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Yes, this is definitely still on! I dropped out of the Cavadinha tasting partly because I could still see people on the 30th. It's a loose theme. Open something that you'll enjoy while chatting to friends. I shall probably use the evening as an opportunity to finish up some bottles I've got open at ...

Apologies, but I’m not going to be able to make it to the B&F on the 28th.

Definitely. My experience with TH is limited but I’ve been impressed.

Is this going to go ahead? With the industry guests?

I ask as I have an early start and a long day of work (yes, I know I’m retired) the following day.

OK. We’ve located sources of all three special editions, Tom has a bottle with some antiquity. Anyone volunteering a bottle of recently purchased Six Grapes? I now have bottles of the Old Vines and Vila Velha editions at my house. Ian has River Quintas. I’ll check some dates and post some options i...

OK. We’ve located sources of all three special editions, Tom has a bottle with some antiquity.

Anyone volunteering a bottle of recently purchased Six Grapes?

Yes please.

I can’t do 5th Sep but and free for most of the rest of the month.

Ah. I have just realised that the parameters of this tasting prevent us from using this event as the basis for the Six Grapes tasting (the special edition versions cost £40+).

There’s enough interest. I’ll propose a date shortly.

Ian - given you’ve got the River Quintas version, what dates in March could you not make?

Grahams have so far released 3 special editions of Six Grapes - Vinha Velha, River Quintas and Vila Velha. I bought some Vinha Velha. Vila Velha is still available. If someone else bought River Quintas would there be any interest in holding a Graham Six Grapes Tasting with the three special editions...

Nope. I give scores on an absolute basis.

So an 86 for Cockburn Special Reserve means I think it to be as good a glass of wine as a bottle of Malvedos 92 which I also give 86 points. Both are scores based on my impression of the wine at the time of tasting, rather than its potential at its peak.

hadge wrote: ↑22:42 Fri 10 Mar 2023 1x Graham 1985 Mag
2x Dow 1985 Mag

You are the mag man. Nice finds.

It’s in the diary!

Are you looking for contributions towards the line-up?

Decanted at 12.00, drunk at 20.00. Deep red, mature in tone; 50% opaque. The nose is a little smelly, unpleasant bottle stink. The wine is better on the palate where the bottle stink is less pronounced, but despite being less pronounced the bottle stink dominates the red cherry fudge palate. The bot...

The most poured Port in the UK. Average age of about 4 years, filtered before bottling. Gentle Ruby colour. Smooth fruit nose, sweet fruit palate with a gentle grip. Warm cinnamon drops finish. A comforting and reliable glass.  86/100. Tasted 21-Feb-23. Open 4 hours.

Bottled 2021 in 75cl. Strawberry toned amber colour, 20% opaque. Honey and VA on the nose. Smooth on the palate; honey and nuts on the palate with good acidity. Warm honey palate with a little orange and apricot. Nutty finish. Nicely blended and enjoyable, not a big and burly wine but balanced and p...

Churchill LBV 2017, £8 for a 75ml glass at Bar Douro, City. Pleasant cherry fruit, light bodied, soft tannins. 86/100. Drunk 17-Feb-23.

Churchill 1997, £16.50 for a 75ml glass at Bar Douro, City. Rather baked and dirty, but tasting mature and reasonably enjoyable. 85/100. Drunk 17-Feb-23.

Dark cherry red, narrow rim. Cherry and garrigue nose, a little subdued. Sweet palate, cloying at first but the acidity and tannins start to show on the mid palate. Some of the Warre elegance is struggling to show through but the wine is a little closed at the moment. Although drinkable today, it wi...

A cask sample drawn in June 2009 and put into a half bottle. Still a remarkable shade of magenta with a hint of purple. Rich fruit on the palate, ripe and perfumed. The tannins in the wine are a lovely black chocolate, teasing the edges of the tongue. A big aftertaste and finish; long and with dark ...

Bottled 2021 in 50cl. Golden apricot in colour, 20% opaque. Dried mango on the palate, plentiful fruit, sweet but balanced by the acidity. Long dried mango finish. Delicious. 88/100. Drunk 19-Feb-23. Decanted ½ hour.

I've just had an email from Waitrose saying their "Buy 6, get 25% off" sale is on for a week.

I had the chance recently to compare the Cockburn Special Reserve and the Graham 6 Grapes side by side. I also thought the CSR to be perfectly pleasant, better than it used to be. But it pales in comparison with the 6 Grapes (which, in turn, pales in comparison with the Vilha Velha limited edition v...

I can’t do the 23rd, that’s my day at the Chelsea Flower Show.

BD11D1F0-2AB4-4666-8331-FDC72EFAD3CA.jpeg B43B8920-1A14-4186-914C-A2A787197408.jpeg AC61EE5B-187B-4129-A743-2CD80CD9B559.jpeg 25300C6E-E447-4CCC-9A21-387B16A97DB0.jpeg Magnum opened at 00.00 and decanted at 11.30. All freehand decanted, then one portion untouched, one through muslin, one through co...