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I post not a tasting note here but an observation that every one of the last four or five of these that I've opened has been disappointing: thin, quiet or harshly acidic. Very strange; last year it drank well, and consistently.
Do LBVs sleep?

djewesbury wrote:I post not a tasting note here but an observation that every one of the last four or five of these that I've opened has been disappointing: thin, quiet or harshly acidic. Very strange; last year it drank well, and consistently.
Do LBVs sleep?

I hope so. My storage inventory says:
I make that 54 halves, not including what is in my home cellar

That should make for a few enthusiastic training sessions with your life coach..

djewesbury wrote:I post not a tasting note here but an observation that every one of the last four or five of these that I've opened has been disappointing: thin, quiet or harshly acidic. Very strange; last year it drank well, and consistently.
Do LBVs sleep?

Perhaps since last year your baseline has risen due to the number of old VPs you have been drinking, and they only seem thinner/quieter/harsher? I'm assuming that the alternative reason of "because you've been storing them in the loft again" doesn't apply I haven't had one for a while, I might open one tonight to see.

PhilW wrote:

djewesbury wrote:I post not a tasting note here but an observation that every one of the last four or five of these that I've opened has been disappointing: thin, quiet or harshly acidic. Very strange; last year it drank well, and consistently.
Do LBVs sleep?

Perhaps since last year your baseline has risen due to the number of old VPs you have been drinking, and they only seem thinner/quieter/harsher? I'm assuming that the alternative reason of "because you've been storing them in the loft again" doesn't apply I haven't had one for a while, I might open one tonight to see.

I can certainly accept the logic of the VP argument to a degree, although I don't think that it would prevent me from finding the Croft as powerful and fresh as I have found it in the past. Granted, last night's was popped, decanted and poured straight from the cellar, so it was probably around 12º and hadn't had much chance to breathe. But this has not always been the case.

I suppose they may nap, but I have had too many inconsistencies from supermarket ports (I assume this is one) that makes me think it is a storage/supply chain problem with them. But then I look a the price and put up with the variation.

I had a fair Cr04LBV a few weeks ago. Not as splendid as a Dow 1970, sure, but fine drinking and much cheaper.

I also had one recently and it was OK - perfectly decent drinking at a rock bottom price. Not in the class of Warre 1986 Traditional LBV (my current glass) but pefectly decent.

Opened one tonight; seemed ok, very similar to previous bottle - definitely not thin. Young, fruity, only a hint of lbv "nyang" (copyright djewesbury), no acid. Popped and poured direct from cellar.

The bottle in question was definitely better when we finished it the next night (yes, I know, shocking to leave it all on its own for 24 hours..).

Thanks for encouraging the use of the oenological term "nyang" also Phil. Appreciated.

Just finished the rest of it. Much better tonight, softer, gentle and full of fruit, almost no nyang, though of course still very young. Very pleasant.

I just opened one to console myself, after being told that the case of ex-Gaia Roeda 87 I ordered back in.. oh, October..? was somehow actually not in stock after all. There is only slight nyang.

Postscript to the end of my Croft 04lbv - Despite the decanting having been through a coffee filter (I more usually use surgical gauze, unless as this one it was pop and pour), there was a substantial amount of very fine sediment, a small amount in the last glass, and a lot in the bottom of the decanter. I was surprised how much, considering the filtering used at decant.

djewesbury wrote:I just opened one to console myself, after being told that the case of ex-Gaia Roeda 87 I ordered back in.. oh, October..? was somehow actually not in stock after all. There is only slight nyang.

that sound unfortunate; I'd be interested to try the Roeda '87 also; though there is a small chance I may fall in the DRT trap here - I don't believe I've ever tasted Croft '87...

PhilW wrote:

djewesbury wrote:I just opened one to console myself, after being told that the case of ex-Gaia Roeda 87 I ordered back in.. oh, October..? was somehow actually not in stock after all. There is only slight nyang.

that sound unfortunate; I'd be interested to try the Roeda '87 also; though there is a small chance I may fall in the DRT trap here - I don't believe I've ever tasted Croft '87...

Yes, a mix-up by TFP apparently. Was initially very pleased with myself when they said it was the last one left in the lodge - well, clearly not.