ThePortForum.com

jdaw1 wrote:A restaurant rather than a hotel — No 32 The Old Town, London SW4 0JE.

It might not be great, but I guess they'd sell more if they didn't call it Croft's "Tripe" Crown, which sounds very unappealling.

PhilW wrote:

jdaw1 wrote:A restaurant rather than a hotel — No 32 The Old Town, London SW4 0JE.

It might not be great, but I guess they'd sell more if they didn't call it Croft's "Tripe" Crown, which sounds very unappealling.

A tribute to the Tripe-eaters of Porto?

A tribute to Os Tripeiros, perhaps?

Burgh Island Hotel has available by the glass or bottle a small selection of ports:

• Sandeman Aptiv White @ £3.50 for a 75ml pour
• Sandeman Ruby @ £3.50
• Sandeman 2009 LBV @ £5.00
• Sandeman 10yo tawny @ £6.00
• Sandeman 20yo tawny @ £11.00

AHB wrote:Burgh Island Hotel has available by the glass or bottle a small selection of ports:

<OT>
Oh, I love Burgh Island; the wife and I had our wedding there a few years back. Gary the barman's quite a character.
</OT>

Morston Hall serves (only) a tasting menu in its restaurant every evening; Attendance at dinner is included in your overnight accommodation charge (though I believe you can eat without staying, just not the other way around). In addition to a matched wines offering to go with the tasting menu, they also have an extensive wine list currently including the following ports:

Niepoort 2007 LBV
Ramos Pinto 10yr tawny
Taylor 10yr tawny
Dow 1991 (~£150)
Warre 1985 (~£150)
Fonseca 1963 (~£350)

The prices in brackets are from memory as I did not photograph the list, so may not be quite correct but I think are close. The ports were available only by the bottle, not by the glass (except perhaps the LBV, I am not sure) unless happening to be part of the matched wine selection for that evening.

Given the VPs listed I would have expected the list to include a 20/30yr tawny, and I was very surprised that (given their already-oxidised nature) the tawnies were not available by the glass. From discussion of condition, it sounded as though at least one bottle of the F63 might be a slow leaker, which would make it a very expensive risk.

Mrs B and I had dinner last night at the Mizen Head Hotel in Bamburgh. While the wine list was pretty impressive, chatting to Alex - son of the owner and a lover of wine - revealed that there is also a good collection of top wines in the cellar which do not appear on the wine list. Dinner (of lobster thermidor) was washed down with a bottle of Pocas 2000 with the sweetness of the port beautifully complimenting the sweetness of the lobster.

While Alex was reluctant to say exactly what port was hidden in the cellar, I did learn that the standard offering was Crasto 2007 LBV, that the Niepoort 1994 colheita was not for sale, that the Dow 1963 (English bottled) was for a special occasion (its pair having been opened earlier in the year for a dinner hosted by Chay Blyth) and that the most recent purchase was a case of Pocas 2011. With regards to table wines, the hotel receives an allocation every year of Maria Teresa and Vinha de Ponte from Crasto. Alex and I spent some time talking about Crasto and the Roquette brothers; he recommends a visit to Crasto to see the new winery so that's now on my to do list.

Oh yes, and the food was absolutely superb.

The Booking Office within the very fine Victorian building that is now the St Pancras Renaissance Hotel, has a very decent wine list. That wine list also features some port:
Sandeman White Aptiv @ £35 per bottle or £5 for a 70ml glass
Sandeman 10 year old tawny @ £45 per bottle or £6.50 for a 70ml glass
Dow's Quinta do Bomfim 2001 @ £60 per bottle
Sandeman Vintage Port 2003 @ £75 per bottle

AHB wrote: Dow's Quinta do Bomfim 2001 @ £60 per bottle

This is drinking really well at the moment, almost mature with some secondary notes and softness in the tannins. Don't know prices in your parts, but IIRC, I paid something like 30-40 Euros at the Vinum restaurant for a full bottle of this last year.

