Friday 1st April 2011 - Chez Bridgeman

[DRT]

As a result of a late dash to Southampton to collect the FG64 for the tasting on 4th April, I have sought refuge at Chez Bridgeman for the evening.

Having now been fed, it now turns out to be exactly Port-o'clock.

There are two decanters, both being served blind, one supplied by each person. At this point these wines are know as:

• The Magnum (revealed as SW77), and;
• The Bottle (revealed as GC70).

More to follow...


Late in the evening we were joined, virtually, by JacobH, who was drinking Fonseca 10 year tawny, bottled in 1979

[Alex Bridgeman]

The Bottle

Double decanted this morning and then decanted about 3 hours ago.

This is mid red in colour, young but apparently approaching early maturity. Still 90% opaque and with pigmentation into the rim but the colour has softened slightly from the vibrant magenta of youth.

On the nose it has an odd earthy or burnt rubber smell; perhaps the early stages of bottle stink developing in a bottle. Time in the glass will tell.

Medium-light bodied entry, simple at first but patience allows a lovely crescendo of dry and slightly sour fruit flavours to slowly build up to a really delightful and elegant peak. On swallowing, there is a burst of deep and rich raisin and dried cherry before a flash of heat and then a long finish of dark chocolate.

This is an odd port with the nose and palate being conflicting. I like it; the finish is a real feature. 91/100.

Now to try and guess what this might be. I'm struggling to place the age - it looks quite youthful but the flavours are certainly mature and secondary. Is this from the '70s?

[DRT]

Yes, it is from the 1970's.

[Alex Bridgeman]

You're probably throwing something odd at me, but I don't think so. The quality of the wine, the flavours, tannins and aftertaste all make me think that this is a top wine from a top vintage.

Is this, perhaps, a Dow 1970?

[DRT]

It is a 1970.

[Alex Bridgeman]

Hmm. Perhaps not dry enough to be a Dow. Shows such presence and gravity that I would still guess it to be a major shipper, but not Taylor or Fonseca - but that dark chocolate on the finish is stunning. Fabulous finish.

Is it one of the Symington's secondary labels - perhaps Gould Campbell?

[DRT]

It is Gould Campbell 1970, bottled by Tanners, and I think this is the 4th bottle from the same batch that we have shared in the past 12 months.

[DRT]

The Magnum:

Very dark red but I suspect it is older than it looks. Some dust on the nose which is quite closed. Thick and extremely smooth on entry with lots of chewy tannins and dark fruit. Delicious wine, which is not yet mature. I have a feeling this will become even better with lots of time in the decanter.

The colour makes me want to say that this is a 1985 but I think it is older. Is it from the 1960s?

[DRT]

Having tasted this again I'm struggling to see how it can be older than a 1980's vintage. There is so much tannin and the wine so tight and closed that I would be astonished if it was any older than that, but something tells me it is.

Is this wine older than 1980?

[Alex Bridgeman]

Yes, this wine is older than the 1980 vintage.

[DRT]

Is it from the 1960s?

[Alex Bridgeman]

It is not from the 1960s.

Perhaps it could be Mackenzie 1955

[DRT]

70's?

[Alex Bridgeman]

This is a port from the decade 1970-1979.

[Alex Bridgeman]

He's gone very quiet. Looks like he's thinking hard. He's had to refill his glass...

[DRT]

So, we have a very dark Port from the 1970's that is immature and very dry and tannic.

Dow 1977?

[Alex Bridgeman]

This is not a Dow port, but I do understand why you might say so. It is quite dry and austere.

It is from the odd vintage that is 1977, that produced some tight and brooding (your word, and very accurate) wines and some wines which have already fallen apart.

[DRT]

Smith Woodhouse 1977?

[Alex Bridgeman]

It is, indeed, a magnum of Smith Woodhouse 1977.

And it is extremely impressive.

[benread]

It is, indeed, a magnum of Smith Woodhouse 1977.

And it is extremely impressive.

That conclusion does please me!

[Alex Bridgeman]

It is, indeed, a magnum of Smith Woodhouse 1977.

And it is extremely impressive.

That conclusion does please me!

It does me, as well. I am really pleased that I bought a few of these. It is a gobsmacking wine.

