So, I posted some initial thoughts in the previous chain and have been checking to see what you all thought, only to be disappointed noone else had said anything. Eventually I realised you must have said something, so went looking elsewhere, and here you all are, hiding from me, you little tikes.
At the risk of repeating myself (I have no idea what I wrote last night), that was a brilliant occasion, and I am so pleased the necessary mountains were moved to allow me to attend. Thank-you to everyone who contributed.
1966 would seem to be the King of the Vintages. We had a spectacular set of ports, with only the Warre disappointing. I await with interest AHB's little test on that one. I don't believe the 1963s could be as good (though I humbly push myself forward as a person very ready and willing to be proved wrong), and I suspect that the 1955s (I'm guessing that is the next serious previous vintage) are tiring a little, and perhaps not nearly so well represented from the lesser houses.
The Nacional was easily the best of that house that I have ever tasted, but, for all the hype, is not IMHO worth its premium over the others. I feel privileged to have tasted it, am glad I did, but would still swap one bottle of Nacional for the equivalent value (did we say five bottles?) of Fonsecas. Or Taylors. Or Grahams. Or Dows. Blimey, they were all so nice - wasn't the BBR port fantastic? You might get a crate of that, if you could find it.
The best port of the night was, you'll not be surprised to hear (if you know me), the Fonseca. At the F-Plan, I had F66 for the first time, and it is quite simply the best port I have ever had. I had my rosey glasses on when I tasted it (as perhaps some of you did with the Nacional?), and I wasn't disappointed. It was closely followed by my previous pet favourite, the Taylor (outrageously sporting tannins and telling us 'not yet, you naughty people!') and then the Nacional.
1. Fonseca
2. Taylor
3. Nacional
The worst was the Warre, which was wrong somehow, and then the Rebello Valente. As has been mentioned by a few, however, poorness in this event was largely a relative thing.
1966 rocks! Let's hope England can win the next World Cup in 2010 - it seems to do wonders for the port harvest.
Ghandih