2003 Horizontal - Tue 18 March 2025

[M.Charlton]

I can't make it after all so will have to postpone my non flying travel experiment to a tasting (car, boat, train and tube). Enjoy Christopher!

That's a shame, Justin. @Christopher you've been added to the attendee list.

Should add that I have TTD, Kr, V and Ni (mag-I think).

Thanks, Ian. The original post has been updated.

[CPR 1]

To update on bottles I can contribute Taylor, Niepoort, Portal and Noval - happy to bring more than 1 if that helps

[M.Charlton]

To update on bottles I can contribute Taylor, Niepoort, Portal and Noval - happy to bring more than 1 if that helps

Thanks, Charles. I’ve updated the first post.

[M.Charlton]

Hello team,
Please post by 15/2/25 if there are any bottles you can offer (or indeed can no longer offer).
I’ll then post the lineup I propose for this tasting on 16/2/25.
Many thanks.

[jdaw1]

The Pt and Pt+ that were previously described as being “in storage” are now in much more available storage. Indeed, one of each are standing for use at this tasting.

[M.Charlton]

Hello folks,
Here's the initial assignment of bottles based on the indications of availability in the first post:

1. MC (Cr)
2. RON (G)
3. MPM (W)
4. HTWH (T)
5. CPR (N)
6. NAC (V)
7. PW (Pt – see below)
8. ZDR (Pt+ - see below)
9. MSC (F)
10. GEAG (Ni)
11. IDJ (Kr)
12. TC (Ck – see below)
13. JDAW (D)
14. CMAG (NiS- see below)

There are four people who do have not indicated that they have anything to offer.
Per Julian's post above, and having seen photo evidence of the availability of the same, the Pt and the Pt+ should be added to the tasting (thank you, Julian) - so with this in mind:
Please could I ask that PW arrange with Julian to obtain the Pt.
Please could I ask that ZDR arrange with Julian to obtain the Pt+.

Also, as Julian seems to have the bulk of the other bottles which map to the recent 2000 tasting:
Please could I ask that TC arrange with Julian to obtain the Ck.
Please could I ask that CMAG arrange with Julian to obtain the NiS.

Quite the heavy burden on you here, Julian. Please let me know if this is objectionable (it wasn't).

This means that the remaining bottles from the first post are:
• Roriz (JDAW)
• Sainsbury’s Taste The Difference (JDAW, GEAG, IDJ)
• Sandeman Vau (JDAW)
• Tesco (HTWH)

How many of these should be included (silly question, I fear, based on the number of bottles at the 2000 tasting!).

[jdaw1]

Just to confirm, JDAW is bringing Dow, Portal, Portal+, Cockburn, Niepoort Secundum, Roriz, and Sandeman Vau.

[M.Charlton]

Heroic.

[winesecretary]

I will attempt to pick up Ni and TTD from my country cellar next weekend.

[M.Charlton]

Many thanks, George.

[jdaw1]

Just to confirm, JDAW is bringing Dow, Portal, Portal+, Cockburn, Niepoort Secundum, Roriz, and Sandeman Vau.

Some explanation is obviously needed. When it was said that “JDAW is bringing … Sandeman Vau”, you were all — of course automatically and swiftly and unpromptedly — meant to scurry off to your cellars, followed by more than none of you reporting “Ooh, I have Sandeman and will bring it.”

How did that go?

[jdaw1]

The draft of the placemats has been updated: −Justin, +Christopher; +Krohn, and assignment of who is bringing what. Please, to be checked.

[hadge]

Just to confirm, JDAW is bringing Dow, Portal, Portal+, Cockburn, Niepoort Secundum, Roriz, and Sandeman Vau.

Some explanation is obviously needed. When it was said that “JDAW is bringing … Sandeman Vau”, you were all — of course automatically and swiftly and unpromptedly — meant to scurry off to your cellars, followed by more than none of you reporting “Ooh, I have Sandeman and will bring it.”

How did that go?

I'm no help on this front, just found a case of the BBR instead.

[PhilW]

Just to confirm, JDAW is bringing Dow, Portal, Portal+, Cockburn, Niepoort Secundum, Roriz, and Sandeman Vau.

Some explanation is obviously needed. When it was said that “JDAW is bringing … Sandeman Vau”, you were all — of course automatically and swiftly and unpromptedly — meant to scurry off to your cellars, followed by more than none of you reporting “Ooh, I have Sandeman and will bring it.”

How did that go?

I can help - rather than adopt, I can now bring a Dow, which would help lighten the JDAW load.

[jdaw1]

I can help - rather than adopt, I can now bring a Dow, which would help lighten the JDAW load.

Thank you. Done — in the placemats.

Note to self: JDAW is bringing Portal, Portal+, Cockburn, Niepoort Secundum, Roriz, and Sandeman Vau.

[Alex Bridgeman]

I can help - rather than adopt, I can now bring a Dow, which would help lighten the JDAW load.

Thank you. Done — in the placemats.

Note to self: JDAW is bringing Portal, Portal+, Cockburn, Niepoort Secundum, Roriz, and Sandeman Vau.

Is the Sandeman Vau in double-magnum format?

[jdaw1]

Is the Sandeman Vau in double-magnum format?

