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It’s that time again!

Kicking off with my annual lunch with ex work colleagues. So, yesterday in the Green Room at the Boot & Flogger, we had:
Magnum of Moët NV to kick things off
2017 Huet Vouvray
Magnums of Shirvington Maclaren Vale Shiraz & Cabernet Sauvignon 2008 (the Shiraz was a hefty 16%, the Cab “only” 15.5%)
Small bottles of Vin de Constance 2015 & Rutherglen Muscat
Magnum of Sandeman Vau 1999 (drinking nicely, but by that point I was suitably refreshed, so didn’t make a proper note)

And what are you having?

Today I'm drinking a Burmester 1994 and a magnum of Quanta Terra Grande Reserva 2018 Douro white with my girlfriend and a friend of ours.

We kicked off on Friday with some friends round for dinner. We opened a bottle of Messias Bruto Barraida Espumante 2019, Messias Reserva Branco Barraida DOC 2017, Messias Reserva Tinto Barraida DOC 2015 (100% Baga, I believe), Messias 1963 Colheita (bottled 1983), Kopke 1963 Colheita (bottled 2023), Churchill 30YO Tawny and Churchill Club Ruby Reserve.

Not a bad start.

Dinner with Jo (and others) last night as she was in town from Pennsylvania.

Homage au Pinot Noir Henri Giraud NV (admirable)
Pernand Vergelesses 1er Cru Les Caradeux 2017, Domaine Chanson (correct but unexciting, a good effort in a difficult vintage for white)
Santenay 1er Cru Passetemps 2020, Domaine Vincent et Sophie Morey (lovely crunchy fruit)
Monthelie 1er Cru Clou des Chenes 2019, Domaine Eric de Suremain (14.5%! Tasted like the worst excesses of Californian Pinot, couldn’t have told you it was even European blind)
Beaune 1er Cru Les Chouacheux 2009 Maison Louis Jadot (tres classique)
Morey St Denis 1er Cru Aux Chezeaux 2011 Domaine Arlaud (absolutely wonderful poised pinot noir, spoke of place, incredible breeding, WOTN)
Chateau de Fargues 1998 (half) (lovely with an apricot tart, matched the tartness)
Various digestifs - I think each of us had a different one - (Bushmills 16, Huard 2011 Calvados, Delamain Cognac 1996, Ardbeg 10, Smith & Cross Pot Still Rum)

Followed by a 3’20” run this morning, and lots and lots of water… and no wine tonight as work tomorrow.

That Shiraz sounds terrifying…

winesecretary wrote: ↑17:40 Sun 22 Dec 2024Followed by a 3’20” run this morning, and lots and lots of water

Did you run the whole four foot eight inches† without stopping?

† = 1422.4mm.

Last night I finished off a DR 20 year old Tawny. It might be the best 20 year old Tawny that I've ever had. Very smooth and a perfect balance between sweetness and acidity.

I'll have nothing until Christmas Eve and will probably break out another TWAIOA or Colheita that night. For after Christmas dinner I have a 1963 Croft VP standing up.

Update: Christmas Eve I opened a Quinta Da Pacheca 30 year old Tawny. It was very nice.

Alex Bridgeman wrote: ↑16:10 Sun 22 Dec 2024 We kicked off on Friday with some friends round for dinner. We opened a bottle of Messias Bruto Barraida Espumante 2019, Messias Reserva Branco Barraida DOC 2017, Messias Reserva Tinto Barraida DOC 2015 (100% Baga, I believe), Messias 1963 Colheita (bottled 1983), Kopke 1963 Colheita (bottled 2023), Churchill 30YO Tawny and Churchill Club Ruby Reserve.

Not a bad start.

A Messias themed dinner. Very fitting, as Messias means Messiah in Portuguese.

That Kopke c63 is amazing.

Even as I typed what I did I thought ‘I bet Julian’s not going to able to resist’.

winesecretary wrote: ↑17:41 Sun 22 Dec 2024 That Shiraz sounds terrifying…

Indeed.

