The previous New York tasting seemed to be a good evening for all. Since I have never tasted Vesuvio, and have just bought a few odd bottles (1990, 1991 and 1994), let’s do it again to give me an opportunity to open some of them.
Subway from downtown take the B or C to 81st street: don’t take the A or D as they are express from Columbus Circle to somewhere functionally equivalent to Canada.
We have a date: Tuesday 11th December 2007, that working for me, Jeff, Bob Heckart, and new girl Renée. Does a 7pm start work for everybody?
[Deleted stuff seeking agreement about date.]
Last edited by jdaw1 on 13:03 Mon 26 Nov 2007, edited 12 times in total.
To share my relatively contemporaneous review of the 10/29 tasting session (my first): Great company, great ports, great french fries, great steak. Thank's very much for including me. I really enjoyed it.
Based on the above, another tasting would be most welcome. Of the dates you suggest, I am available December 3, 4, 5 and 11.
I’ve invited, by PM, several people including mosesbotbol, Luc, jonathanvaljean (who never collects PMs: perhaps there’s a new email address not known to TPF), PortDude, Sid_Mac, and even AHB, as well as those who’ve already posted here and some former work colleagues. Who else might want to play?
What do you all think about my bringing a 1994 Croft? As 'New Girl', I indeed welcome all of your suggestions. Also have a mysterious 85 Kopke. Thank you!
Thank you, Julian, for the offering one of your fine selections. In this instance I will opt to bring along the Croft lest we run short or something equally disastrous.
[url=http://www.theportforum.com/viewtopic.php?p=7230#7230]Here[/url] AHB wrote:I've come back to this port again this evening, roughly 28 hours after decanting. This is absolutely superb. The nose has opened up and blackcurrants are dominant. In the mouth the wine is now a little softer but is so much more complex than it was last night or this morning. The tannins are less dominant than they were this morning and the aftertaste is longer and more pronounced.
Julian - when you read this please plan to open the bottle you are tasting a good 24-28 hours before you intend to drink it.
I'm revising my score up for this wine by 1 point - 10/10 or 97/100. Incidentally, I have only ever scored two wines higher than this and they were the Nacional 1994 and the Nacional 1963.
Alex: I can’t do this. The choices are 9am the day before, being 34 hours, or midnight immediately before, being 19 hours. Which do you advise? And also, what do you advise for my Vesuvio 1990 and 1991?
Bob: you’re paying for this bottle of V94; it’s yours. What do you instruct? (Ideally you’ll reply “whatever AHB advises†, or equivalent. Because it’s what will be done unless, before I do it, you instruct to the contrary.)
It looks to me as though it is poor printing. From looking at your pictures, it also seems to be that the location of the initial Q also varies from label to label. Who knows...
As for decanting, I still have some of this left almost exactly 48 hours after decanting and it is stonking. The aftertaste is just unbelievably long although the nose is a little less developed than last night. The midpalate complexity is certainly still with you and the tannins are softer.
My suggestion as to preferred decanting time would depend on the Group's preference for the obviousness of the tannins - if you like your port "grippy" then decant for 19 hours. If you like your tannins more resolved then decant for 39 hours. If you're serving this to me then 39 hours please.
I've timed tasting notes for the 1991 from September 2006 and would recommend that this is also decanted for 39 hours (I tasted it at 36 and preferred it toi the way it tasted after 12 hours) but I have only ever tasted the 1990 once. However, given that this was made from the same grapes by the same winemaking team as the 1991 I would be tempted to decant them all 39 hours in advance of the tasting.
And all I can say is, you are going to really enjoy that Vesuvio 94, and the other two are also pretty good ports.
Have fun folks.
Alex
Top Ports in 2024: Niepoort 1900 Colheita, b.1971. A near perfect Port.
2025: Quevedo 1972 Colheita, b.2024. Just as good as Niepoort 1900!
Pleased to report the Vesuvio 95 is a good bottle.
No chunks on this bottle, very little sediments.
Milk chocolate, all spice, slight raisiny nose. Very very smooth going down with no hint of bite sweet taste with a slight bitter aftertaste. but no balance of acidity there. Dark opaque purple.
Can't wait to try this one tomorrow.
Churchill 94
Lotsa chunks caught in the muslin. Big raisin sized chunks.
clear garnet with a slight browning on the edges, much better legs then the vesuvio. muted slightly medicinal/mint nose, hint of anise. A very nice balance of acidity, again very smooth going down. with a slight burnt woody finish.
Both opened at 3:30pm on monday.
Perfect fill levels on both, no hint of cork on either.
Just arrived home. TNs tomorrow. But Vesuvio ’94 & ’95 fantastic. V92 simple: strawberries, perhaps. V91 foul. Duff Gordon 94 foul. Croft ’94 great. Churchill ’94 good initially, but then deteriorated. The Ramos Pinto single quinta controversial: I thought OK, others hated.
Some people didn’t show, so lots of port for few of us. There are pictures, but tomorrow, in the review.