Looks at feet. Self-consciously embarrassed, discomposed, indeed discountenanced. Sorry.

[winesecretary]

Are you sorry because it is or because it isn’t?

[akzy]

Unfortunately I will no longer be able to attend this. I'll hopefully catch you all soon at another one.

[jdaw1]

Note to self: JDAW is bringing Portal, Portal+, Cockburn, Niepoort Secundum, Roriz, and Sandeman Vau.

Bottles have been found and stood. Pictures follow.

[jdaw1]

Roriz 2003 = Rr03. The wooden six-box included an A4 information sheet.

[jdaw1]

Niepoort Secundum 2003 = NiS03, in Fortnum & Mason labelling.

[jdaw1]

Cockurn 2003 = Ck03.

[jdaw1]

Sandeman Vau 2003 = SV03.

[jdaw1]

Portal 2003 = Pt03.

[jdaw1]

Portal+ 2003 = Pt+03.

[jdaw1]

Michael C. and I have agreed that, a few days in advance of the tasting, these six will be delivered to the B&F, and he and the B&F will arrange decanting.

[M.Charlton]

Michael C. and I have agreed that, a few days in advance of the tasting, these six will be delivered to the B&F, and he and the B&F will arrange decanting.

Marvellous - thanks. Will do.

[M.Charlton]

Team: please could you post here the number of hours you would expect a 2003 Port to be sat in its decanter prior to the tasting.

[jdaw1]

Team: please could you post here the number of hours you would expect a 2003 Port to be sat in its decanter prior to the tasting.

My guess is that it will hold peak decantation from ≈3 hours to ≈2 days. Obvs., the latter is subject to being stored in a locked room guarded on the outside by dragons and a phalanx of teetotallers.

[Alex Bridgeman]

Oh God no! Not the feared and all-enveloping tee-totallers! No-one can get past them!

[PhilW]

Ah, but they can all be distracted by a nice fillet steak (rare for the dragon, please). Now the tee-total vegan eunuchs, that's another story; your port, your meat aging cabinets, and your progeny are all safe with them - though Boris can't fight for toffee.

[PhilW]

Team: please could you post here the number of hours you would expect a 2003 Port to be sat in its decanter prior to the tasting.

Anything 4hr+ should be fine, I would think.

[jdaw1]

Peeps, you know the drill: we all need to answer the usual question from the usual script.

[jdaw1]

• Soup of the day
• Burger (as rare as allowed) and chips;
• Welsh Rarebit (extra cheesey) and Bramdean pudding.

[winesecretary]

Avocado
Pie
Salad
Cheese

Thank you

[mcoulson]

May I have .....
Pate
Sirloin with skinny fries and peppercorn sauce
Bakewell crumble with custard
Thankyou

[PhilW]

Soup; Pie; Bakewell (custard). Thank you.

[flash_uk]

Duck liver pâté

Chargrilled Surrey Hills rib-eye steak
Fried egg
Skinny fries
carrots

Welsh rarebit

Many thanks

[CPR 1]

Duck liver pâté

Chargrilled Surrey Hills rib-eye steak + Peppercorn - Medium Rare
Skinny fries

Welsh rarebit

Thank you

[winesecretary]

I couldn't find the TTD 03 in the cellar this weekend, I am afraid. It was a pressured weekend for all sorts of reasons and I just ran out of time.

I do have the Ni 03

@idj - might you be able to supply the TTD?

Apologies

[idj123]

I couldn't find the TTD 03 in the cellar this weekend, I am afraid. It was a pressured weekend for all sorts of reasons and I just ran out of time.

I do have the Ni 03

@idj - might you be able to supply the TTD?

Apologies

I can indeed, I came across a number of them whilst successfully hunting out the Kr.

[Glenn E.]

Team: please could you post here the number of hours you would expect a 2003 Port to be sat in its decanter prior to the tasting.

I tend to decant longer than you do in London, so take this for what it's worth. Very generally, I would decant 2003s for 6-8 hours trending toward the high side of that range. But of course that would need to vary by producer, with only the biggest wines getting 8 hours and the softer/more elegant wines getting 6 or possibly as low as 4.

Ferreira? 4 hours.
Fonseca? 8 hours. Maybe 10.

[Christopher]

Personally I would decant in the morning for an evening tasting

[jdaw1]

Current draft of the food order. Six have; eight haven’t. Hear the (gentle) reprimand.

[akzy]

Unfortunately I will no longer be able to attend this. I'll hopefully catch you all soon at another one.

[Christopher]

Smoked salmon
Rib eye medium rare, fries and spinach
Crumble with custard
Many thanks
Happy for this to be standard order if helps admin
Many Thanks

[CPR 1]

Current draft of the food order. Six have; eight haven’t. Hear the (gentle) reprimand.

Please Sir I am missing Skinny Fries

[jdaw1]

Please Sir I am missing Skinny Fries

Believed fixed.

Smoked salmon
Rib eye medium rare, fries and spinach
Crumble with custard

Believed added.

Unfortunately I will no longer be able to attend this. I'll hopefully catch you all soon at another one.

Organiser: without ZDR, are we one too few? If it would help, I have a candidate guest.

[flash_uk]

I approached the admin of retrieving the W03 from storage. And discovered that I also have GC03.

Instructions please.