Have another pair of magnums and a pair of double magnums.

Day 2 of 3 dinners & lunches…

Dinner with some wine-loving friends:
Bollinger NV
Louis Latour Corton Charlemagne 2008
Penfolds RWT 2002 (OMG - how good!)
Pontet Canet 2004
Angelo Papagani, Alicante Bouschet 1975 (courtesy GEAG - still vvg)

@ nac - That lunch sounds pretty splendid! Glad the ‘75 showed well, of the case only had one duffer and that’s pretty good for a wine almost fifty…

Work now over for the year, hurrah!

Sanct Valentin 2021 Weissburgunder St Michael-Eppan - quintessential Alto Adige Pinot Blanc, one of a case I bought after my summer walking holiday as it was the best we sampled when out there. Crisp and clear, a super food wine served with a wild boar terrine.

Pommard Chanlins 2013 Domaine Vincent Perrin - the fruit shyly poking through the sous- bois, superb with spiced venison meatballs.

23/12
Quick catch-up with a friend at 67 Pall Mall - shared a bottle of 2020 "Pursued by Bear" Cabernet Sauvignon - my first try of any of these; not bad.
Then at home opened a bottle of 2005 La Rioja Alta Gran Reserva 904 - showing well, no rush.

Still undecided for Christmas Eve & Day.

winesecretary wrote: ↑08:00 Tue 24 Dec 2024posted Tue Dec 24, 2024 08:00 am


Work now over for the year, hurrah!

Sanct Valentin 2021 Weissburgunder St Michael-Eppan - quintessential Alto Adige Pinot Blanc, one of a case I bought after my summer walking holiday as it was the best we sampled when out there. Crisp and clear, a super food wine served with a wild boar terrine.

Pommard Chanlins 2013 Domaine Vincent Perrin - the fruit shyly poking through the sous- bois, superb with spiced venison meatballs.

I am suitably impressed by the choice of wines consumed with breakfast at 8am, in celebration of the end of work for 2024.

I celebrated 23rd Dec by opening a bottle of the Cabral 40YO Tawny. This really needs to be decanted for at least a couple of hours. It won’t be a great wine, but with a long enough decant it becomes a decent one.

I am trying to decide whether to go for a big Aussie Shiraz or a mature St Julien for today / tomorrow.

I'd say open the St Julien. Then take the Shiraz and gift it to some needy orphans who don't know any better (sorry, I'm really not into Syrah/Shiraz).

24/12 - decided for this evening (and partly for tomorrow)

Kicked off with the first of the 12 bottles of BBR Barbadillo Dry Oloroso that I picked up from Dreweatts a couple of weeks ago - excellent, properly dry with lovely nutiness and rancio.

Having pasta later, so have decanted my only bottle of Luce 1994 (the first vintage was 1993). Initial QA sample good and showing well for a 30 year old wine.

Also opening halves of Rebello 1960 & 1966 (again recent Dreweatts purchase) . Let's see how those are later...

Today, a gym session was followed by a salad and a glass of water and then 5 hours spent doing the hard bit of decorating the kitchen - slowly and painstakingly mudding a plasterboard ceiling which had been rapidly and inaccurately installed (not by me) about 18 months ago. Has been quite hard work, especially after a slightly over-enthusiastic workout.

Recuperated with a glass of Rose de Xinamavro, Apostolos Thymiopoulos, 2022 and some Roka Cheese Crispies, and now tidying up some Chateau de Vaux Beaujolais Nouveau put into a half and left in the fridge last week - 2024 is an absolutely cracking year for this BN, it's properly leaping from the glass.

Plan for this evening is Chassagne Montrachet 1er Cru Morgeot 2021 (white) from Domaine de la Choupette (update - absolutely belting bottle) with the tuna and then 1987 Brown Brothers Victorian Cabernet Sauvignon (update - BBVCS had expired - substituted Chateau Reysson 1996 Haut Medoc which ticked the box nicely) with the cheese.