[DRT]

I am also pleased, but for a different reason.

Tonight is the first of six with my Port-drinking buddies doing what comes naturally. This has been a good start.

Roll on tomorrow

[benread]

I am also pleased, but for a different reason.

Tonight is the first of six with my Port-drinking buddies doing what comes naturally. This has been a good start.

Roll on tomorrow

I can tell you don't have young children! I am currently banned from going to bed for fear of waking Jonnie!

[DRT]

I am also pleased, but for a different reason.

Tonight is the first of six with my Port-drinking buddies doing what comes naturally. This has been a good start.

Roll on tomorrow

I can tell you don't have young children! I am currently banned from going to bed for fear of waking Jonnie!

I do have a child, but he's bigger than me and is currently out with his girlfriend painting Edinburgh red. My work is done

[Alex Bridgeman]

I can tell you don't have young children! I am currently banned from going to bed for fear of waking Jonnie!

I think you're going to have to explain that one. Does this mean you're sleeping in the car tonight? If so, how long does it take to drive from Sussex/Kent to just south of Reading?

[benread]

I can tell you don't have young children! I am currently banned from going to bed for fear of waking Jonnie!

I think you're going to have to explain that one. Does this mean you're sleeping in the car tonight? If so, how long does it take to drive from Sussex/Kent to just south of Reading?

We are both banned from bedroom until it is deemed feeding time again! Surrey - Wokingham is probably an hour but after 3 glasses of Colheita I would also need a driver!

[DRT]

I can tell you don't have young children! I am currently banned from going to bed for fear of waking Jonnie!

I think you're going to have to explain that one. Does this mean you're sleeping in the car tonight? If so, how long does it take to drive from Sussex/Kent to just south of Reading?

We are both banned from bedroom until it is deemed feeding time again! Surrey - Wokingham is probably an hour but after 3 glasses of Colheita I would also need a driver!

Just a phone call away

[JacobH]

It is, indeed, a magnum of Smith Woodhouse 1977.

And it is extremely impressive.

That conclusion does please me!

Me, too! Though I had to fill up another glass of Port to combat the nerves reading through this thread!

Thanks to AHB for committing infanticide on one of his; I hope we can share the others at their maturity (if anyone cares to suggest when that would be?!).

[JacobH]

Incidentally, are AHB and DRT in the same room by communicating via. or carrying out a virtual tasting in different rooms of AHB’s house?

[DRT]

Incidentally, are AHB and DRT in the same room by communicating via. or carrying out a virtual tasting in different rooms of AHB’s house?

We are in the same room and I can confirm that we are talking to one another. You can think of this thread as a "Portcast".

[JacobH]

Incidentally, are AHB and DRT in the same room by communicating via. or carrying out a virtual tasting in different rooms of AHB’s house?

We are in the same room and I can confirm that we are talking to one another. You can think of this thread as a "Portcast".

Hmm...Portcast...now that’s an idea...We would only need some webcams installed in AHB’s kitchen; the Crusting Pipe tunnel; and that steakhouse in New York City...

[DRT]

Incidentally, are AHB and DRT in the same room by communicating via. or carrying out a virtual tasting in different rooms of AHB’s house?

We are in the same room and I can confirm that we are talking to one another. You can think of this thread as a "Portcast".

Hmm...Portcast...now that’s an idea...We would only need some webcams installed in AHB’s kitchen; the Crusting Pipe tunnel; and that steakhouse in New York City...

We have a webcam here. Skype away!

[Alex Bridgeman]

Me, too! Though I had to fill up another glass of Port to combat the nerves reading through this thread!

Thanks to AHB for committing infanticide on one of his; I hope we can share the others at their maturity (if anyone cares to suggest when that would be?!).

I think we are at least 20 years away from proper maturity and I am not entirely convinced that I will live to see the time when I would declare this port to be fully mature.

[JacobH]

Incidentally, are AHB and DRT in the same room by communicating via. or carrying out a virtual tasting in different rooms of AHB’s house?

We are in the same room and I can confirm that we are talking to one another. You can think of this thread as a "Portcast".

Hmm...Portcast...now that’s an idea...We would only need some webcams installed in AHB’s kitchen; the Crusting Pipe tunnel; and that steakhouse in New York City...

