ThePortForum.com

TPF's tasting notes list is a remarkable and comprehensive document. I have found it of inestimable value, in particular in deciding whether or not to take a punt on a mixed lot at auction, but it is also useful as a tool of wider analysis simply because of its sheer size.

Even so I have accumulated a number of bottles of port for which there is no tasting note on the tasting notes index as at 1 February 2020 (I have a snapshot of the index as at that date, so if you ask me I can confirm whether or not a tasting note for a wine had been filed (and indexed to) as at that date). At the last count, 9, encompassing all styles of port. Talking to others at a couple of recent tastings (i) it is clear that others have also accumulated odd bottles of such wines; (ii) there was some enthusiasm for sharing such wines with others on this forum.

I should emphasise that this is an unserious tasting. There is a significant possibility that quite a lot of the wines will not be very good- that there's sometimes a reason why we haven't seen notes on them - I am sure that is the case with at least some of those I have. But, we might discover some gems, or at least some tolerable minor wines.

Choosing to attend, I propose, includes undertaking to post a tasting note, on at least 7 of the ports tasted, within 14 days of the tasting (otherwise those not attending don't get to benefit from our innocent fun).

I propose we do this sighted but, to maintain the surprise factor until the day, without advance warning to the group of specifically what is being brought. To make that workable please PM me details of what you plan to bring so I can de-dupe if need be. I will print placemats etc., with the expert assistance of jdaw1 in their preparation.

I plan to bring a 1989. My guests will bring a 1983 and a 1985. For those attendees who have not already told me what they plan to bring, and on review find they do not have one to hand, I have up to 6 other wines available with sufficient notice (21 days) to go to collect them from my country cellar

Red Room at the Boot and Flogger, 1800 for 1830, on a date to be decided.

1. GEAG
2. HTWH
3. flash_uk
4. CPR1
5. forest26
6. idj123
7. jdaw1
8. nac
9. AHB
10. ACMS (AHB guest)
11. uncle tom
12. akzy
13. OJW (GEAG guest)
14. AWCC (GEAG guest)

yes please sounds fun

Sounds good. Count me in!

Yes please

Sent from my SM-G960F using Tapatalk

Yes please - need to be quick these days

Yes please for this as well!

Yes please, though I am going to struggle.

Might it be fairer to make the theme “Bring a Port for which there isn’t, as of 01 Sept 2020, a tasting note on the tasting notes list”?

Yes please.

@ jdaw1- yes, absolutely, your suggestion for theme-finessing by reference to a date is an admirable one. It might even be better if we set it to '1 Feb 2020' in case AHB catches up on his back-log in the interim. I will implement the change once I get to a keyboard.

Was going to bring Hooper's 85 - about which was incorrectly sure there wouldn't be a note...

nac wrote: ↑19:50 Tue 04 Feb 2020 Was going to bring Hooper's 85 - about which was incorrectly sure there wouldn't be a note...

Funny I was thinking exactly the same.

Thus now on plan B. Good fun trying to work out which bottles qualify for this tasting, at least the fixed starting points makes this possible.

I do hope somebody brings a Dow 1878.

Alas my stocks have run dry — at least in 1⅓-pint format.

I deleted a line from the draft of the first post about encouraging people to leave the Dow 1878 at home on this occasion...

Seriously though, I was not intending this as a time for 'bucket list' ports. This is for the 'I'm slightly surprised that there's been no note on...' or 'I think this might be a duffer but...'

jdaw1 wrote: ↑19:56 Mon 03 Feb 2020though I am going to struggle.

Actually, I have one. Hurray! Though there is a risk that it will appear before November.

Yes please. I’d like to be there provided I can find something suitable.

Forgot to say: great theme. I thoroughly approve.

Over multiple repeats, however, this theme will become more difficult.

If, after multiple repeats, this becomes more difficult, then we can move on to alternative but related themes such as 'ports for which there is a unicorn note' or possibly 'ports where the last note is five years old or more'...

winesecretary wrote: ↑16:19 Mon 10 Feb 2020If, after multiple repeats, this becomes more difficult, then we can move on to alternative but related themes such as 'ports for which there is a unicorn note' or possibly 'ports where the last note is five years old or more'...

Genius.

There is a slight flaw in the theme. Unless someone downloads a complete list of all the tasting notes that were on TPF on 1 Feb 2020, we won't know what was there (admitedly we will if we undertake a great deal of painstakingly detailed research, which most won't do). How about a slight variation of "...not on the Tasting Note Index once Derek does the recently requested update..."?

AHB wrote: ↑16:58 Tue 11 Feb 2020 There is a slight flaw in the theme. Unless someone downloads a complete list of all the tasting notes that were on TPF on 1 Feb 2020, we won't know what was there (admitedly we will if we undertake a great deal of painstakingly detailed research, which most won't do). How about a slight variation of "...not on the Tasting Note Index once Derek does the recently requested update..."?

A possible, simple, solution? Attendees let George know (via PM) the wine they intend to bring. He then checks against the database at that moment. If the wine isn't in the database at that moment he accepts it as being within scope.