I am currently dining alone at the Kameha Grand hotel in Bonn (I caught the afternoon flight. My colleagues planned to catch the cancelled evening flight). On the wine list is a modest selection of port:
Quinta do Noval ruby NV @ €7 per 5cl glass or €46 per bottle
Quinta do Noval white NV @ €7 per 5cl glass or €46 per bottle
Quinta do Noval tawny NV @ €7 per 5cl glass or €45 per bottle
Quinta do Noval LBV 2008 @ €12,50 per 5cl glass or €82 per bottle
Quinta do Noval 10yo tawny @ €11,50 per 5cl glass or €79 per bottle

I am drinking water.

AHB wrote:My colleagues planned to catch the cancelled evening flight

So you are alone? So nobody would know if you crept back into the UK, arriving not later than Wednesday afternoon? Behold, dear readers, at work a master of subtle manoeuvre.

You should have met André for dinner in the Vintage, down the road in Köln.

djewesbury wrote:You should have met André for dinner in the Vintage, down the road in Köln.

You're quite right.

AHB wrote:I am currently dining alone at the Kameha Grand hotel in Bonn (I caught the afternoon flight. My colleagues planned to catch the cancelled evening flight). On the wine list is a modest selection of port:
Quinta do Noval ruby NV @ €7 per 5cl glass or €46 per bottle
Quinta do Noval white NV @ €7 per 5cl glass or €46 per bottle
Quinta do Noval tawny NV @ €7 per 5cl glass or €45 per bottle
Quinta do Noval LBV 2008 @ €12,50 per 5cl glass or €82 per bottle
Quinta do Noval 10yo tawny @ €11,50 per 5cl glass or €79 per bottle

I am drinking water.

Your experience is not unusual for Germany: rather bad port for quite a lot of money. But I guess it's a good reminder that you're quite blessed in the UK when it comes to port. Felix Britannica.

AHB wrote:Quinta do Noval LBV 2008 @ €12,50 per 5cl glass or €82 per bottle

They are expensive, but the Noval LBVs are well-made port, and this price is affordable. Could you have stretched the budget this far?

Again, a restaurant rather than a hotel, but I don't think Smith & Wollensky on John Adam Street will be selling much port to the likes of us. Fine steaks and seafood (it was always my favourite steakhouse in the days when I used to visit New York) but aggressive pricing on wine and port. This is what they offer from their dessert menu:

• Graham’s Six Grapes - £13 per 100 ml pour or £80 per bottle
• Graham’s LBV 2009 - £14 / £80
• Ramos Pinto Quinta de Ervamoira 10yr Tawny - £14 / £80
• Ramos Quinta do Bom Retiro 20yr Tawny - £20 / £119
• Delaforce His Eminence’s Choice, 10yr Tawny - £70 per bottle
• Graham’s Vintage 1983 - £295 per bottle

AHB wrote:Graham’s Six Grapes - £13 per 100 ml pour or £80 per bottle

Since it's roughly £13 per bottle in overpriced, highly-taxed Seattle, that's outrageous!

The Port Gaverne Hotel in Port Gaverne is a restaurant and hotel I have been visiting every two or three years since the late 1980s. During that time it has changed hands occasionally but this time the new owners have included a small but decent selection of Port on the wine list. This now includes:

• Fonseca Terra Prima
• Taylor LBV (currently 2008)
• Warre 1997 @ £95
• Graham 1985 @ £115
• Fonseca 2000 @ £115

The first three are available by the glass or the bottle.

In the Hintlesham Hall Hotel, just outside Ipswich they have some interesting ports on the wine list. These are:
Graham Ruby
Taylor 2008 LBV @ £58 per bottle
Graham 2008 LBV @ £95
Sandeman Vau 1999 @ £60.90
Warre 1970 @ £230
Croft 1963 @ £280

Sadly, none of these struck me as being value for money so I drank a glass of house Rioja.