We have a webcam here. Skype away!

(Un)fortunately, I don’t have Skype installed and I’m not sure that if I do that will I be able to resist opening one of my Smith Woodhouse Magnums...and some Gould Cambell to fully join in with you!

I will continue to amuse myself with an oddity and one that has improved with what conventionally would be regarded as poor treatment...

[DRT]

Incidentally, are AHB and DRT in the same room by communicating via. or carrying out a virtual tasting in different rooms of AHB’s house?

We are in the same room and I can confirm that we are talking to one another. You can think of this thread as a "Portcast".

Hmm...Portcast...now that’s an idea...We would only need some webcams installed in AHB’s kitchen; the Crusting Pipe tunnel; and that steakhouse in New York City...

We have a webcam here. Skype away!

(Un)fortunately, I don’t have Skype installed and I’m not sure that if I do that will I be able to resist opening one of my Smith Woodhouse Magnums...and some Gould Cambell to fully join in with you!

I will continue to amuse myself with an oddity and one that has improved with what conventionally would be regarded as poor treatment...

Given that AHB communicated via TPF for at least part of this offline you are now officially "here". What do you have in the glass? Please describe it.

[JacobH]

Incidentally, are AHB and DRT in the same room by communicating via. or carrying out a virtual tasting in different rooms of AHB’s house?

We are in the same room and I can confirm that we are talking to one another. You can think of this thread as a "Portcast".

Hmm...Portcast...now that’s an idea...We would only need some webcams installed in AHB’s kitchen; the Crusting Pipe tunnel; and that steakhouse in New York City...

We have a webcam here. Skype away!

(Un)fortunately, I don’t have Skype installed and I’m not sure that if I do that will I be able to resist opening one of my Smith Woodhouse Magnums...and some Gould Cambell to fully join in with you!

I will continue to amuse myself with an oddity and one that has improved with what conventionally would be regarded as poor treatment...

Given that AHB communicated via TPF for at least part of this offline you are now officially "here". What do you have in the glass? Please describe it.

Well, if you are volunteering to guess, I can confirm it is Port. What else would you like to know?

[DRT]

Incidentally, are AHB and DRT in the same room by communicating via. or carrying out a virtual tasting in different rooms of AHB’s house?

We are in the same room and I can confirm that we are talking to one another. You can think of this thread as a "Portcast".

Hmm...Portcast...now that’s an idea...We would only need some webcams installed in AHB’s kitchen; the Crusting Pipe tunnel; and that steakhouse in New York City...

We have a webcam here. Skype away!

(Un)fortunately, I don’t have Skype installed and I’m not sure that if I do that will I be able to resist opening one of my Smith Woodhouse Magnums...and some Gould Cambell to fully join in with you!

I will continue to amuse myself with an oddity and one that has improved with what conventionally would be regarded as poor treatment...

Given that AHB communicated via TPF for at least part of this offline you are now officially "here". What do you have in the glass? Please describe it.

Well, if you are volunteering to guess, I can confirm it is Port. What else would you like to know?

Red or brown?

[Alex Bridgeman]

Incidentally, are AHB and DRT in the same room by communicating via. or carrying out a virtual tasting in different rooms of AHB’s house?

We are in the same room and I can confirm that we are talking to one another. You can think of this thread as a "Portcast".

Hmm...Portcast...now that’s an idea...We would only need some webcams installed in AHB’s kitchen; the Crusting Pipe tunnel; and that steakhouse in New York City...

We have a webcam here. Skype away!

(Un)fortunately, I don’t have Skype installed and I’m not sure that if I do that will I be able to resist opening one of my Smith Woodhouse Magnums...and some Gould Cambell to fully join in with you!

I will continue to amuse myself with an oddity and one that has improved with what conventionally would be regarded as poor treatment...

Given that AHB communicated via TPF for at least part of this offline you are now officially "here". What do you have in the glass? Please describe it.

Well, if you are volunteering to guess, I can confirm it is Port. What else would you like to know?

Red or brown?

What he means is "Please describe the colour"

[JacobH]

Incidentally, are AHB and DRT in the same room by communicating via. or carrying out a virtual tasting in different rooms of AHB’s house?

