ThePortForum.com

The proposal:
I could be in London next Tuesday evening, and since it has been a while since I've been able to meet up with my port chums, it seems like a good opportunity to get one last offline in before the school holidays, if anyone is available?

The arrangements:
- Date: Tues 24th July
- Location: Boot & Flogger (green room, booked)
- Time: 6pm onwards
- Theme: "Something glorious" (bring a bottle to share)

Attendees:

1. PW
2. IDJ
3. JDAW
4. MPM
5. CPR
6. AHB

Current draft of the placemats.

Yes sir, me sir! Any particular theme Phil?

Permission sought.

Glorious suggestion. I’m in.

Holiday, or I would seek permission. I'll acquire some of the finest French supermarket wine I can find (probably cheap tawny, sigh) and join you in spirit.

Excellent, we appear to be quorate. B&F green room booked, and details added to first post.
Regarding theme, given the wording of Mike's reply above, how about a simple "Something glorious" (1815s welcome, but not expected) ?

Permission granted.

Nothing glorious to hand. Hmm.

jdaw1 wrote: ↑21:09 Wed 18 Jul 2018Permission granted.

Excellent.

jdaw1 wrote: ↑21:09 Wed 18 Jul 2018Nothing glorious to hand. Hmm.

Hint: all* port is glorious; Magnums are glorious; Friends are glorious; if nothing else just bring yourself!

_{*subject to the Cruz '89 exception.}

Currently looking like four of us; since they asked I'll submit a food order anyway. If anyone wants anything different from the default order please let me know asap, and I'll submit the food order tomorrow (Fri). Any addition people still welcome to join (subject to green room size limits) and either please include order/default if signing up today, otherwise we'll cope with any extra food/people on the night.

I was trying to avoid London that week, but think it prudent to reassess. Yes please.

Have now uploaded my standard food order which will apply for next week.

Food order submitted to B&F based on standard food orders.

If there’s still space, please could I join you?

And Cruz ‘89 has fooled many an experienced palate. It just needs the right place at the right time. But I won’t bring a bottle of Cruz ‘89. I promise.

AHB wrote: ↑18:08 Sat 21 Jul 2018If there’s still space, please could I join you?

Absolutely (note that food order has already been submitted, so you'll need to order on the night - I'm sure they'll cope).

Are we bringing blind or declaring?

If declaring, I declare that I will bring a glorious double magnum of Cruz 1989.

AHB wrote:Are we bringing blind or declaring?

If declaring, I declare that I will bring a glorious double magnum of Cruz 1989.

Currently blind (though I have no strong feelings either way - except to avoid the... Unmentionable)

AHB wrote: ↑19:58 Sun 22 Jul 2018If declaring, I declare that I will bring a glorious double magnum of Cruz 1989.

Interesting. I had no prior evidence that Cz1989 had been bottled in a double-magnum.

jdaw1 wrote: ↑21:47 Sun 22 Jul 2018

AHB wrote: ↑19:58 Sun 22 Jul 2018If declaring, I declare that I will bring a glorious double magnum of Cruz 1989.

Interesting. I had no prior evidence that Cz1989 had been bottled in a double-magnum.

Well that would be because
(a) you’ve never visited the Cruz cellars and
(b) you didn’t get the big bottle rules changed until after the Cruz ‘89 had been released

So that means you missed out on all the large format Cruz ‘89 that you could have been buying and drinking.

AHB wrote: ↑21:51 Sun 22 Jul 2018(b) you didn’t get the big bottle rules changed until after the Cruz ‘89 had been released

But, in theory at least, it could have been bottled but not sold.

I have nothing to hand that is satisfactory. Would it be possible to adopt?

jdaw1 wrote: ↑14:46 Mon 23 Jul 2018 I have nothing to hand that is satisfactory. Would it be possible to adopt?

I can dig something out for you.

jdaw1 wrote: ↑14:46 Mon 23 Jul 2018 I have nothing to hand that is satisfactory. Would it be possible to adopt?

I was debating whether to bring two bottles. Why don’t I do so and one can be JDAW’s adoptee.

AHB wrote: ↑18:45 Mon 23 Jul 2018

jdaw1 wrote: ↑14:46 Mon 23 Jul 2018 I have nothing to hand that is satisfactory. Would it be possible to adopt?