Seen in a south-London pub:

That's a new one on me. Was this being offered for sale by the pub?

The pub port — which I didn’t try.

jdaw1 wrote:The pub port — which I didn’t try.

Price?

Andy Velebil wrote:Price?

Not asked. Assume cheap pub port, to be added to — ooh, don’t ask.

Available by the glass from the Yeatman Hotel in Oporto (90ml pour for the rubies, 50ml pour for the tawnies):
NV Romaneira 10yo @ €10
NV Noval 10 yo @€10
NV Ramos Pinto 20yo @ €15
NV Fonseca 20yo @ €15
2011 Taylor LBV @ €9
2010 Borges LBV @ €9
2008 Churchill LBV @ €9
2005 Panascal @ €15
2002 Dow colheita @ €12
2001 Malvedos @ €15
1995 Fonseca Guimaraens @ €18
1976 Wiese & Krohn colheita @ €26
1966 Croft @ €42
1885 Taylor Scion @ €100 (for 50ml pour)

There is also a very impressive port list going back to Taylor 1945, Taylor / Krohn 1863 and Scion. Some items on the list are being priced to sell (Croft 1966 is €157 per bottle) and others are very reasonable but a bit of a punt (Yeatman 1991 @ €31 - and it's not Morgan since we bought it all).

AHB wrote:(Yeatman 1991 @ €31 - and it's not Morgan since we bought it all).

Does its cork agree with your buying habits

(edit: for those not familiar a certain Somm there at the hotel who refused to admit it was a rebranded Morgan, until it was pointed out to her by fact and she couldn't dispute it any longer and finally admitted it was. Quite amusing conversation some years ago now).

Not a hotel, but for those staying in or visiting London this may be an alternative place to eat if you need a change from Davy's wine bars. Taberna in Spitalfields market serves petiscos and has an excellent list of Portuguese wines. On the dessert wine list are:

• NV Morgadio de Calcada dry white £3.60 (75ml pour) / £32 (bottle)
• NV Casa de Santa Eufemia white tawny £9.90 / £89
• NV Niepoort Ruby £4 / £36
• 2007 Morgadio de Calcada £7.70 / £69
• 2001 Niepoort Secundum £9 / £72
• 2007 Quinta do Portal £48 (half)

Mrs B and I lunched at the Beetle & Wedge in Moulsford yesterday. Out of curiosity I looked through their wine list. I was exceedingly impressed when I came across:
Smith Woodhouse Fine Ruby - £6.50 for a 100ml pour
Dow 2009 LBV - £7.00 for 100ml
Sandeman 10 year old tawny - I failed to note the price
Offley 20 year old tawny - £12.50 for 100ml
Graham Malvedos 1995 - £16 for 100ml
Graham Malvedos 1987 - £70 per bottle
Graham Malvedos 1968 - £150 per bottle

I must make sure to return when I am not driving!

In March, Mrs B and I had the opportunity to take afternoon tea at Stoke Park. Sadly, despite the tea being very fine, it's not somewhere I can recommend a port lover to visit. Port on the list comprised:
Sandeman LBV (year not specified) - £9 for 75ml
Sandeman 10 year old - £10.50 for 75ml
Sandeman 20 year old - £15.00 for 75ml

The Horse and Groom in Upper Oddington in the Cotswolds has behind the bar:
Tesco Own Label Ruby Port (SFE)
Cockburn Special Reserve
Tesco Finest 2011 LBV (bottled 2016) (SFE)
Quinta do Infantado 10YO Tawny

I didn't make a note of prices other than that the Infantado was £5 for 50ml.

One too many d's in the village Alex!

Did you pop around to Lady Bamford's for some lovely but overpriced food?

Justin K wrote: ↑15:58 Sun 30 Apr 2017 One too many d's in the village Alex!