We are in the same room and I can confirm that we are talking to one another. You can think of this thread as a "Portcast".

Hmm...Portcast...now that’s an idea...We would only need some webcams installed in AHB’s kitchen; the Crusting Pipe tunnel; and that steakhouse in New York City...

We have a webcam here. Skype away!

(Un)fortunately, I don’t have Skype installed and I’m not sure that if I do that will I be able to resist opening one of my Smith Woodhouse Magnums...and some Gould Cambell to fully join in with you!

I will continue to amuse myself with an oddity and one that has improved with what conventionally would be regarded as poor treatment...

Given that AHB communicated via TPF for at least part of this offline you are now officially "here". What do you have in the glass? Please describe it.

Well, if you are volunteering to guess, I can confirm it is Port. What else would you like to know?

Red or brown?

What he means is "Please describe the colour"

Colour: unusual for Port. Consistent for an oddity. Brownish gold in the middle, with perhaps the smallest amount of rose gold, fading dramatically to a colourless edge.

[Alex Bridgeman]

Incidentally, are AHB and DRT in the same room by communicating via. or carrying out a virtual tasting in different rooms of AHB’s house?

We are in the same room and I can confirm that we are talking to one another. You can think of this thread as a "Portcast".

Hmm...Portcast...now that’s an idea...We would only need some webcams installed in AHB’s kitchen; the Crusting Pipe tunnel; and that steakhouse in New York City...

We have a webcam here. Skype away!

(Un)fortunately, I don’t have Skype installed and I’m not sure that if I do that will I be able to resist opening one of my Smith Woodhouse Magnums...and some Gould Cambell to fully join in with you!

I will continue to amuse myself with an oddity and one that has improved with what conventionally would be regarded as poor treatment...

Given that AHB communicated via TPF for at least part of this offline you are now officially "here". What do you have in the glass? Please describe it.

Well, if you are volunteering to guess, I can confirm it is Port. What else would you like to know?

Red or brown?

What he means is "Please describe the colour"

Colour: unusual for Port. Consistent for an oddity. Brownish gold in the middle, with perhaps the smallest amount of rose gold, fading dramatically to a colourless edge.

Is it a white port?

[JacobH]

[quote="JacobH"]Incidentally, are AHB and DRT in the same room by communicating via. or carrying out a virtual tasting in different rooms of AHB’s house?

We are in the same room and I can confirm that we are talking to one another. You can think of this thread as a "Portcast".

Hmm...Portcast...now that’s an idea...We would only need some webcams installed in AHB’s kitchen; the Crusting Pipe tunnel; and that steakhouse in New York City...

We have a webcam here. Skype away!

(Un)fortunately, I don’t have Skype installed and I’m not sure that if I do that will I be able to resist opening one of my Smith Woodhouse Magnums...and some Gould Cambell to fully join in with you!

I will continue to amuse myself with an oddity and one that has improved with what conventionally would be regarded as poor treatment...

Given that AHB communicated via TPF for at least part of this offline you are now officially "here". What do you have in the glass? Please describe it.

Well, if you are volunteering to guess, I can confirm it is Port. What else would you like to know?

Red or brown?

What he means is "Please describe the colour"

Colour: unusual for Port. Consistent for an oddity. Brownish gold in the middle, with perhaps the smallest amount of rose gold, fading dramatically to a colourless edge.

Is it a white port?[/quote]No.

[DRT]

[quote="DRT"][quote="JacobH"]Incidentally, are AHB and DRT in the same room by communicating via. or carrying out a virtual tasting in different rooms of AHB’s house?

We are in the same room and I can confirm that we are talking to one another. You can think of this thread as a "Portcast".

Hmm...Portcast...now that’s an idea...We would only need some webcams installed in AHB’s kitchen; the Crusting Pipe tunnel; and that steakhouse in New York City...

We have a webcam here. Skype away!

(Un)fortunately, I don’t have Skype installed and I’m not sure that if I do that will I be able to resist opening one of my Smith Woodhouse Magnums...and some Gould Cambell to fully join in with you!

I will continue to amuse myself with an oddity and one that has improved with what conventionally would be regarded as poor treatment...