Tomorrow, a long walk along the river, followed by Vosne Romanee 1er Cru Les Reignots 2014, Domaine Audiffred with the venison and then Pichon Baron 2010 (courtesy of Alex M, many thanks indeed old bean).

Boxing day still to be decided... but will probably involve opening Fonseca 1985.

Sante a tous

Kicked off the festive drinking yesterday (after 9 weeks of chest infections and antibiotics) with Churchill’s Club Ruby (aka an unofficial 2015 LBV) halved bottle acquired from the Port Club in 2022 with a very nice homemade bacon and mushroom penne pasta; delicious.
Today I had a nice can of Beamish (the last of a case bought in the local supermarket) with Eggs, beans and chips; at its very best, drink up! Have opened a Noval 94 for tonight and had a sneaky sip (aka PnP); amazing colour and I’m glad I waited the 10 years after the slightly disappointing Belfast Tasting with Michael and Daniel as this is going to be a stunner.
Tomorrow we are having Beef Wellington so I’m in two minds: can if Draught Guinness or a very nice Penfiolds Max Cabernet. No problem with the Port; the usual Irish bottled Taylor’s 1970 will have to do.
Happy Christmas everyone.

@ Justin K - the chest infections sound dreary. Congratulations on the recovery. Irish bottled Taylor 1970 well deserved!

Justin K wrote: ↑19:52 Tue 24 Dec 2024 Tomorrow we are having Beef Wellington so I’m in two minds: can if Draught Guinness or a very nice Penfiolds Max Cabernet. No problem with the Port; the usual Irish bottled Taylor’s 1970 will have to do.
Happy Christmas everyone.

Open and drink the Penfolds Max Cabernet. Then sell the draught Guinness to England and make enough money for your wine and Port budget for 2025! I’ve just read an article in the paper saying Guinness can’t currently make enough to keep up with demand!

Glad to hear you’re finally over the chest infection.

Merry Christmas everyone!

Merry Christmas everyone ....

My world today consists of DP 04 rose followed by several bottles of Catena Zapata (we have 11 for lunch) then a G63 to wash it all down and if I need anything else I have a mystery bottle and tongs on standby !

Make sure you all have a fab Christmas day and I'll see you all next year !!

25/12
Decided upon magnums of:
Gusbourne Blanc de Noirs 2018
Peter Michael L'Apres Midi 2003
Maison Roche de Bellene Chambolle-Musigny VV 2001

... and remains of the RV60 & 66.

Merry Christmas all!

A second bottle of Ck60 after the first developed VA. This one is thankfully ok.

Just some mid to heavyweight Portuguese whites and reds (Guru Douro white, Vinhas da Ira Alentejo red, Quinta da Gaivosa Douro red), along with a Val da Figueira 10yo and a Kopke 30yo.

Merry Christmas, everyone.

Five hour walk complete; longer than planned; due to a Kew riverside bank collapse, a diversion via Brentford added an hour and subtracted quite a lot of pleasure. Still, a half of Gruet NV Rose (bright red and wonderfully tarty) kept us going until the Vosne, which combines delicacy and power as do all the best burgundies. The remainder now being sipped contemplatively on the sofa prior to getting stuck into ‘Worrals in the Wilds’, a copy of which arrived as a festive present.

Love that Val de Figueira 10YO!

I went for the mature St Julian in the end.

That Talbot 1983 looks impeccable!

Pichon Baron 2010 now in glass, and a fine full wine it is, now in early maturity but probably 10 years from peak and with another 20 years of vibrant life after that.

Just finished open bottles on 26/12, so nothing to add for that day.

27/12 - excellent bottle of Bonneau du Martray Corton 1997.