Did you pop around to Lady Bamford's for some lovely but overpriced food?

Village name corrected! Thank you.

We did pop round to see Lady B. She wasn't in but some of her staff were. I bought some cheese from the cheese room and we left - we were not loud enough or well enough groomed to stay.

CMAG and I visited Bar Douro in Flat Iron Square, London, last night. As might be expected, they had a good wine list featuring a wide range of Portuguese wines including Barca Velha 2008 (@ £390 per bottle) and Quinta da Leda 2011 (@ £90 per bottle).

Other than the Churchill 1997 (@ £14) I didn't make a note of the ports which were available by the glass, but by the bottle the choice was:
Churchill Estate Reserve @ £34
Churchill Estate White @ £40
Churchill Estate 10YO Tawny @ £45
Churchill 20YO Tawny @ £62
Churchill 2008 LBV @ £46
Churchill Gricha 2012 @ £86
Churchill 1997 @ £125
Cockburn 1977 @ £135
Dow 1985 @ £140
Quinta do Noval 1982 @ £150
Warre 1980 @ £155
Warre 1975 @ £185

Not a cheap selection but the food was good and it was surprisingly busy from opening at 6pm through to around 10pm when I left.

For the sake of good order, I’m posting here in case anyone not familiar with the Boot & Flogger is visiting London and wants a glass of Port. The B&F currently offer Graham 10 and 20 YO, Dow 1994, Taylor 1997 and Offley 2000 by the glass and have a fine wine list which includes Graham 1966 and Taylor 1963.

But I think the award for London’s most impressive vintage port list has got to go to Bar Douro, which offers:
Churchill Ruby Reserve @ £34
Churchill White Port (50cl) @ £40 - this is basically a 10YO white
Churchill 10YO Tawny (50cl) @ £45
Churchill 2011 LBV @ £46
Churchill 20YO Tawny (50cl) @ £62
Churchill Quinta da Gricha 2012 @ £86
Churchill 1997 @ £105
Morgan 1991 @ £115
Fonseca Guimaraens 1988 @ £185
Dow 1985 @ £155
Noval 1982 @ £145
Warre 1975 @ £140
Fonseca 1970 @ £300
Warre 1970 @ £210
Gould Campbell 1966 @ £250
Taylor 1966 @ £275
Taylor 1963 @ £310
Gonzalez Byass 1955 @ £380

Has anyone seen a better list in London?

Blackhouse on the Square in Leeds has three ports on their list, all available by the glass or bottle. They are:

• Quinto do Vallado 10YO Tawny @ £6.50 for a 100ml glass or £30 for a 500ml bottle
• Warre’s Warrior @ £5.00 for a glass or £31 for a 750ml bottle
• Warre 2013 Filtered LBV @ £5.50 or £36 for a 750ml bottle

The Mercure Hotel at Box Hill, Burford Bridge has the following to offer...

Cockburn's Fine Ruby - £4.95/70ml, £35 per bottle
Graham's LBV 2012 - £6.95/70ml, £55 per bottle
Graham's 10yr Tawny - £6.95/70ml, £55 per bottle

DRT wrote: ↑23:18 Tue 09 Oct 2018 The Mercure Hotel at Box Hill, Burford Bridge has the following to offer...

Cockburn's Fine Ruby - £4.95/70ml, £35 per bottle
Graham's LBV 2012 - £6.95/70ml, £55 per bottle
Graham's 10yr Tawny - £6.95/70ml, £55 per bottle

I didn’t realise under weights and measures in licensing that you could sell 70ml. When I was working in pubs, port and sherry were sold at a standard double measure or multiples of that. Over the years I have had to convince some pubs that a glass of port was 50ml as a standard and not 25ml... and then obviously order a double standard measure!

EDIT: I have looked it up on the licensing act and port, Sherry or fortified wine should be sold in 50ml, 70ml or multiples of. My mistake.

