Time for a 1985 horizontal?

[DRT]

Now then, the big question is, do we do the 1963 or the 1985 horizontal first?

That decision has been taken. What next?

So, we have now done the 1963 vintage and have re-visited 1966 at least once. We now need to do 1985 justice and put the VA question to bed.

Who is in?

[djewesbury]

Now then, the big question is, do we do the 1963 or the 1985 horizontal first?

That decision has been taken. What next?

So, we have now done the 1963 vintage and have re-visited 1966 at least once. We now need to do 1985 justice and put the VA question to bed.

Who is in?

We did an 83 v 85 very recently...

[DRT]

We did an 83 v 85 very recently...

Are you making a point or an observation?

[djewesbury]

We did an 83 v 85 very recently...

Are you making a point or an observation?

Merely inviting comment. Do we want to do 85 again so soon? We could wait 18 months..?

[DRT]

It was JDAW's suggestion to post this now. I will leave him to make arguments regarding timing.

[PhilW]

Who is in?

I would be in. Given the relatively low cost of wines from the year (compared with old verticals), perhaps this could be a pretty broad horizontal (2bt/person)?

[DRT]

Who is in?

I would be in. Given the relatively low cost of wines from the year (compared with old verticals), perhaps this could be a pretty broad horizontal (2bt/person)?

Agreed. One drinkable and one horribly tainted with VA

[PhilW]

Who is in?

I would be in. Given the relatively low cost of wines from the year (compared with old verticals), perhaps this could be a pretty broad horizontal (2bt/person)?

Agreed. One drinkable and one horribly tainted with VA

You're bringing the Cockburn then I take it!

[CPR 1]

I would certainly be game

[jdaw1]

A 1985 Horizontal soon does not preclude another 1985 Horizontal in eighteen months, or after, or before, or all three.

I’m in.

Given the relatively low cost of wines from the year (compared with old verticals), perhaps this could be a pretty broad horizontal (2bt/person)?

Agreed. One drinkable and one horribly tainted with VA

Splendid suggestion and reasoning.

[djewesbury]

A 1985 Horizontal soon does not preclude another 1985 Horizontal in eighteen months, or after, or before, or all three.

I’m in.

Given the relatively low cost of wines from the year (compared with old verticals), perhaps this could be a pretty broad horizontal (2bt/person)?

Agreed. One drinkable and one horribly tainted with VA

Splendid suggestion and reasoning.

OK OK, I never said I wasn't in. I'm in.

[Alex Bridgeman]

I might be, it depends on where and when.

[jdaw1]

In reply to the obvious question not yet asked: Churchill, Fonseca, Martinez, Taylor (single and magnum), and maybe (need to check) Warre magnums.

[djewesbury]

Can I vote for WOTN yet?

[Alex Bridgeman]

I have Churchill, Dow, Fonseca, Graham, Martinez; Warre in 37½ and 75 cl.

[Glenn E.]

We now need to do 1985 justice and put the VA question to bed.

Who is in?

Is this a preview of the horizontal I have planned for 2015 that you all are going to fly to Seattle to attend?

(Sitting at 24 confirmed bottles with 6 more expected.)

[djewesbury]

We now need to do 1985 justice and put the VA question to bed.

Who is in?

Is this a preview of the horizontal I have planned for 2015 that you all are going to fly to Seattle to attend?

(Sitting at 24 confirmed bottles with 6 more expected.)

I'm in!

[Glenn E.]

We now need to do 1985 justice and put the VA question to bed.

Who is in?

Is this a preview of the horizontal I have planned for 2015 that you all are going to fly to Seattle to attend?

(Sitting at 24 confirmed bottles with 6 more expected.)

I'm in!

Excellent, that brings us to ~7 so far...

[Alex Bridgeman]

We now need to do 1985 justice and put the VA question to bed.

Who is in?

Is this a preview of the horizontal I have planned for 2015 that you all are going to fly to Seattle to attend?

(Sitting at 24 confirmed bottles with 6 more expected.)

Hmmm. What time of year? If it is in UK school holidays and doesn't clash with our August plans I might enquire whether Elizabeth would enjoy a trip to Washington in 2015.

[Glenn E.]

We now need to do 1985 justice and put the VA question to bed.

Who is in?

Is this a preview of the horizontal I have planned for 2015 that you all are going to fly to Seattle to attend?

(Sitting at 24 confirmed bottles with 6 more expected.)

Hmmm. What time of year? If it is in UK school holidays and doesn't clash with our August plans I might enquire whether Elizabeth would enjoy a trip to Washington in 2015.

I was thinking early in the year, possibly January or February. No definitive time has yet been set - I intend to work around travel schedules as much as possible.

[djewesbury]

We now need to do 1985 justice and put the VA question to bed.

Who is in?

Is this a preview of the horizontal I have planned for 2015 that you all are going to fly to Seattle to attend?

(Sitting at 24 confirmed bottles with 6 more expected.)

Hmmm. What time of year? If it is in UK school holidays and doesn't clash with our August plans I might enquire whether Elizabeth would enjoy a trip to Washington in 2015.

I was thinking early in the year, possibly January or February. No definitive time has yet been set - I intend to work around travel schedules as much as possible.

If my schedule is the same in 2015 as it is for 2014, then early New Year would be very good... Before university term starts again...

[Justin K]

Early 2014 for me also, Delaforce, Fonseca, Martinez, Taylor and Warres.

[uncle tom]

I have 22 different '85s, so supply is not an issue.

Would like to participate, but not before April

[jdaw1]

Can it be May?

[Axel P]

I got 22 houses, too, so we should try to make it big. Please count me in.

