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winesecretary · Re: 60 @ 66 - Tuesday 14 April 2026 @ nac - very much obliged

@ nac - very much obliged

winesecretary

@idj123 - added

winesecretary

@ Glenn - taking bottles of 47 vintage and 68 Colheita with you to the lecture seems mandatory, right?

Julian’s just written a thriller all about Dow 1878, especially for your next visit, on the same basis.

winesecretary

Carrots (broadly, 1 per kilo of meat; same 1 per kilo ratio for stick of celery and brown onion) do appear to be standard. For me the key seems to be getting onion, celery and carrot down to a mirepoix and then cooking with the oil VERY slowly (1/9, max 2/9) lid on for circa 30 mins before going nea...

winesecretary

Pop and decant and pour. Red rim but 95% opaque. Hint of blueberry in the largely black cherry nose. Palate is not too rich or sweet, with the star anise and South African plums characteristic of this port still holding their own. Good grip on the finish. Never a blockbuster, this is extremely pleas...

winesecretary · Re: Sighted somethings, Wed 25 Feb 2026 To whom should I donate the pound?

To whom should I donate the pound?

winesecretary

One of His Majesty’s finest English pounds.

winesecretary

I’m prepared to bet money that the winners are on the left side of the place mats…

winesecretary

My Noval 1960 is hereby downgraded to a ‘believed Noval 1960’. It has no label, the capsule is not marked with the brand, and on removing the capsule I can’t make out the lettering on the cork. I’d better adopt, if adoption is a possibility or, if there’s something missing that is commercially avail...

winesecretary

18 hour decant A deep red, almost 85% opaque. Reserved nose of sous-bois, like a really ripe but no longer young pinot noir. Glycerine smoothness on the front palate. Then rich plum crumble, complete with hint of Birds' custard, on the mid palate, some nice cinnamon notes thereafter, and very dry, l...

winesecretary

I shall be listening the The Dream of Gerontius. And, no doubt, thinking about Her late Majesty. And port.

winesecretary

Port reduction with duck it is! Thank you.

winesecretary

It's not really drinkable with pleasure, but nor is it straight down the sink stuff. Possibly this weekend's cooking port? Please suggest recipes.

winesecretary

The last glass from the bottle. Colour stable. Nose still pretty dumb, possible a bit of oak and olive showing. Palate majors on the sweet, but the mid palate is pretty satisfying, a sensation as much as a taste, of buttered crumpets with orange jam. Long finish that tends towards the chocolate oran...

winesecretary

That’s a fine port!

winesecretary

@ Alex - I am glad yours was better, and that I was right about mine being a faulty sample. Its failure was all the more stark because of the excellence of those either side, the very pretty 1992 and the really admirable 1981.

winesecretary

A nice red mahogany, yellow rim.

Very sweet, almost Turkish delight, nose, complete with icing sugar.

Very sweet opening to the palate, but there is a deep savoury quality to the mid palate, with lots of good fig paste.

This is wine of considerable quality.

winesecretary

An astonishingly deep red, 90 % opaque. 90%! After 55 years in barrel! Nose shows the influence of the wood ageing though, very much in the nuts and raisins spectrum. Palate has glycerin, high quality plump sultanas, lots of vanilla. Savoury note on the finish, almost like the crispy brown edges of ...

winesecretary

I’ll bring Avery as an extra - it’s 5/6 Fonseca and 1/6 Taylor from memory so should be drinkable.

winesecretary

Ham hock terrine

Burger (medium) and fries, nothing except meat and dill pickle inside the burger bun
Green salad on side

Lemon tart, no cream

winesecretary

I think the FvN tasting may be in 2027.
There is now 3 Nov 2026 to add to the list.

winesecretary

It was shouting ‘DNPIM’, but in the interests of science I did, and very much regretted it.

winesecretary

From 90 ml (2025 Advent Calendar)

A deep clear orange.

Indeterminate nose.

Palate has some candied citrus notes but also an odd acridity which extends to the finish. Some golden syrup, late. A hint of walnut.

