Tuesday 27th May 2025 - 1985s @ 40

[nac]

The backend of May and all of June are currently functionless, so have booked the Red Room at The Boot & Flogger for the evening of Tuesday 27th May for a 1985 Horizontal (booking reference DMN-16900667259).

Previous edition of this tasting was in March 2022, and as they are now 40, it seems an appropriate time for a repeat.

Please state interest and bottles.

Attendees:

1. NAC
2. MPM
3. THRA
4. MSC
5. JDAW
6. IDJ
7. Nigel

Not available:

• CPR
• AHB
• HTWH
• MJRM

Available bottles:

1. Cálem - MSC
2. Churchill - NAC, JDAW
3. Dow - MSC, JDAW
4. Delaforce - NAC
5. Feist (magnum) - NAC
6. Fonseca - NAC, MSC, JDAW
7. Gould Campbell - NAC
8. Graham - IDJ, JDAW
9. Hooper - NAC, MSC
10. Hutcheson - MSC
11. Martinez - MSC, JDAW
12. Niepoort - IDJ
13. Noval - NAC
14. Royal Oporto - NAC
15. Smith Woodhouse - MPM
16. Taylor - MSC
17. Warre - NAC, MSC, JDAW

Current draft of the placemats.

[nac]

Bottles to be had:

1. Churchill - NAC
2. Croft - THRA
3. Dow - MSC
4. Fonseca - JDAW
5. Graham - IDJ
6. Martinez - MSC
7. Niepoort - IDJ
8. Noval - NAC
9. Sandeman - THRA
10. Smith Woodhouse - MPM
11. Taylor - MSC
12. Warre - JDAW

[flash_uk]

Yes please

[uncle tom]

The 85s were really awkward a decade ago, but are growing up now

Stick me down please - have loads of shippers

[mcoulson]

May I join in please ... I'm sure I have some 85 somewhere !!

[winesecretary]

Yes please

[uncle tom]

May I join in please ... I'm sure I have some 85 somewhere !!

Anyone needing to adopt - no problem

[uncle tom]

JDAW wishes to be added

[CPR 1]

Yes please

[nac]

Am going to start the list of available bottles.
Propose that if 14 of us we aim for max 18 bottles.

[CPR 1]

I was over optimistic and have discovered I am not available this evening - my apologies.

[Alex Bridgeman]

Not me, much as I love the vintage.

[idj123]

Yes please. Will check what I have to hand.

[nac]

Given this tasting has been proposed with relatively short notice, I suspect we won't get 14 "regular" attendees. So, feel free to bring guests.

[nac]

Not me, much as I love the vintage.

[mcoulson]

May I join in please ... I'm sure I have some 85 somewhere !!

Anyone needing to adopt - no problem

Thanks for the offer Tom ..... however I happen to have snoozing peacefully Cá F Ho H Mz TW D

[hadge]

very sadly can't make this. as this was my christening year (still have a case of T85 given to me), it would have been fun to attended. enjoy and i look forward to seeing the scores and notes.

[nac]

May I join in please ... I'm sure I have some 85 somewhere !!

Anyone needing to adopt - no problem

Thanks for the offer Tom ..... however I happen to have snoozing peacefully Cá F Ho H Mz TW D

Is TW actually SW or T & W?

[Bertie3000]

Sorry I cannot make this.

[mcoulson]

May I join in please ... I'm sure I have some 85 somewhere !!

Anyone needing to adopt - no problem

Thanks for the offer Tom ..... however I happen to have snoozing peacefully Cá F Ho H Mz TW D

Is TW actually SW or T & W?

whoops - fat fingers and old age .... that should be Cá F Ho H Mz T W D

what a difference a space can make ....

no smith woodhouse I'm afraid but I do have T in mag if we are about to run out !

[jdaw1]

I have a pathetically diminutive amount of 1985 Fonseca, and lesser quantities of Warre, Dow, Graham, Taylor, Martinez, Churchill, and even worsely nugatory supplies of Fonseca and Taylor in magnum.

These things are measured in milli-tons: I cower in embarrassment; I hang my head in shame.

[jdaw1]

Previous edition of this tasting was in March 2022

Also perhaps worthy of mention:

• 09 Mar 2017: {Dow,Graham,Fonseca,Taylor,Warre} × {1980,1983,1985};
• 26 Feb 2016: 1985 Horizontal at the Columbia Yacht Club in Chicago;
• 25 Nov 2015: Horizontal of 1985s;
• 02 Apr 2013: 1983-1985 Double Horizontal;
• 19 Jan 2008: The ‘Up North’ 1985 Horizontal;
• 26–27 Dec 2007: The ‘Emergency’ 1985 Horizontal;
• 17 Mar 2007: 1985s in Sussex;
• 13 Apr 2002: In Fulham: {Dow, Graham, Taylor} × {1980, 1983, 1985}.

[idj123]

Might have a few others to hand but so far have espied G and Ni. Although clearly a risk I would love to open the latter; it’s the oldest bought bottle in my collection dating back to c2003 when bought from a wine shop on the road just up from the quayside on the Porto shore.

[nac]

May I join in please ... I'm sure I have some 85 somewhere !!

Anyone needing to adopt - no problem

Thanks for the offer Tom ..... however I happen to have snoozing peacefully Cá F Ho H Mz TW D

Is TW actually SW or T & W?

whoops - fat fingers and old age .... that should be Cá F Ho H Mz T W D

what a difference a space can make ....

no smith woodhouse I'm afraid but I do have T in mag if we are about to run out !