Axel

[uncle tom]

I have:

Burmester
Calem
Churchill
Cockburn
Croft
Delaforce
Dow
Fonseca
Gonzalez, M
Gould Campbell
Graham
Martinez
Morgan
Niepoort
Noval
Pocas
Rebello Valente
Sabordella
Sandeman
Smith Woodhouse
Taylor
Warre

Notable absentees: Nacional, Offley, Quarles Harris & Ramos Pinto

[TLW]

I have:

Burmester
Calem
Churchill
Cockburn
Croft
Delaforce
Dow
Fonseca
Gonzalez, M
Gould Campbell
Graham
Martinez
Morgan
Niepoort
Noval
Pocas
Rebello Valente
Sabordella
Sandeman
Smith Woodhouse
Taylor
Warre

Notable absentees: Nacional, Offley, Quarles Harris & Ramos Pinto

Is the above list a suggestion that we hold the tasting at your house?

In any case, I am in if schedules match - might be through London in June or so. My 85s are all in the US, so would order up something from Davy's or BBR or some such.

[jdaw1]

My 85s are all in the US, so would order up something from Davy's or BBR or some such.

Usual practice at such structured tastings, especially with such asymmetry of provision, is a financial rebalancing.

[uncle tom]

Is the above list a suggestion that we hold the tasting at your house?

You've not seen my house then...

[jdaw1]

Notable absentees: Nacional, Offley, Quarles Harris & Ramos Pinto

I had two bottles of NN85, and only remembered drinking one of them. That one was drunk in July 2006, and the one I didn’t drink somehow disappeared on Sat 17^th March 2007. Sorry.

I also had lots of RP85 from Vickers’ Liquors at ≈$25 a bottle; alas departed to the Great White RP85 In The Sky. (Or down the drain.)

[jdaw1]

Of course, we will try to do as complete a horizontal as possible.

Known 1985 declarations:

• A. Pinto dos Santos;
• Andresen;
• Barros;
• Berry Brothers & Rudd Selection (perhaps same blend as Smith Woodhouse see below);
• Borges & Irmão;
• Burmester;
• Cálem;
• Churchill;
• Cockburn;
• Croft;
• Dalva;
• Delaforce;
• Dow;
• Feist;
• Ferreira;
• Feuerheerd;
• Fonseca;
• Gilberts;
• Gonzalez Byass;
• Gould Campbell;
• Graham;
• Hooper;
• Hutcheson;
• Kopke;
• Krohn;
• M. Gonzalez;
• Martinez;
• Messias;
• Messias Quinta do Cachão;
• Morgan;
• Niepoort;
• Offley Boa Vista;
• Osborne;
• Poças;
• Quarles Harris;
• Quinta da Romaneira;
• Quinta do Crasto;
• Quinta do Infantado;
• Quinta do Noval;
• Quinta do Noval Nacional;
• Ramos-Pinto;
• Robertson Rebello Valente;
• Romariz;
• Royal Oporto;
• Rozès;
• Sandeman;
• Smith Woodhouse (perhaps same blend as Berry Brothers & Rudd Selection see below);
• Souza;
• Taylor;
• Warre.

Possible 1985 declarations:

• Barbosa;
• Cálem Quinta da Foz;
• Fonseca Quinta do Panascal;
• Kopke Quinta São Luiz;
• Magalhães;
• Pousada Porto;
• Quinta de Avidagos;
• Quinta de Roriz;
• Quinta do Bom Retiro Pequeno;
• Quinta do Convento de São Pedro das Águias;
• Seguro;
• Skeffington;
• Van Zeller.

So lots of declarations, and possibly more. We might need two sessions.

Extras:

• Sabordella (from THRA’s list above);
• Quinta do Sibio (see below).

[jdaw1]

Just noticed that

Sabordella

which isn’t on my list.

[RAYC]

Berry Brothers & Rudd Selection;

I'm not sure that the BBR B.o.B. (which is SW) counts as an individual declaration, but if so you should probably include the Mayor Sworder B.o.B / Quinta do Sibio that we tasted last year (link) and The Wine Society's offering (Martinez? - link)

[djewesbury]

Berry Brothers & Rudd Selection;

I'm not sure that the BBR B.o.B. (which is SW) counts as an individual declaration, but if so you should probably include the Mayor Sworder B.o.B / Quinta do Sibio that we tasted last year (link)

I am amazed you want to revisit that, going on your previous TN!

[jdaw1]

I'm not sure that the BBR B.o.B. (which is SW) counts as an individual declaration

Is Berry Bros & Rudd 1985 known to be the same Smith Woodhouse blend? If it is, I’ll add a few words to the list.

[RAYC]

Berry Brothers & Rudd Selection;

I'm not sure that the BBR B.o.B. (which is SW) counts as an individual declaration, but if so you should probably include the Mayor Sworder B.o.B / Quinta do Sibio that we tasted last year (link)

I am amazed you want to revisit that, going on your previous TN!

I'm not sure i ever expressed a desire to revisit this....i think you are putting words in my mouth!

I'm not sure that the BBR B.o.B. (which is SW) counts as an individual declaration

Is Berry Bros & Rudd 1985 known to be the same Smith Woodhouse blend? If it is, I’ll add a few words to the list.

I hard thought it was relatively well known, yes (i thought i read it on this site, but couldn't find it on a quick search just now).

[jdaw1]

My list updated.

[PhilW]

Possible 1985 declarations:...

• Hooper;

I have seen several bottles of Hooper's 1985 over the last couple of years at auction, such as this.

[jdaw1]

I have seen several bottles of Hooper's 1985 over the last couple of years at auction, such as this.

Thank you. Post updated.