ThePortForum.com

2016 Declaration

A couple of months ago we thought it would be a good idea that, as a Forum, we tasted vintages on release. I contacted some of the shippers to get some samples and had a very welcome response.

Most of the samples have been kindly donated by the shippers/importers


Scores:

WIne of the Night: Vesuvio Capella (21 points)
Runner Up: Taylors (12 Points)

GST (11)
W (5.5)
D (4.5)
Sk (3)
S (2)
N (2)
NiB (2)
G (2)
O 1
Ms 1

Not scored but Honorable mentions
Ck
SW
V
F
Cr
MsC
Vr







Confirmed Bottles

Noval (75cl)
Cockburn (2 x 37.5)
Taylor's (75cl)
Fonseca (75cl)
Croft (75cl)
Skeffington (75cl)
Niepoort Bioma (Half)
Valriz (1 x 75)
Graham (2x37.5)
Dow (2x37.5)
Warre (2x37.5)
SWH (2x37.5)
Roriz (2x37.5)
GST (2x37.5)
Vesuvio (2x37.5)
Vesuvo Capella (2x37.5)
SAndeman
Offley
Messias
Quinta do Cachao





Attendees
TC
IDJ
WS1 - no longer attending
Christopher (1)
CHRISTOPHER (2)
SCD
MPM
DRL
CPR
JDAW
Tom
DIA
AHB

works for me. Thx Tony.

Good work Tony-count me in!

Sounds wonderful, please count me in.

Works for me, yes please, thanks.

Yes please.

#metoo

Fabulous, yes please; thank you

Splendid - count me in - have the Niepoort Bioma already..

Yes please, can I have two places please!
Thanks

uncle tom wrote: ↑19:34 Thu 02 Aug 2018 Splendid - count me in - have the Niepoort Bioma already..

I only have one half bottle of this for the tasting - are you able to put yours in also to make a sensible quantity?

I only have one half bottle of this for the tasting - are you able to put yours in also to make a sensible quantity?

Mine is a full bottle..

Generally a good response from the shippers so far. Sadly no nacional!

Hi Tony,
Can you please count me in for this?
Many thanks,
Dia

Updated first post.

Just had a delivery from Fells with the SFE estate wines - rather kindly included Capella and GST. For an last-minute ad-hoc arrangement this has been remarkably well supported by the shippers/importers.

Hopefully Sogevinous cask samples are other way which would make about 20 bottles.

Given the quantity does anyone have any idea how we might arrange this?

The largest tasting in recent times was the Vesuvio vertical where we had 22 if I recall correctly. Given how young these are, I could see a possibility where we could have more like 16 or 18 attendees, spread across red and green rooms, and make each pour more like 35-40ml. Of course we might not find those extra people, in which case I'd still make a smaller pour.

For me personally, I have now figured out I can taste 16 ports OK in one sitting, everything above that becomes a struggle. Maybe we could start at 5.30, and plan in a 45 min break around 8pm, and have a flight of 12 then a flight of 8. We can then come back to the table with some renewed energy at 8.45 for the final smaller flight?

The official blind tasting of the 2011 vintage in Porto had over 50 wines. Some thought it was too heavy a session, but I managed to keep my palate clear by drinking copious amounts of water, and by keeping reference glasses back from each flight was able to stop my opinion of the wines from drifting.

Would suggest three flights for this one, and allowing for some glasses to be retained, allow perhaps ten or twelve glasses per participant.

I suggest organising it as a self-pour walk around tasting. Put all the bottles on some tables at one end of the Red Room and people just help themselves to what they want, sitting down and taking notes as they wish.

I suggest organising it as a self-pour walk around tasting. Put all the bottles on some tables at one end of the Red Room and people just help themselves to what they want, sitting down and taking notes as they wish.

That would work..

uncle tom wrote: ↑08:24 Fri 17 Aug 2018

I suggest organising it as a self-pour walk around tasting. Put all the bottles on some tables at one end of the Red Room and people just help themselves to what they want, sitting down and taking notes as they wish.

That would work..

Yes like that idea. Everyone can pace themselves accordingly.

flash_uk wrote: ↑11:45 Fri 17 Aug 2018

uncle tom wrote: ↑08:24 Fri 17 Aug 2018

I suggest organising it as a self-pour walk around tasting. Put all the bottles on some tables at one end of the Red Room and people just help themselves to what they want, sitting down and taking notes as they wish.

That would work..

Yes like that idea. Everyone can pace themselves accordingly.

Agreed - It makes organisation so much easier.

AHB wrote: ↑16:00 Thu 16 Aug 2018I suggest organising it as a self-pour walk around tasting. Put all the bottles on some tables at one end of the Red Room and people just help themselves to what they want, sitting down and taking notes as they wish.

Agreed. I’ll prepare sticky labels rather than the usual circles (when there’s a list of shippers).

jdaw1 wrote: ↑00:13 Sat 18 Aug 2018

AHB wrote: ↑16:00 Thu 16 Aug 2018I suggest organising it as a self-pour walk around tasting. Put all the bottles on some tables at one end of the Red Room and people just help themselves to what they want, sitting down and taking notes as they wish.

Agreed. I’ll prepare sticky labels rather than the usual circles (when there’s a list of shippers).

YEs Please

Lady and gentlemen
Can I have your menu choices (please).

If I'm able to attend (still not certain) should I bring a bottle of something a little more mature with which we can rinse our palates after the hard work of the young ports?

Can I grab one of the remaining places, please?