I was debating whether to bring two bottles. Why don’t I do so and one can be JDAW’s adoptee.

Okey Dokey.

AHB wrote: ↑18:45 Mon 23 Jul 2018Why don’t I do so and one can be JDAW’s adoptee.

Thank you.

I’ll make the paperwork.

Edit: the placemats added to first post.

jdaw1 wrote: ↑19:25 Mon 23 Jul 2018

AHB wrote: ↑18:45 Mon 23 Jul 2018Why don’t I do so and one can be JDAW’s adoptee.

Thank you.

I’ll make the paperwork.

Edit: the placemats added to first post.

Thanks Julian - I was going to do that this evening, but only just back now.

PhilW wrote: ↑20:04 Mon 23 Jul 2018

jdaw1 wrote: ↑19:25 Mon 23 Jul 2018[…] Edit: the placemats added to first post.

Thanks Julian - I was going to do that this evening, but only just back now.

Quite simple, but nonetheless, please check for errors.

jdaw1 wrote: ↑21:04 Mon 23 Jul 2018Quite simple, but nonetheless, please check for errors.

All looks correct.
I should arrive at 6; I can print and bring unless anyone else will be arriving earlier.

I can print...might not get there until around 7 though...

My eta will be 6.30pm.

I should arrive around 6pm but can’t print.

I decanted both bottles last night about 11pm and have kept them in the fridge or an insulated container as much as possible.

I have decanted (2pm) and smells... glorious (what else!).
Have printed, and will be there ~6pm.

Great theme.

Train cancelled (no driver). Alternate route train cancelled (breakdown). Next train running late, will miss connection. I may be slightly late...

Update - should be there by 6.30

Are we ready to guess and vote yet?

Much laughter.

We’ll let you know when we’re ready.

Well I'm ready so here goes:

WOTN Votes:

3pts - MPM
2pts AHB
1pt PW

Tasting notes:

PW - lovely rich colour, perfectly mature with strawberry, vanilla and a slight herb note on the nose. Delicate and perfectly mature. Warre 77, obviously.

IDJ - very dark and a bit closed on the nose. Huge mouthful of dark fruits and tannin - I'm thinking Dow 1980

JDAW - 32.5% opaque, clear rim and very dusty nose, perhaps with some pepper? Nice, but not getting better - drink up! Sandeman 1958

MPM - rich golden red with violets on the nose. A huge mouthful of loveliness - Taylor 1963

CPR - {corked?} Maybe not. Good colour but very dull nose, which makes it very difficult for The Monkey to guess. Full and rich on the palate but something not quite right. Niepoort 1970?

AHB - great colour with a delicious nose of gently softened bunberries left to cool in a slightly humid garden shed. A sparkle of Japanese candy floss truffle in the mid-palate followed by a long slow pause while I eat some of my steak. Has the nose changed? How humid was that shed? Did I tell Elizabeth I'll be home late tonight? Concentrate, the guys want to vote! Back to those bunberries - delicious mythical flavours with a backbone of tannin that faded four decades ago. A fabulous Port with a very long finish. So long that I have to keep everyone waiting until I've almost missed my train! - Unmistakable. This is obviously Taylor 1927.

Voting has finished for WOTN. The monkey’s votes were nonsense. The monkey clearly has no taste.

WOTN votes (excluding the monkey) were PW 15, CPR 7.5, MPM 5.5, AHB 4.5, JDAW 3, IDJ 0.5.

The monkey’s prose won much praise, but his ability to identify ports tasted blind is very poor — and scored zero. Everyone else scored 1 or 2 points.

But we thank the monkey for his help.

I think you will find that The Monkey got all the right notes, just not necessarily in the right order

Great report from the Monkey! Glad you had a great night with some World Class Port!

Links:

• Review of the evening as a whole;
• 1955 Graham;
• 1955 Cockburn;
• 1970 Gould Campbell;
• 1983 Graham;
• 1977 Smith Woodhouse;
• Planning and arrangements;

The monkey did a fantastic job, had us all laughing (especially with the tasting notes, very well observed and written), even if he didn't score any points on guessing the wines; his efforts were appreciated.

Talking of the "What is it?" scoring, this is the first night I remember where nobody (except the monkey) scored zero; everyone scored 1 or 2 points, which considering the small number of wines present is above our usual average, I believe!