My last bottle of 1924 a Dow- lost its colour a nd rather dried out but still a great pleasure to be able to drink, Graham 1966 as the back up

A fine dinner with friends on 27/12

NV Tarlant (2015 base) - serious, but evaporated somehow
2022 Aligote Domaine Sylvain Cathiard - lovely white flowers
2004 Pontet Canet - two hour decant. Absolutely belting bottle of this over-achiever for the vintage. Fruit in abundance but secondary structure too. Arguably a point. Perfect with a boeuf bourgignon.
2017 Barbaresco Rabaja Produttori di Barbaresco - pretty high toned wine, perhaps a touch slight.
1985 Fonseca - lovely, and just about ready
1985 Martinez - fully ready, drink rather than keep
1985 Warre - almost fully ready, start drinking
2006 Meaume - not everyone wanted to drink port. Forgive them, for they know not what they do.
It was a good night. I have run about 30k today to make up for it.

@nac - how are the 1997 GCs coming along? You are probably the only person I know who may have multiple recent reference points…

winesecretary wrote: ↑20:52 Sat 28 Dec 2024 @nac - how are the 1997 GCs coming along? You are probably the only person I know who may have multiple recent reference points…

The BdeM Corton was lovely. Starting to get some proper farmyardy notes, but definitely not close to the edge yet.

However, I suspect quality of storage will play a significant role here.

28/12 - Grand Puy Lacoste 2004. Pretty good, but not a good as the Pontet Canet. Maybe drink up within the next 10 years. The PC may have had 20 years left.

Also had a hefty sample of the 10YO Fletcher’s 450cl I opened a few weeks ago. At opening was pretty horrid, but has now opened up nicely and is actually quite pleasant. Being kept in the cellar and suspect will be finished on NYE.

29/12 - my last bottle of Enrico Santini’s 2006 Montepergoli. Still very good, but now unlikely to improve.

Over the last few days since Christmas, we have drunk bottles of:
1964 Bodegas Franco Espanolas Royal Reserve
NV Quevedo Ruby Port
NV Churchill Club Ruby (which would have been a 2015 single vintage Crusted, if that had been a legal category)
2004 Blandy Malvasia
2009 Quinta do Noval Colheita
Messias 1963, bottled 1983
Quinta do Vale da Figueira 10YO Tawny (2023 bottling)
2020 Camel Valley Bacchus Dry

winesecretary wrote: ↑20:52 Sat 28 Dec 2024 @nac - how are the 1997 GCs coming along? You are probably the only person I know who may have multiple recent reference points…

Gould Campbell 1997 is quite delicious.

This evening had:

- Quinta do Noval Touriga Nacional 2017 Douro DOC red
- Quinta de San Michel Malvasia 2017 Colares DOC white
- Quinta das Lamelas 20 y.o. white

All fantastic wines.

Alex Bridgeman wrote: ↑23:34 Mon 30 Dec 2024 Over the last few days since Christmas, we have drunk bottles of:
1964 Bodegas Franco Espanolas Royal Reserve
NV Quevedo Ruby Port
NV Churchill Club Ruby (which would have been a 2015 single vintage Crusted, if that had been a legal category)
2004 Blandy Malvasia
2009 Quinta do Noval Colheita
Messias 1963, bottled 1983
Quinta do Vale da Figueira 10YO Tawny (2023 bottling)
2020 Camel Valley Bacchus Dry

I'm assuming that Messias was a colheita and not a very very very late bottled vintage.

MigSU wrote: ↑23:46 Mon 30 Dec 2024 This evening had:

- Quinta do Noval Touriga Nacional 2017 Douro DOC red
- Quinta de San Michel Malvasia 2017 Colares DOC white
- Quinta das Lamelas 20 y.o. white

All fantastic wines.

In my limited experience, Quinta das Lamelas make the best White Aged Ports. I love that 20YO. I just wish it was easier to get them in the UK.

MigSU wrote: ↑23:47 Mon 30 Dec 2024

Alex Bridgeman wrote: ↑23:34 Mon 30 Dec 2024 Over the last few days since Christmas, we have drunk bottles of:
Messias 1963, bottled 1983

I'm assuming that Messias was a colheita and not a very very very late bottled vintage.

Have you been drinking?