Given that AHB communicated via TPF for at least part of this offline you are now officially "here". What do you have in the glass? Please describe it.

Well, if you are volunteering to guess, I can confirm it is Port. What else would you like to know?

Red or brown?

What he means is "Please describe the colour"

Colour: unusual for Port. Consistent for an oddity. Brownish gold in the middle, with perhaps the smallest amount of rose gold, fading dramatically to a colourless edge.

Is it a white port?[/quote]No.[/quote]Taylor 20 yr old bottled in the 70's?

[JacobH]

[quote="JacobH"][quote="DRT"][quote="JacobH"]Incidentally, are AHB and DRT in the same room by communicating via. or carrying out a virtual tasting in different rooms of AHB’s house?

We are in the same room and I can confirm that we are talking to one another. You can think of this thread as a "Portcast".

Hmm...Portcast...now that’s an idea...We would only need some webcams installed in AHB’s kitchen; the Crusting Pipe tunnel; and that steakhouse in New York City...

We have a webcam here. Skype away!

(Un)fortunately, I don’t have Skype installed and I’m not sure that if I do that will I be able to resist opening one of my Smith Woodhouse Magnums...and some Gould Cambell to fully join in with you!

I will continue to amuse myself with an oddity and one that has improved with what conventionally would be regarded as poor treatment...

Given that AHB communicated via TPF for at least part of this offline you are now officially "here". What do you have in the glass? Please describe it.

Well, if you are volunteering to guess, I can confirm it is Port. What else would you like to know?

Red or brown?

What he means is "Please describe the colour"

Colour: unusual for Port. Consistent for an oddity. Brownish gold in the middle, with perhaps the smallest amount of rose gold, fading dramatically to a colourless edge.

Is it a white port?[/quote]No.[/quote]Taylor 20 yr old bottled in the 70's?[/quote]Close. It was this bottle which has continued to air for the last four months. At approximately 3,500 hours decanting time, it is no-longer cloudy, and tastes rather like a mixture of Werther’s Original and an old 30- or older tawny Port. Still a bit spirity and acidic, though. Perhaps will revisit the last glass at about 7,000 hours decanting time.

How is the Magnum doing?

[DRT]

[quote="DRT"][quote="JacobH"][quote="DRT"][quote="JacobH"]Incidentally, are AHB and DRT in the same room by communicating via. or carrying out a virtual tasting in different rooms of AHB’s house?

We are in the same room and I can confirm that we are talking to one another. You can think of this thread as a "Portcast".

Hmm...Portcast...now that’s an idea...We would only need some webcams installed in AHB’s kitchen; the Crusting Pipe tunnel; and that steakhouse in New York City...

We have a webcam here. Skype away!

(Un)fortunately, I don’t have Skype installed and I’m not sure that if I do that will I be able to resist opening one of my Smith Woodhouse Magnums...and some Gould Cambell to fully join in with you!

I will continue to amuse myself with an oddity and one that has improved with what conventionally would be regarded as poor treatment...

Given that AHB communicated via TPF for at least part of this offline you are now officially "here". What do you have in the glass? Please describe it.

Well, if you are volunteering to guess, I can confirm it is Port. What else would you like to know?

Red or brown?

What he means is "Please describe the colour"

Colour: unusual for Port. Consistent for an oddity. Brownish gold in the middle, with perhaps the smallest amount of rose gold, fading dramatically to a colourless edge.

Is it a white port?[/quote]No.[/quote]Taylor 20 yr old bottled in the 70's?[/quote]Close. It was this bottle which has continued to air for the last four months. At approximately 3,500 hours decanting time, it is no-longer cloudy, and tastes rather like a mixture of Werther’s Original and an old 30- or older tawny Port. Still a bit spirity and acidic, though. Perhaps will revisit the last glass at about 7,000 hours decanting time.

How is the Magnum doing?[/quote]I see no Magnum!

[Alex Bridgeman]

[quote="DRT"][quote="JacobH"][quote="DRT"][quote="JacobH"]Incidentally, are AHB and DRT in the same room by communicating via. or carrying out a virtual tasting in different rooms of AHB’s house?

We are in the same room and I can confirm that we are talking to one another. You can think of this thread as a "Portcast".

