is to be red"
Ernest H. Cockburn
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