1896 Feuerheerd

[Alex Bridgeman]

A wax capsule indistinctly branded with the bottler as ""W…SCHLADEN 1896 MIDDLESBOROUGH"" (possibly ""WALTER""). The cork was branded Feuerheerd 1896.

From Mike Meehan. A very pale golden brown colour, 20% opaque. Stale and a little oxidised on the nose, a smell which later started to reveal a little citrus. Much fresher on the palate with the acidity keeping the balance. Some notes of oxidation showed on the late palate with butterscotch flavouring the acidity, but little or no fruit present. Nutty aftertaste and finish. Tired and dried out but still pleasant. 87/100. Tasted 15-Dec-22. Decanted 1½ hours.

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30% opacity, orange, slightly cloudy. Soft, oranges, still has some backbone but mostly citrus.

I believe the cork from this bottle was the first any of us had seen with branding and a year pre 1900.

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I believe the cork from this bottle was the first any of us had seen with branding and a year pre 1900.

I should be more precise. I believe the cork from this bottle was the first any of us had seen with branding and a year pre 1900, for a bottle bottled pre 1900. Clearly there are branded corks around for pre 1900 colheita ports, which have been bottled at a much later date.

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I believe the cork from this bottle was the first any of us had seen with branding and a year pre 1900.

I should be more precise. I believe the cork from this bottle was the first any of us had seen with branding and a year pre 1900, for a bottle bottled pre 1900. Clearly there are branded corks around for pre 1900 colheita ports, which have been bottled at a much later date.

And as I reflect now, I'm not sure we have any evidence THIS bottle was bottled pre 1900...so I suppose it could have been a colheita bottled later? Although I think the word VINTAGE may be visible. I'll bring the cork to a future tasting and those with better cork-deciphering skills can opine.