Hmm...Portcast...now that’s an idea...We would only need some webcams installed in AHB’s kitchen; the Crusting Pipe tunnel; and that steakhouse in New York City...

We have a webcam here. Skype away!

(Un)fortunately, I don’t have Skype installed and I’m not sure that if I do that will I be able to resist opening one of my Smith Woodhouse Magnums...and some Gould Cambell to fully join in with you!

I will continue to amuse myself with an oddity and one that has improved with what conventionally would be regarded as poor treatment...

Given that AHB communicated via TPF for at least part of this offline you are now officially "here". What do you have in the glass? Please describe it.

Well, if you are volunteering to guess, I can confirm it is Port. What else would you like to know?

Red or brown?

What he means is "Please describe the colour"

Colour: unusual for Port. Consistent for an oddity. Brownish gold in the middle, with perhaps the smallest amount of rose gold, fading dramatically to a colourless edge.

Is it a white port?[/quote]No.[/quote]Taylor 20 yr old bottled in the 70's?[/quote]Close. It was this bottle which has continued to air for the last four months. At approximately 3,500 hours decanting time, it is no-longer cloudy, and tastes rather like a mixture of Werther’s Original and an old 30- or older tawny Port. Still a bit spirity and acidic, though. Perhaps will revisit the last glass at about 7,000 hours decanting time.

How is the Magnum doing?[/quote]The magnum is doing really, really well. After 6 hours decanting it has softened and become quite pleasant. I hope to try some later today after about 14-15 hours in the decanter provided I remember to take the relevant key upstairs with me.

[Alex Bridgeman]

[quote="JacobH"][quote="DRT"][quote="JacobH"][quote="DRT"][quote="JacobH"]Incidentally, are AHB and DRT in the same room by communicating via. or carrying out a virtual tasting in different rooms of AHB’s house?

We are in the same room and I can confirm that we are talking to one another. You can think of this thread as a "Portcast".

Hmm...Portcast...now that’s an idea...We would only need some webcams installed in AHB’s kitchen; the Crusting Pipe tunnel; and that steakhouse in New York City...

We have a webcam here. Skype away!

(Un)fortunately, I don’t have Skype installed and I’m not sure that if I do that will I be able to resist opening one of my Smith Woodhouse Magnums...and some Gould Cambell to fully join in with you!

I will continue to amuse myself with an oddity and one that has improved with what conventionally would be regarded as poor treatment...

Given that AHB communicated via TPF for at least part of this offline you are now officially "here". What do you have in the glass? Please describe it.

Well, if you are volunteering to guess, I can confirm it is Port. What else would you like to know?

Red or brown?

What he means is "Please describe the colour"

Colour: unusual for Port. Consistent for an oddity. Brownish gold in the middle, with perhaps the smallest amount of rose gold, fading dramatically to a colourless edge.

Is it a white port?[/quote]No.[/quote]Taylor 20 yr old bottled in the 70's?[/quote]Close. It was this bottle which has continued to air for the last four months. At approximately 3,500 hours decanting time, it is no-longer cloudy, and tastes rather like a mixture of Werther’s Original and an old 30- or older tawny Port. Still a bit spirity and acidic, though. Perhaps will revisit the last glass at about 7,000 hours decanting time.

How is the Magnum doing?[/quote]The magnum is doing really, really well. After 6 hours decanting it has softened and become quite pleasant. I hope to try some later today after about 14-15 hours in the decanter provided I remember to take the relevant key upstairs with me.[/quote]Nooo! He has now switched to Stella as a palate cleanser before moving on to Quarles Harris 1997! Please - I need helpful suggestions as to how I can dissuade him from this foolishness.

[JacobH]

[quote="JacobH"][quote="DRT"][quote="JacobH"][quote="DRT"][quote="JacobH"]Incidentally, are AHB and DRT in the same room by communicating via. or carrying out a virtual tasting in different rooms of AHB’s house?

We are in the same room and I can confirm that we are talking to one another. You can think of this thread as a "Portcast".

Hmm...Portcast...now that’s an idea...We would only need some webcams installed in AHB’s kitchen; the Crusting Pipe tunnel; and that steakhouse in New York City...

We have a webcam here. Skype away!