Alex Bridgeman wrote: ↑23:50 Mon 30 Dec 2024

MigSU wrote: ↑23:47 Mon 30 Dec 2024

Alex Bridgeman wrote: ↑23:34 Mon 30 Dec 2024 Over the last few days since Christmas, we have drunk bottles of:
Messias 1963, bottled 1983

I'm assuming that Messias was a colheita and not a very very very late bottled vintage.

Have you been drinking?

Alas, yes.

Alex Bridgeman wrote: ↑23:49 Mon 30 Dec 2024

MigSU wrote: ↑23:46 Mon 30 Dec 2024 This evening had:

- Quinta do Noval Touriga Nacional 2017 Douro DOC red
- Quinta de San Michel Malvasia 2017 Colares DOC white
- Quinta das Lamelas 20 y.o. white

All fantastic wines.

In my limited experience, Quinta das Lamelas make the best White Aged Ports. I love that 20YO. I just wish it was easier to get them in the UK.

They're all but impossible to find in the U.S. as well. When I was staying in Gaia for Glenn's Tour in May I came across a small shop selling Port that had a bottle of this at a reasonable price. I had been looking for some, so I picked it up. I'm looking forward to trying this in the coming months.

Mike J. W. wrote: ↑17:34 Tue 31 Dec 2024

Alex Bridgeman wrote: ↑23:49 Mon 30 Dec 2024

MigSU wrote: ↑23:46 Mon 30 Dec 2024 This evening had:

- Quinta do Noval Touriga Nacional 2017 Douro DOC red
- Quinta de San Michel Malvasia 2017 Colares DOC white
- Quinta das Lamelas 20 y.o. white

All fantastic wines.

In my limited experience, Quinta das Lamelas make the best White Aged Ports. I love that 20YO. I just wish it was easier to get them in the UK.

They're all but impossible to find in the U.S. as well. When I was staying in Gaia for Glenn's Tour in May I came across a small shop selling Port that had a bottle of this at a reasonable price. I had been looking for some, so I picked it up. I'm looking forward to trying this in the coming months.

LaDo (aka Lagar D'Ouro) carries their Ports. It's in Porto just off the waterfront a few blocks downriver from Bacchus Vini.

I do love Lamelas' White Ports, but I think I slightly prefer DR's offerings.

The penultimate festive entry for me… reward for having spent an afternoon throwing rubbish in a skip again.

2014 Exton Park BdB reserve - still crisp but with enough age to make it really interesting.

2016 Roy Piper Cabernet Sauvignon - packed with matiere, a sipping Cabernet of the highest quality.

1985 Martinez - inspired by a recent bottle with jdaw1 - decanted 1600 today and now a lovely star-anise scented liquid; drink up.

Nothing too exciting, but I'm opening a 1985 Warre VP to celebrate the New Year.

Update: The Warre's ended up being TCA riddled. Not a good way to kick off the New Year.
Luckily the day was saved when I opened a 1995 Croft Quinta da Roeda. It's drinking very,
very nicely and still isn't fully mature. 92 pts. for this one.

Celebrated New Year’s Eve and New Year’s Day with bottles of Camel Valley Vineyard’s Cuvée Raymond Blanc 2020 Rosé and São Leonardo 40YO (bottled 2022).

Just Friday’s dinner left…

St Aubin 2020 1er Cru Murgers de dents de chien domaine Henri Boillot was a high class pairing with the lunchtime smoked trout salad

Cote Rotie Bernard Burgaud 2019 was a perfect pairing with the cassoulet recette Elizabeth David (damn that woman could write)

Chassagne Montrachet 2020 Domaine de la Choupette ‘La Platiere’ went well with the cheese

Delamain Pale and Dry XO (the old 40% version not the adulterated 42% version) superb with the pates de fruits

NYE - 3 bottles of Gusbourne Blanc de Blancs 2019 and a magnum of Cissac 2009.
NYD - nothing special.

Yesterday was my last day of festive drinking for this season. Between 3 of us we managed bottles of Dom Perignon 1998 P2, Fonseca 1963, Fonseca 1934 (ex-Castle Raby), Warre 1980 and a bonus glass of Kopke 1975 (bottled 2023).