BBR ‟The Grandest Ports of the World[sic]”-9th Feb-£122.30

[JacobH]

Just noticed this when browsing on Berry Bros’ Website:

The Symingtons have been making Port since 1652 and are one of the few vinous dynasties which go even further back than Berrys, established 46 years later. The relationship between the two has been long and successful, with Berrys particularly active in the rarefied market of Vintage Port. Given the huge excitement surrounding the rumours of a 2007 Declaration ”“ due to be announced on St George’s Day ”“ Paul and Johnny Symington suggested they present a retrospective of some of the great names in their portfolio ”“ including Graham, Dow and Warre ”“ in vintages all the way back to the legendary 1963. We were very happy to agree to this suggestion.

Wines to be served:

* Pol Roger Brut Réserve Champagne
* 1997 Smith Woodhouse
* 1997 Quarles Harris
* 1997 Gould Campbell
* 1996 Quinta do Vesuvio
* 1994 Warre
* 1985 Warre
* 1983 Graham
* 1977 Dow
* 1970 Dow
* 1966 Graham
* 1963 Warre

The entrance fee is £122.30. Probably a bit on the high side, though I suppose it very much depends on how good the Symingtons are at leading these sorts of events and how big the servings are...

[Glenn E.]

The entrance fee is £122.30. Probably a bit on the high side, though I suppose it very much depends on how good the Symington’s are at leading these sorts of events and how big the servings are...

And how good the dinner is that they serve. That's $180 for the evening, so it better include dinner. Otherwise that price is excessive for that lineup of Ports. There are only three on the list that are regularly over $100 per bottle in the US (and one more that's usually right around $100), and prices in England are generally much better than they are over here. The rest of those bottles are in the $60 range here.

[Alex Bridgeman]

The fee will almost certainly not include dinner (although dinners at Berry's are very, very good) as this is posted on their website as a tasting and not as a dinner event. The cost will include generous pours of all the wines (probably about a 10cl pour) and a series of hors doeurves - plus the presence of one of the Symingtons to lead the tasting.

Subject to my diary commitments, I will try to be there.

[SushiNorth]

Umm, so does anyone think that our tastings are rather more impressive and better priced?

[jdaw1]

D70 and G66 are jolly good, and the £ isn’t.

[Glenn E.]

10cl ~= 1/8 bottle ~= 3 ounces. So normal pours as opposed to tasting pours.

So... roughly $135 per person in Port consumed (which is probably somewhat generous by US prices), leaving $45 to cover the hors d'oeuvres and the presence of the guest(s) of honor. If they really do serve 10cl pours, then it's not all that horrible of a price to pay.