Updated.

[nac]

I have a pathetically diminutive amount of 1985 Fonseca, and lesser quantities of Warre, Dow, Graham, Taylor, Martinez, Churchill, and even worsely nugatory supplies of Fonseca and Taylor in magnum.

These things are measured in milli-tons: I cower in embarrassment; I hang my head in shame.

Think that means you have Fonseca? Have updated the list.

[nac]

Might have a few others to hand but so far have espied G and Ni. Although clearly a risk I would love to open the latter; it’s the oldest bought bottle in my collection dating back to c2003 when bought from a wine shop on the road just up from the quayside on the Porto shore.

List updated.

We are currently only seven strong, but with the choice of - at the moment - 16 shippers.

[nac]

This is now only a week away, so your food orders please.

Will sort out bottle allocations shortly. If you haven’t indicated what you can offer, please do now.

[winesecretary]

Will try to confirm what I have immediately to hand this evening.

[flash_uk]

I went hunting and found SW85, excellent fill and colour. Also have Cálem, but didn't happen upon that.

[flash_uk]

Food order for me:

Peppered Smoked Mackerel
Marinated Pork Chop
Buttered New Potatoes
Chimichurri Broccoli

Welsh rarebit

Many thanks

[mcoulson]

Ham Hock,Fillet Steak (medium), skinny fries, green beans – no butter at all just show them some hot water. Roasted Almond and
Peach Crumble

I've asked Nigel if he is up for an evening - will know real soon ... If he does he will adopt from me

[mcoulson]

Nigels up for the event ... Please add him if that's ok ...

[jdaw1]

No placemats! Please, which Ports, and brought by whom? The usual stuff.

We are currently only seven strong, but with the choice of - at the moment - 16 shippers.

Now eight people, so there should be a cap, a genuine hard cap, of fifteen bottles.

I will try for extra people. Edit: several have been nudged.

[jdaw1]

Menu

• Soup of the day;
• Burger (as rare as allowed) + skinny fries + carrots;
• Welsh rarebit (extra cheesey).

[winesecretary]

I am very sorry, but pressure of work means I am not now going to be able to attend this tasting. Apologies.

[flash_uk]

I am very sorry, but pressure of work means I am not now going to be able to attend this tasting. Apologies.

What happens in situations like this, is that while you are asleep on the evening before the tasting, Port Fairies appear and collect from you all the distressed emotions of having been unable to attend the tasting, they reverse the polarity of these, and bottle them. They then monitor the port calendar and appear on the eve of the next tasting you ARE able to attend, and administer the now-euphoric emotions back to you.

The tasting you attend subsequent to the 27th May 2025 will be fabulous.

[nac]

OK - George out & Nigel in, so back to seven heads.

Unless we get a few more attendee will see if the Green Room is available instead.

[nac]

Could attendees who haven't notified bottle availability please do so TODAY.
At the moment four people are supplying everything.

[nac]

Also, will be submitting food orders later today, so if you haven't told me yet then need to know now.

[nac]

As there are currently only seven of us, would like to aim for the following bottles:

1. Churchill
2. Croft
3. Dow
4. Fonseca
5. Graham
6. Martinez
7. Niepoort
8. Noval
9. Sandeman
10. Taylor
11. Warre

We have some (in bold), but not all of these.
Can we find the missing ones?

[idj123]

Also, will be submitting food orders later today, so if you haven't told me yet then need to know now.

Hopefully just made it in time:

Welsh Rarebit
Burger (M/R) and fries with creamed spinach
Dessert TBD on the night

Thanks!

[jdaw1]

Can we find the missing ones?

We have available sixteen shippers for seven people. Surely we could work with that?

[nac]

OK - bottle allocations decided. Can you please bring:

Julian - Fonseca, Warre
Tom - Croft, Sandeman
Ian - Graham, Niepoort
Mike - Smith Woodhouse
Neil - Churchill, Noval
Martin & Nigel - Dow, Martinez, Taylor

So, 12 bottles between seven of us.

List is also in 2nd post of thread.

I'll do some cost equalisation on the night.

[nac]

Food order has been submitted and asked for 8*12=96 glasses.
Have offered up moving to Green Room if it works better for B&F.

[jdaw1]

+ Guest, Graham V. (not certain, but I think he promised me, if he failed to attend, a Dow 1878).

Current draft of the placemats, with images in the the first post. As usual, somebody please check.

Who will print?

Edit: GJV is in. The placemats have been updated.

[jdaw1]

Is the planning sufficiently settled that TN threads can be made?

[mcoulson]

I'll do the printing .....

[nac]

+ Guest, Graham V. (not certain, but I think he promised me, if he failed to attend, a Dow 1878).

Current draft of the placemats, with images in the the first post. As usual, somebody please check.

Who will print?

Edit: GJV is in. The placemats have been updated.

Placemats appear to be correct.

[jdaw1]

Links:

• Review thread;
• Tasting notes:
  • Fonseca 1985;
  • Taylor 1985;
  • Croft 1985;
  • Quinta do Noval 1985;
  • Sandeman 1985;
  • Graham 1985;
  • Dow 1985;
  • Warre 1985;
  • Martinez 1985;
  • Smith Woodhouse 1985;
  • Niepoort 1985;
  • Churchill 1985;
  • † = Fonseca 1985 number two;
• The placemats;
• Planning and arrangements.

[jdaw1]

My plan is to open the Fonseca on Monday night, the Warre on Tuesday morning, and decant both Tuesday morning. Any objection?