Possibly successful by the standards of 1975, but not a patch on the 1981.

winesecretary

From 90ml (2025 Advent Calendar) A lovely clear mid mahogany, yellow rim as though that has been kissed by the sun. Nose has nuts and huge marmalade notes Palate is oak and citrus dominated with a lovely spritz of orange-peel-oil-on-whistlepig-12-rye-based manhattan Long congruent finish with a hit ...

winesecretary

From 90ml. (2025 Advent Calendar)

A slightly cloudy brown, very pale rim.

Nose is a bit grubby. No discernible fruit.

Palate, sadly, congruent, with a faecal finish.

Flawed sample.

winesecretary

From 90ml (2025 Advent Calendar) Bright glossy red but definitely showing signs of maturity in the yellowing rim. Nose is in the mi-cuit fig and tea-soaked prune spectrum. Congruent, and delightful, rounded palate. The acid balance is super. Gently warming finish but fully resolved. Lovely now, sure...

winesecretary

2005 is probably best described as a minor vintage but a recent TTF gave considerable pleasure. The purpose therefore of this is thread is to assess interest in a ‘2005 at 21’ tasting in the autumn. There being interest, the Red Room at the B&F has been booked for 3 November. I think I have TV a...

winesecretary

So more like a MV crusted than the usual stripped stuff?

winesecretary

You will for ever after be referred to as ‘the Reverend Justin’…

winesecretary

5th Jan would be good. March equally ditto.

winesecretary

Possibly February 2027?

I find there is an NN 87 in my possession but I think it’s JDAW’s. I think I have TV87 somewhere.

winesecretary

I am alas a no for the new day as I will be in court.

winesecretary

From those of us not attending, a suggestion humbly and respectfully offered - tasting notes on 66,70,77,85,94 might give us the best understanding of the comparative merits of the houses…

winesecretary · Re: 66 @ 60 - Tuesday 17 March 2026 I now also have Avery.

I now also have Avery.

winesecretary

@ AHB - that might be right, I‘ve had pleasant bottles before. Possibly heat damaged.

winesecretary

Decanted 3 hours Cloudy, largely orange, wine. Nose of tangerine and Dubai chocolate. Palate has a little red fruit, a slight acridity, but some pleasant enough marmalade notes on the finish. I am not sure whether this was ever a very strong port, but if it ever was, on this showing it is not now.

winesecretary

‘the exemplary Warre balance’ is a lovely phrase, and so true!

winesecretary

The F85 (mine) was faulty. Otherwise it might have come as high as 9th.

winesecretary

Well that was absolutely tremendous. Thank you to Alex for organising Martin for printing and to everyone for your welcome to my guest.

winesecretary

Leaving now eta 1820

winesecretary

83,85,92 decanted and in good fettle. 85 darkest of the trio

winesecretary

Bringing as I am 1983, 1985 and 1992, when do we want the younger wines opened? Audouze overnight and double decant on the morning?

winesecretary

Fonseca it is.

Fonseca procured.

winesecretary

I have Cockburn, Croft and Fonseca in storage and (given they are at L&W) can pull single bottles of each with a month or so’s notice.

winesecretary

Green rim, red centre.

Really attractive fruity varnish nose.

Palate is really rather attractively balanced. Big fruity raisins, a rather nice lifted rosemary note.

Quite impressive.

winesecretary

Mahogany colour. Olive rim.

Nose of varnish

Palate is rich sweet nutty stuff

Nice glacé fruit quality

winesecretary

Cabral 40 YO bottled ? 1961 ?

Olive rim, bronze rest of it.

Nose has poached quince.

On the palate some interesting fruits esters, no fig or raisin here.

Lovely mouth feel.

Elderly but both interesting and very attractive.

winesecretary

A dusky light red.

Still has Taylor heat! Nose of Turkish delight.

Palate has coffee and orange and toffee.

Warming marmalade finish. Not overly long.

winesecretary

It will still be fine in 2035, although I question whether it will be a more interesting port than it is now (noting in saying this that I like ports that have both fruit and power. YMMV.). But I would not leave it to 2045 save as a curiosity.

winesecretary

Pop and decant and pour. Still 92% opaque with a garnet rim. Nose full of blue fruit with just a prickle of white pepper Big lush rich palate. Darker end of the spectrum - blackberry pie and prunes with a rather attractive tang of good Armagnac. That said, not really any Taylor heat, although there’...

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