DRT wrote:The Mercure Hotel at Box Hill, Burford Bridge has the following to offer...

Cockburn's Fine Ruby - £4.95/70ml, £35 per bottle
Graham's LBV 2012 - £6.95/70ml, £55 per bottle
Graham's 10yr Tawny - £6.95/70ml, £55 per bottle

A hotel with an old fashioned outdoor pool. 5 miles down the road from me! And with a direct train from Reigate. You didn’t need to drink alone!


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benread wrote: ↑20:38 Fri 12 Oct 2018A hotel with an old fashioned outdoor pool. 5 miles down the road from me! And with a direct train from Reigate. You didn’t need to drink alone!

I will remember that the next time I stay there!

Current Port offering at 67 Pall Mall:

Other
Pink, Croft 50cl £40.00

Tawny
Ramos Pinto Quinta do Bom Retiro 20 Year Old £82.00

Colheita
Barros 1978 £215.00
Kopke, 1967 £329.00

Vintage
'Vale do Inferno' Quinta de la Rosa 2011 £64.00
Nacional, Quinta do Noval 2003 £1,173.00
Nacional, Quinta do Noval 2000 £1,277.00
Madalena, Smith Woodhouse 1998 £47.00
Dow's 1997 £83.00
Ramos Pinto 1995 £73.00
Martinez 1994 £98.00
Niepoort 1994 £74.00
Warre's 1994 £92.00
Fonseca 1985 £102.00
Dow's 1977 £223.00
Fonseca 1977 £378.00
Grahams 1977 £223.00
Grahams 1970 £280.00
Taylor's 1970 £351.00
Cockburn's 1967 £179.00
Taylor's 1966 £312.00
Fonseca 1963 £391.00
Sandeman 1963 £247.00

125ml glasses of Madalena 98 (£8), Niepoort 97 (£11) and Fonseca 85 (£17) are available.

Thanks nac. Niepoort ‘97 is a strange one to offer. Almost all bottles are faulty I had thought.

flash_uk wrote: ↑19:37 Fri 23 Nov 2018 Thanks nac. Niepoort ‘97 is a strange one to offer. Almost all bottles are faulty I had thought.

Not tried it. If I do will report back...

At the Don Restaurant if you ask them nicely they will show you the original cellars, they even gave my wife and I a free glass of tawny each. As for Vintage Ports I saw last week a single opened bottle of Grahams 2000 in a High Holborn pub that specialises in beers, I asked the barman who advised me he had never seen anyone drinking a glass nor had he ever sold any. I didn't try risking it as they had already mugged us with £7.45 for a pint of a 4.2% keg beer.

Spotter Brown wrote: ↑16:58 Tue 11 Dec 2018 At the Don Restaurant if you ask them nicely they will show you the original cellars, they even gave my wife and I a free glass of tawny each. As for Vintage Ports I saw last week a single opened bottle of Grahams 2000 in a High Holborn pub that specialises in beers, I asked the barman who advised me he had never seen anyone drinking a glass nor had he ever sold any. I didn't try risking it as they had already mugged us with £7.45 for a pint of a 4.2% keg beer.

Please do name the pub! We used to frequent the Davy Holborn Wine Cellar (known as the Bung Hole when we used to visit) and drank in a few of the nearby pubs from time to time. Which is the pub that mugs you and then tries to cheer you up with a glass of ale?

If anyone has the opportunity to visit the Oxford & Cambridge club, their current Vintage Port list comprises of Dow 1997 @ £60, Graham 1997 @ £62, Taylor 1997 @ £63 and Taylor 1994 @ £65.