(Un)fortunately, I don’t have Skype installed and I’m not sure that if I do that will I be able to resist opening one of my Smith Woodhouse Magnums...and some Gould Cambell to fully join in with you!

I will continue to amuse myself with an oddity and one that has improved with what conventionally would be regarded as poor treatment...

Given that AHB communicated via TPF for at least part of this offline you are now officially "here". What do you have in the glass? Please describe it.

Well, if you are volunteering to guess, I can confirm it is Port. What else would you like to know?

Red or brown?

What he means is "Please describe the colour"

Colour: unusual for Port. Consistent for an oddity. Brownish gold in the middle, with perhaps the smallest amount of rose gold, fading dramatically to a colourless edge.

Is it a white port?[/quote]No.[/quote]Taylor 20 yr old bottled in the 70's?[/quote]Close. It was this bottle which has continued to air for the last four months. At approximately 3,500 hours decanting time, it is no-longer cloudy, and tastes rather like a mixture of Werther’s Original and an old 30- or older tawny Port. Still a bit spirity and acidic, though. Perhaps will revisit the last glass at about 7,000 hours decanting time.

How is the Magnum doing?[/quote]The magnum is doing really, really well. After 6 hours decanting it has softened and become quite pleasant. I hope to try some later today after about 14-15 hours in the decanter provided I remember to take the relevant key upstairs with me.[/quote]If it has had 6 hours already, then 14-15 would be at about 8.45-9.45. Very impressive breakfast Port consumption! Anyway, I seem to have run out of Port so I may have to bow out at this point! See you all tomorrow (I think that makes sense, considering the time...)

[JacobH]

[quote="DRT"][quote="JacobH"][quote="DRT"][quote="JacobH"][quote="DRT"][quote="JacobH"]Incidentally, are AHB and DRT in the same room by communicating via. or carrying out a virtual tasting in different rooms of AHB’s house?

We are in the same room and I can confirm that we are talking to one another. You can think of this thread as a "Portcast".

Hmm...Portcast...now that’s an idea...We would only need some webcams installed in AHB’s kitchen; the Crusting Pipe tunnel; and that steakhouse in New York City...

We have a webcam here. Skype away!

(Un)fortunately, I don’t have Skype installed and I’m not sure that if I do that will I be able to resist opening one of my Smith Woodhouse Magnums...and some Gould Cambell to fully join in with you!

I will continue to amuse myself with an oddity and one that has improved with what conventionally would be regarded as poor treatment...

Given that AHB communicated via TPF for at least part of this offline you are now officially "here". What do you have in the glass? Please describe it.

Well, if you are volunteering to guess, I can confirm it is Port. What else would you like to know?

Red or brown?

What he means is "Please describe the colour"

Colour: unusual for Port. Consistent for an oddity. Brownish gold in the middle, with perhaps the smallest amount of rose gold, fading dramatically to a colourless edge.

Is it a white port?[/quote]No.[/quote]Taylor 20 yr old bottled in the 70's?[/quote]Close. It was this bottle which has continued to air for the last four months. At approximately 3,500 hours decanting time, it is no-longer cloudy, and tastes rather like a mixture of Werther’s Original and an old 30- or older tawny Port. Still a bit spirity and acidic, though. Perhaps will revisit the last glass at about 7,000 hours decanting time.

How is the Magnum doing?[/quote]The magnum is doing really, really well. After 6 hours decanting it has softened and become quite pleasant. I hope to try some later today after about 14-15 hours in the decanter provided I remember to take the relevant key upstairs with me.[/quote]Nooo! He has now switched to Stella as a palate cleanser before moving on to Quarles Harris 1997! Please - I need helpful suggestions as to how I can dissuade him from this foolishness.[/quote]Open a bottle of real ale? Find some old tawny to use as mouthwash? I hope you see no foolishness in the Quarles Harris 1997?

[DRT]

[quote="DRT"][quote="JacobH"][quote="DRT"][quote="JacobH"][quote="DRT"][quote="JacobH"]Incidentally, are AHB and DRT in the same room by communicating via. or carrying out a virtual tasting in different rooms of AHB’s house?

We are in the same room and I can confirm that we are talking to one another. You can think of this thread as a "Portcast".

