It's been a hard week

[Alex Bridgeman]

It's been a very hard and very long week at work and I'm so glad it's Friday. No working over the weekend, but next week is likely to be just as hard.

So I have decided to treat myself tonight. I've just put a manly sized confit de canard in the oven and decanted the first bottle to come to hand from the "specials shelf" - a bottle of Cockburn 1947!

This decanted to be beautifully and sparklingly clear, off such a load of sediment that it looked like someone had shoved a handful of old leaves in the bottle. It's been decanted 30 minutes now, and it's a gorgeous looking deep-orange colour, just irresisitable...

On the nose it's mature, tertiary and smelling of a curious combination of rose hip syrup and cointreau. To taste, it is smooth, slightly dry and full of concentrated oranges. There is a fantastic leatheriness or meatiness just behind all the oranges that doesn't quite come through and a tang of burnt sugar. The texture is quite thick and gloopy. The immediate aftertaste is a bit empty, but the finish is huge; starting very timidly and gradually building up over the next 30 seconds until it dominates every corner of your mouth.

This is delightful port. Fully mature, big but still managing a delightful elegance through a sweet acidic core. Delicious. 94/100

[Axel P]

I am jealous. Enjoy the port.

Axel

[DRT]

I am jealous.

...and I'm on my way to Wokingham with a glass

[Alex Bridgeman]

To earn some of my port, you have to have had a week like the one I've just had.

[DRT]

To earn some of my port, you have to have had a week like the one I've just had.

I have.

[Alex Bridgeman]

To earn some of my port, you have to have had a week like the one I've just had.

I have.

Then you qualify for some - better hurry up though, not much left.

And my week is suddenly feeling much better, or perhaps all the pain just seems a bit fuzzy now.

[Axel P]

Actually I didnt. I had a tasting with Dominic and Egon Mueller on Monday, but spittet all (officially).


Axel