Update on current offering at 67 Pall Mall:

TAWNY & "OTHER"
Quinta da Gaivosa, 20 YO Tawny, Alves de Sousa 50cl,£66.00 
20 Year Old Tawny Port, Barros, £64.00 
Pink, Croft 50cl, £40.00 
10 Year Old White Port, Kopke Half Bottle (37.5cl), £40.00 
30 Year Old White Port, Kopke Half Bottle (37.5cl), £72.00 
Very Old Dry White Port, Kopke, £345.00 
Ten Year Old White Port, Niepoort, £62.00
30 Year Old Tawny Port, Kopke, £88.00 
Port, 20 Years Old Tawny, Quinta do Noval, £65.00 
Quinta do Bom Retiro 20 Year Old Tawny, Ramos Pinto, £82.00

COLHEITA
Colheita White Port, Kopke 2008 £ 57.00
Kopke 2004 £48.00 
Kopke 1999 £ 66.00 
Kopke 1998 £ 66.00 
Barros 1996 £ 64.00 
Kopke 1989 £ 124.00 
Kopke 1987 £ 99.00 
Kopke 1985 £ 102.00 
Kopke 1979 £ 147.00 
Barros 1978 £ 215.00 
Kopke 1976 £ 158.00 
Kopke 1975 £ 168.00 
Kopke 1967 £ 329.00 
Kopke 1966 £ 239.00 
Kopke 1958 £ 397.00 
Kopke 1941 £ 608.00 

VINTAGE
Quinta do Vesuvio 2007 £ 89.00 
Quinta do Vesuvio 2005 £ 96.00 
Fonseca 2003 £ 102.00 
Quinta do Noval Nacional 2003 £ 1,173.00 
Quinta do Vesuvio 2003 £ 100.00 
Grahams 2000 £ 101.00 
Quinta do Noval Nacional 2000 £ 1,277.00 
Quinta do Vesuvio 2000 £ 96.00 
Quinta do Vesuvio 1999 £ 89.00 
Fonseca Guimaraens 1998 £ 53.00 
Quinta do Vesuvio 1998 £ 100.00 
Fonseca 1997 £ 86.00 
Quinta do Noval 1997 £ 319.00 
Ramos Pinto 1995 £ 73.00 
Grahams 1994 £ 126.00 
Martinez 1994 £ 98.00 
Smith Woodhouse 1994 £ 71.00 
Cockburn's 1991 £ 92.00 
Dow's 1991 £ 95.00 
Warre's 1991 £ 109.00 
Fonseca 1983 £ 137.00 
Warre's 1983 £ 110.00 
Dow's 1977 £ 223.00 
Fonseca 1977 £ 378.00 
Grahams 1977 £ 223.00 
Taylor's 1977 £ 303.00 
Fonseca 1970 £ 319.00 
Grahams 1970 £ 280.00 
Taylor's 1970 £ 351.00 
Cockburn's 1967 £ 179.00 
Taylor's Very Old Single Harvest Port 1965 £ 348.00 
Croft 1963 £ 265.00 
Fonseca 1963 £ 391.00 
Sandeman 1963 £ 280.00 
Taylor's 1963 £ 413.00 
Warre's 1963 £ 258.00

With the following by the glass (125ml):

Barros, Colheita 1996 £ 11.00
Fonseca Guimaraens 1998 £ 9.00 
Fonseca 1997 £ 14.50
Smith Woodhouse 1994 £ 12.00
Dow's 1991 £ 16.00
Grahams 1991 £ 16.00
Warre's 1985 £ 19.50

Interesting Port list. How did you manage to get to know what they had available?

AHB wrote: ↑22:14 Fri 05 Apr 2019 Interesting Port list. How did you manage to get to know what they had available?

I'm a member so have online access to the live winelist. Just did a cut & paste.

Hawksmoor Air Street have a good selection of Port:

• Quinta do Valladolid 10YO Tawny @ £5 per glass or £35 per 50cl bottle
• Quinta de la Rosa 2014 LBV @ £6.50 or £57
• Quinta de la Rosa 2005 @ £7.50 / £80
• Quinta da Pacheca 20YO Tawny @ £9.00 / £85
• Taylor 1970 @ - / £335