Starter: Starter portion of Scallops, prawns and bacon with Chilli — no need to include the salad
Main: Medium-rare Rib-eye steak with skinny fries
Dessert: None

AHB wrote: ↑16:50 Mon 03 Sep 2018 If I'm able to attend (still not certain) should I bring a bottle of something a little more mature with which we can rinse our palates after the hard work of the young ports?

Yes.. but I feel that it should be after we have voted.

No food order from me for this event please. Very much looking forward to enjoying a first taste of my songs vintage year. Thanks Tony.

I shall help prepare the food order. For those that have not added one on the food thread I will e-mail you tonight.

Most of the port should be at B&F today. Dia has kindly coordinated the menu choices for us.

I am still waiting for the Sandeman and Offley - these are coming from IBD so might be tight. Also have Cachao and Messias arriving on Monday. Not a bad line up considering it was all last minute. With a little more planning next year - this could become much more diverse. The timing of early September is particularly good for the smaller producers.

I was planning to get to B&f around 3pm and then open them. They should not need decanting at this early age so it will be a self pour. If everything turns up then we have around 18 bottles. How many glasses per person (suggest 6-8 )?

I will bring the Niepoort on the day

I can confirm that I will be able to attend.

If the food order has been submitted, I’ll order on the night. If it’s not been submitted, please could I have my standard order.

I will also bring something a little more mature than 2016 to drink with / after dinner.

Sorry chaps, I will now not be in London on Wednesday evening so will be unable to join you.

Can someone please cancel my food order or let Alex eat it?

Hi,

sadly I have to drop out of this tasting due to work commitments. After my holiday something came up I have to look into....

Sorry for that.

regards

WS1

As I had the best steak I have had from the B&F last time, could I repeat that order:

Truffle Mac and cheese
Steak (medium rare) and skinny fries with a side order of green beans
Dessert tbd on the night

Thanks

Is the list of confirmed bottles correct? I’m about to make the sticky labels.

Current version at www.jdawiseman.com/2018/20180912_2016s.pdf. Please peruse and comment, perhaps after answering this question.

I have been travelling for the last couple of days so missed the last post.
Messias arrived today.

Julian, the version I am looking at is missing Offley, Sandeman, Messias and Cachao.

flash_uk wrote: ↑18:15 Tue 11 Sep 2018is missing Offley, Sandeman, Messias and Cachao.

Weren’t in first post. Added. Please re-check.

Who to print?

Happy to print

Hi mike
If you can print them off it would be much appreciated
I’m planning on being there before 5.

Please print the stickies on the correct side. (That error has been seen before!)

forest26 wrote: ↑12:12 Wed 12 Sep 2018 Hi mike
If you can print them off it would be much appreciated
I’m planning on being there before 5.

I'll get there between 4 and 5.

jdaw1 wrote: ↑12:16 Wed 12 Sep 2018 Please print the stickies on the correct side. (That error has been seen before!)

All done and checked

I've just had a call from B&F asking for some help in pulling together their preparation for tonight. They can't trace a pre-order for food so I have asked them to be ready to serve the following:

AHB - no starter, rib eye (medium rare) with thin chips, side of beans & shallots
IDJ - truffle Mac and cheese, steak (medium rare) and skinny fries, side of green beans
TC -
CMAG - Cornish crab salad with ciabatta toasts; Medium-rare rib-eye steak (240g aged for 28 days), side of Green beans with shallots
CMAG +1 -
MPM - Cornish crab salad with ciabatta toasts; Rare rib-eye steak (240g aged for 28 days) with hand cut chips and a fried egg, side of green beans with shallots
DRL - Oak smoked salmon with beetroot, orange and horseradish; Rib eye steak (rare) with skinny fries, side of green beans with shallots
To be asked for gluten free please.
CPR - truffle mac and cheese; Black-and-blue rib-eye steak (240g aged for 28 days), side of green beans with shallots, or creamed spinach (season dependent, latter preferred)
JDAW - Duck liver pâté; Sirloin steak, blue, with skinny fries, side of Green beans with shallots; Perhaps Welsh Rarebit, super extra cheesy plus plus more.
THRA - Duck liver pate; Medium-rare rib-eye steak with skinny fries + Peppercorn sauce; side of Green beans with shallots
Dia - Duck liver pate; Sirloin steak (rare) with thick cut chips and creamed spinach if available. (When no spinach, green beans with shallots.)

Mike - I will be bringing you your olive oil (I don't think I've delivered it to you yet)

Thank you.

Hi! (my first post, I have been reading here for a year or two, but only just started an account).

I wish I was living in London and could participate in this event. But I do hope to enjoy reading your opinions on the 2016 vintages, as I plan to buy one or two for my son (who was born that year) so he could drink it when he becomes 30 or 40.

Zhukov wrote: ↑18:34 Wed 12 Sep 2018 Hi! (my first post, I have been reading here for a year or two, but only just started an account).

I wish I was living in London and could participate in this event. But I do hope to enjoy reading your opinions on the 2016 vintages, as I plan to buy one or two for my son (who was born that year) so he could drink it when he becomes 30 or 40.

Welcome to the forum and I'm glad that our notes and thoughts on the 2016 vintage might be helpful.

If you do come down to London, please feel free to let us know. We're always very happy to meet people who are on The Port Forum.

Hi Alex
Do you have your scores so I can finalize the list ?

I gave 2 points to Sandeman and 1 to each of Noval, Taylor, Offley and Dow

Honourable mentions went to Smith Woodhouse, Capela and Skeffington