1980-1995 LBV Tasting in New Jersey, USA

[Big Love]

Greetings Port Lovers;

Mike W, Matt W, Lucas and I are organizing a tasting and have room for more. Know it is a long shot but still want to offer the invitation.

We are going to cap at 12 people and so far have 6.5 commitments: Cost will be about $155 to $180 per person for Port, dinner, corkage fees and tip (i.e. All In!)

Location: Watchung Valley Golf Club, 600 Mountain Blvd, Watchung, NJ USA

Date: June 7, 2025 from 3 to 8 pm

The Line Up: 12 Late Bottled Vintages (LBVs) from the 80s and 90s.

Dinner: It will be included. 3 Courses. Details in the works.

Cost: $155 to $180 per person including the Port. Exact amount to be determined

Other Tidbits: These will be served sighted; already odd enough. Includes 4 Smith Woodhouses and 4 Warres

If interested PM me, also include your email address. Thanks, John

[jdaw1]

Willing to make placemats, conditional on:
• being given clear instructions about Ports and people;
• a promise that somebody will carefully check my handiwork and report errors to this thread.

[Big Love]

Dear Julian;

Thank you - I was going to solicit your help for placements and you beat me to it. Your "conditions" are perfectly reasonable. We have our bottles set but not who - there is still room at the table.

Here is the Line-Up

Late Bottled Vintage pre-2000 Tasting Lineup
1984 Smith Woodhouse
1984 Warre's
1986 Smith Woodhouse
1986 Warre's
1991 Dow's
1992 Smith Woodhouse
1992 Taylor
1992 Warre's
1994 Quinta Do Noval
1994 Warre's
1995 Andresen
1995 Smith Woodhouse

[jdaw1]

Current draft of the placemats, needing names of attendees.
t t

[Big Love]

Looking awesome so far....names to come.

[jdaw1]

The placemats have been updated.

[winesecretary]

May I salute the organisers of a 12 bottle tasting with 6 attendees. Sirs, you do us proud.

[Big Love]

Honestly, we are disappointed we are not at least 10 but soon must commit fully with what we have (venue needs a proper count and to allow for the accoutrements). But truly appreciate your sentiments.

Thank you Julian for your time making the amazing placements.

[Big Love]

Slight change---taking out the 1992 Warre's and subbing in a 1998 Graham's - this will give us 7 different producers. Julian, if you would be so kind as to make this edit to placements---thank you.

Late Bottled Vintage pre-2000 Tasting Lineup
1984 Smith Woodhouse
1984 Warre's
1986 Smith Woodhouse
1986 Warre's
1991 Dow's
1992 Smith Woodhouse
1992 Taylor
1994 Quinta Do Noval
1994 Warre's
1995 Andresen
1995 Smith Woodhouse
1998 Grahams

[jdaw1]

The placemats have been updated.

… again. Please check, again.

[Mike J. W.]

May I salute the organisers of a 12 bottle tasting with 6 attendees. Sirs, you do us proud.

We had 31 different LBV's at hand to choose from, but we thought that might be a bit too much so we pared it back.

[Big Love]

Looks great!

If 6 of us did all 31 we'd be legends!

[winesecretary]

Worthy in itself of an epic poem that would be. Perhaps starting,‘of port and the men I sing’, rather than ‘arma virumque cano’

[Mike J. W.]

It might not be as popular as Virgil's Aeneid, but it could be a #1 hit on TPF.

[winesecretary]

Fun fact - the current translation of the Aeneid in the Loeb classical library is by my old Latin teacher, Bill Preddy.

[jdaw1]

Little known fact: there is a Latin grace for a Port tasting (ThePortForum, A4, 8½″​×11″), written by the Orator of Cambridge University.

[Big Love]

A very fine tasting. All of the Ports were fine. 1995 Smith Woodhouse was the WOTD (Day for Night as this was an afternoon tasting) with 1995 Andresen close behind in 2nd. 1991 Dows was 3rd just edging out the 1992 Smith Woodhouse. Here is the WOTN Chart.

[winesecretary]

That’s really interesting. Four ports got some 90% of the points. Was that reflected in the palate?

[Big Love]

Yes--these four rather stood out. And scores were really shared until late in the tasting.