Post
by AHB » 14:59 Sun 04 Jan 2015
I am hurriedly trying to catch up with my 2014 tasting notes before I start drinking again in 2015. I've just got to my notes from the Christmas offline.
It was a great set of ports, with some really unusual bottles. Phil's 1887 unknown was oxidised, but otherwise was in great shape. I was able to practice my bottle dating and I am ashamed to have got the age wrong - I estimated it to be 1890-1910. Oh well, can't be perfect.
The Bell under new management were very keen to look after us well and did a fine job in doing so. Thank you to all who contributed bottles and to Tom for organising everything. My favourite bottles were the Graham 1933 (confirmed as such from the branded cork) and the Rebello Valente 1927 (where did the grapes come from for this vintage?).
We had no wine of the night voting sheet but I made space in my tasting note book to record the votes. The voting was as follows:
EDN - 3: G33, 2: T35, 1: Cr63
THRA - 3: U/K 1887, 2: G33, 1: N63
DJ - 2: W55, N63, T35
PW - 2½: G33, W55, 1: G27cr
WS - 3: G33, 2: G27cr, 1: T35
RLC - 3: G27cr, 2: N63, 1: RV27
DM - 3: RV27, 2: W55, 1: U/K04
AP - 3: G33, 2: W55, 1: G27cr
AHB - 3: G33, 2: RV27, ½: N63, Cr63
The votes added up (I think, please check) to the following:
16½ - G33
8½ - W55
7 - G27cr
6 - RV27
5½ - N63
5 - T35
3 - U/K 1887
1½ - Cr63
1 - U/K04
Top Ports in 2019: Niepoort VV (1960s bottling) and Quinta do Noval Nacional 2017
Top Ports in 2020 (so far): Croft 1945 and Niepoort VV (1960s bottling)