To confirm- for the purposes of planning this tasting I have taken a snapshot of the tasting notes index (but not the tasting notes) as at 01/02/20. I have updated the initial post to make that clear.

winesecretary wrote: ↑12:41 Wed 12 Feb 2020 To confirm- for the purposes of planning this tasting I have taken a snapshot of the tasting notes index (but not the tasting notes) as at 01/02/20. I have updated the initial post to make that clear.

Perfect, with plenty of clarity.

A question for the organiser: would a Crusted Port bottled in a year for which there is no tasting note qualify?

@ AHB - yes, absolutely, since it would deserve its own note on the tasting notes list. Crusted ports can be jolly fun; I have fond memories of a Taylor's Crusted Bottled 1973 (drunk the best part of a decade ago) with a lovely figgy palate. I am pleased to see the re-emergence of the genre since the millennium, because in the 80s and 90s it was really only Graham who stuck with it.

Excellent; thank you. I am working through my options at the moment and having a lot of fun doing so.

Not including Unknown Shipper Ports, I have identified 102 candidates for me to bring to this tasting. This comprises 5 colheitas, 1 crusted, 13 LBV, 1 ruby, 3 tawny with indication of age, 1 white and 78 vintage or single quinta vintage Ports.

Next step is to eliminate anything in sizes smaller than a full bottle.

The combination of remorseless analysis and case after case of lovely port is a delightful one...

Eliminating options which are in sub-sized containers reduces the number to 85. Now to eliminate any bottles held in bond...

As previously discussed, Alex possibly now has too much spare time on his hands.

Wonder how his Quinta purchasing plans are progressing?

No plans to purchase a quinta, I can't yet figure out how to generate the income I need to be able to buy adequate supplies of Port once I've used up all my capital buying one.

So instead, work continues on the list of options available.

Once I look at the wines I have which are not in bond or in case quantity offsite storage, the list reduces to only 23 choices.

That would still suggest you are sorted for annual iterations of this tasting until you are 80...

winesecretary wrote: ↑22:36 Tue 18 Feb 2020 That would still suggest you are sorted for annual iterations of this tasting until you are 80...

Unless others have the same wines as I have. Many of my list are unusual but by no means rare - several Taylor, Graham, Dow, Sandeman and Ferreira LBVs are on the list.

Since there seems to be plenty of space, I'd like to bring a guest, ACMS, to this tasting please. He is right-handed.

Very happy for that to happen, and have added him to the list.

On current count I have 1 Colheita, 3 LBVs, 1 SQVP, and 9 VPs for which there are no tasting notes.

Looking ahead, plus 1 Colheita and 4 VPs for which there is one tasting note...

It's my own fault, having set this tasting up so far in advance. I am now drinking some of the possibilities simply because they are to hand. At least I am posting notes on them.

Count me in.

I have an old ullaged bottle that I've owned for a very long time, vintage and bottler known, major shipper suspected anecdotally.

There are only a dozen or so notes posted for this vintage, most of them for Cockburn, which I believe this bottle probably isn't..

@ uncle tom - splendid!

winesecretary wrote: ↑22:06 Thu 04 Jun 2020 It's my own fault, having set this tasting up so far in advance. I am now drinking some of the possibilities simply because they are to hand. At least I am posting notes on them.

When the theme was first posted, I went through my list of wines and noted those which would qualify. I too have fallen victim to now having fewer bottles which qualify than I did in February. I have written notes on them, which I promise I will get round to posting when I have finally caught up with typing up all my handwritten notes from the last 3 years.

uncle tom wrote: ↑09:28 Fri 05 Jun 2020There are only a dozen or so notes posted for this vintage, most of them for Cockburn, which I believe this bottle probably isn't..

1908?

Ok-confession; I took a Port to a small (within guidelines) gathering last week only later to find that no tasting note currently exists for this Port on the Forum. Alas, I neglected to take one...(sackcloth and ashes)!

idj123 wrote: ↑14:22 Sat 13 Jun 2020 Ok-confession; I took a Port to a small (within guidelines) gathering last week only later to find that no tasting note currently exists for this Port on the Forum. Alas, I neglected to take one...(sackcloth and ashes)!

... and the port was??

It was Calem Foz 82 and a very lovely Port it was, fruit filled and we'll balanced with plenty of years ahead of it. Probably one of the best 82s I have tasted.

idj123 wrote: ↑10:21 Sun 14 Jun 2020 It was Calem Foz 82 and a very lovely Port it was, fruit filled and we'll balanced with plenty of years ahead of it. Probably one of the best 82s I have tasted.

That will do as a tasting note. Please pote it into the tasting note thread!

1908?

Correct - Gilbey 1908 - which I was told a long time ago is probably Croft, for which there are no notes..

I should have an option or two. Count me in!

@ akzy - counted accordingly

Dear Friends, I have worked hard with the B&F to see if we could make the logistics for this tasting work, but we have now admitted defeat. We will return another day. The current weight of planned tastings looking for a date is such it will be one a week next year at this rate!