Hmm...Portcast...now that’s an idea...We would only need some webcams installed in AHB’s kitchen; the Crusting Pipe tunnel; and that steakhouse in New York City...

We have a webcam here. Skype away!

(Un)fortunately, I don’t have Skype installed and I’m not sure that if I do that will I be able to resist opening one of my Smith Woodhouse Magnums...and some Gould Cambell to fully join in with you!

I will continue to amuse myself with an oddity and one that has improved with what conventionally would be regarded as poor treatment...

Given that AHB communicated via TPF for at least part of this offline you are now officially "here". What do you have in the glass? Please describe it.

Well, if you are volunteering to guess, I can confirm it is Port. What else would you like to know?

Red or brown?

What he means is "Please describe the colour"

Colour: unusual for Port. Consistent for an oddity. Brownish gold in the middle, with perhaps the smallest amount of rose gold, fading dramatically to a colourless edge.

Is it a white port?[/quote]No.[/quote]Taylor 20 yr old bottled in the 70's?[/quote]Close. It was this bottle which has continued to air for the last four months. At approximately 3,500 hours decanting time, it is no-longer cloudy, and tastes rather like a mixture of Werther’s Original and an old 30- or older tawny Port. Still a bit spirity and acidic, though. Perhaps will revisit the last glass at about 7,000 hours decanting time.

How is the Magnum doing?[/quote]The magnum is doing really, really well. After 6 hours decanting it has softened and become quite pleasant. I hope to try some later today after about 14-15 hours in the decanter provided I remember to take the relevant key upstairs with me.[/quote]Nooo! He has now switched to Stella as a palate cleanser before moving on to Quarles Harris 1997! Please - I need helpful suggestions as to how I can dissuade him from this foolishness.[/quote]I acknowledge the foolishness. Quarles Harris 97 at this time of night? That just seems wrong. Now then, where is that Fonseca 63 I saw in the wine fridge earlier this evening?

[Alex Bridgeman]

[quote="DRT"][quote="JacobH"][quote="DRT"][quote="JacobH"][quote="DRT"][quote="JacobH"]Incidentally, are AHB and DRT in the same room by communicating via. or carrying out a virtual tasting in different rooms of AHB’s house?

We are in the same room and I can confirm that we are talking to one another. You can think of this thread as a "Portcast".

Hmm...Portcast...now that’s an idea...We would only need some webcams installed in AHB’s kitchen; the Crusting Pipe tunnel; and that steakhouse in New York City...

We have a webcam here. Skype away!

(Un)fortunately, I don’t have Skype installed and I’m not sure that if I do that will I be able to resist opening one of my Smith Woodhouse Magnums...and some Gould Cambell to fully join in with you!

I will continue to amuse myself with an oddity and one that has improved with what conventionally would be regarded as poor treatment...

Given that AHB communicated via TPF for at least part of this offline you are now officially "here". What do you have in the glass? Please describe it.

Well, if you are volunteering to guess, I can confirm it is Port. What else would you like to know?

Red or brown?

What he means is "Please describe the colour"

Colour: unusual for Port. Consistent for an oddity. Brownish gold in the middle, with perhaps the smallest amount of rose gold, fading dramatically to a colourless edge.

Is it a white port?[/quote]No.[/quote]Taylor 20 yr old bottled in the 70's?[/quote]Close. It was this bottle which has continued to air for the last four months. At approximately 3,500 hours decanting time, it is no-longer cloudy, and tastes rather like a mixture of Werther’s Original and an old 30- or older tawny Port. Still a bit spirity and acidic, though. Perhaps will revisit the last glass at about 7,000 hours decanting time.

How is the Magnum doing?[/quote]The magnum is doing really, really well. After 6 hours decanting it has softened and become quite pleasant. I hope to try some later today after about 14-15 hours in the decanter provided I remember to take the relevant key upstairs with me.[/quote]Nooo! He has now switched to Stella as a palate cleanser before moving on to Quarles Harris 1997! Please - I need helpful suggestions as to how I can dissuade him from this foolishness.[/quote]Thank you to the person who PMed me the suggestion of the use of a straight jacket. That has proven to be very effective. I can now retire confident that the rest of the magnum (and other bottles) are safe for the night.