BBR VP Tasting-Wednesday 2 February 2022

[idj123]

Berry Bros have kindly offered to host this tasting at 3 At James's Street. It will try to cover all the BBR Own Selection VPs from 1960 through to 2003 (so 14 bottles if we have or can source all). We won't have full catering but there will be plenty of cheese and charcuterie and maybe some wine thrown in as well. Cost will be about £15 to £20 a head. BBR will be represented Tom Cave and Tom has also kindly offered to try and infill any missing bottles (although does not have the 60 bottled by RV). So who's in and (as importantly) who's got what?:

1. Tom Cave / Sebastian Balcombe 1960,
   1991 &1985
2. idj123 (reconfirmed) 1966
3. MPM (reconfirmed) 1997 (mag) (part adopted from AHB)
4. NAC (75) (reconfirmed) 1975
5. PW (66) (reconfirmed) 1983
6. TC (70 +?) (reconfirmed ) 1970
7. Hadge (94) (reconfirmed) 1994
8. BMHR (reconfirmed) 2003
9. JDAW (reconfirmed) 1980 (adopted from CPR)
10. akzy (reconfirmed) 1997 (mag) (part adopted from AHB)
11. GEAG (77) (reconfirmed) 1977
12. AHB (63, 77, 85, 97 ) (reconfirmed) 1963
13. SCD (reconfirmed) 2000 (part adopted from BBR)

Reserve list

• DRL (reconfirmed)

Current draft of the placemats.

BBR, by email: “We use Georgia as our official typeface for our placecards.” Alas, JDAW’s version has only old-style figures, so the similar Charter used instead.

[hadge]

yes - i would be keen but not sure i have any BBR port, will have a look

[benread]

This really appeals to me. I’d love to be there please.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro

[jdaw1]

Yes please.

[Christopher]

Yes please
CMAG and RGO

[winesecretary]

Yes please. All I have is the BBR Quarles Harris 1977.

[Alex Bridgeman]

Yes please.

I have the 1963, 1977, 1985, 1997 and odd bottles of one or two other vintages. I also have a bottle of the BBR Crusted Port bottled in 2003.

[DRT]

Yes please

[Doggett]

Yes please

[akzy]

I don't have any but would be keen to join.

[forest26]

Berrys own selection - 1970 and a few others.

[PhilW]

Checked last night; as per Ian I only have the Berry's Own Selection from '66.
(various other BBR-bottled, but am assuming it's BBR's own brand labelled "Berry's Own Selection" we're talking about here)

[CPR 1]

Ian to confirm I can offer;

BBR 63, 77, 80, 85, 97 (but only in 1/2), 00 plus 2011 which might be intresting to see how it is getting on?

[nac]

Just checked & have one bottle of the 1975. Will save for September.

BBR1975 crop.JPG (44.16 KiB) Viewed 28072 times

[CPR 1]

Just checked & have one bottle of the 1975. Will save for September.


BBR1975 crop.JPG

I have cellar envy looking at the background to that photo

[PhilW]

That's a very interesting label - since in my lists BBR's own '75 is listed as being Gould Campbell, not Quarles Harris - but it's also the first time I've seen a photo of the actual label (which I'd like to add to the VPID if I may please? - once I finally get the major update done).

n.b. to anyone - I have no photo of the BBR77 either, so if anyone has one and could send me a label (and capsule?) image, please?

[nac]

That's a very interesting label - since in my lists BBR's own '75 is listed as being Gould Campbell, not Quarles Harris - but it's also the first time I've seen a photo of the actual label (which I'd like to add to the VPID if I may please? - once I finally get the major update done).

Permission granted. I’ll send you the hi-res version.

[DaveRL]

Yes please, interesting. Sorry, but I don't have any of these.

[flash_uk]

I'll need to adopt please.

[CPR 1]

thumbnail_20200131_111402 2.jpg (157.02 KiB) Viewed 28033 times

[CPR 1]

thumbnail_20200131_111443.jpg (118.4 KiB) Viewed 28033 times

[PhilW]

Thanks to both nac and CPR for the images

[jdaw1]

n.b. to anyone - I have no photo of the BBR77 either, so if anyone has one and could send me a label (and capsule?) image, please?

Permission granted. I’ll send you the hi-res version.

Please also send to me (max resolution please), and allow it to be used in a later version of the Addendum. Thank you.

[jdaw1]

Berry Brothers & Rudd Selection

In some vintage years there is a “Berry Brothers & Rudd” Vintage Port, sold by the eponymous wine merchant. The sources are shown, as kindly revealed by Berry Brothers & Rudd.

          The list sent by Berry Brothers & Rudd started in 1960, so did not reveal the shippers of the earlier selections: 1917, 1920, 1924, 1927, 1935, and 1955.

1960 Rebello Valente

1963 Taylor Fladgate

1966 Warre

1970 Warre

1975 Gould Campbell

1977 Quarles Harris

1980 Warre

1983 Warre

1985 Shipped by Smith Woodhouse

1991 Bottled by Smith Woodhouse

1994 Produced & bottled by Smith Woodhouse

1997 Produced & bottled by Warre

2000 Produced by Smith Woodhouse

2003 Produced by Quinta de la Rosa

2011 When we asked Charles Symington, Head Winemaker at Dow, Graham and Warre, to send in samples for our Own Selection from the superb 2011 vintage, he was happy to oblige. After extensive tasting, we concluded the wine made in the style of Graham best captured the essence of this extraordinary year with its precision, purity and power. The blend is mainly Touriga Nacional and Tinta Roriz, with a small percentage of Souzão sourced from some of the best vineyards of the Douro Superior. The nose glories in notes of gum cistus and violet, and the palate is beautifully rounded, yet with finely etched tannins on the finish – making this vintage, to my mind, the best since 1994.

          The BBR 2011 was made in the style of Graham, but might not be Graham itself.

[PhilW]

Indeed. And we have additionally determined since that BBR47 is Fonseca, and BBR55 is Graham.

And BBR75 is clearly QH, either in addition to GC (if both existed) or GC is an error in their list for '75.

I was not aware of the other pre-47 vintages, so that is interesting and useful additional information, thank you.

p.s. Wasn't there a Berry's Own Selection which Tom brought once from a vintage which was pre-Rudd? (can't find my note on that currently)