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The 1970 vintage is 55 years old this year. Birthday celebrations are required.

I have finally got round to rescheduling the mega 1970 horizontal which was originally planned for 2020.

What: 36 ports from 1970
When: Friday 3 October 2025
Where: The Ovens, The Boot & Flogger (Google maps).
Timing: 12:30 - 22:30
Tasting format: 4 flights, each of 9 ports
Schedule: Flight 1, Lunch (1330), Flight 2, Break (1630), Flight 3, Dinner (1900), Flight 4, Carriages

The evening before has Flight 0, being single bottles of whatever we could find that didn't make it into flights 1-4.

Bottle delivery status can be viewed here.

Bottle pictures can be viewed here.

Further details relating to the tasting are set out in the post directly following this one.

Attendees:(bold=reconfirmed, + =ports advised)

1. +Alex B (AHB)
2. +Mike M (MPM)
3. +Tom A (THRA)
4. +Ben R (BMHR)
5. +Phil W (PW)
6. +Charles R (CPR)
7. +Ian J (IDJ)
8. +Julian W (JDAW)
9. +Justin K (JK)
10. +Axel P (AP)
11. +Jörgen B (JB)
12. +Sten I (SAI)
13. +Stefan S (SS)
14. +Tony C (TC)
15. +Neil C (NAC)
16. +Wolfgang S (WPS)
17. +Christopher G (CMAG)
18. +Michael C (MC)
19. +Harry H (HTWH)
20. +Will W (WHW)
21. +Martin C (MSC)
22. +Cliff M (CEM)
23. +Wolfgang G (WG)
24. Adam O (AO)
25. Nigel M (NM)
26. Sara G (SG)
27. Available
28. Available

Reserves:

1. Simon D (SCD) (now can't make it)
2. George G (GEAG) (now can't make it)
3. Alex H (AH) (now can't make it)
4. Gerwin D (can't make it)
5. Derek T (DRT) (can't make it)
6. Jasper M (can't make it)
7. Andy V (can't make it)
8. Ralph K (RK) (moved up to attendees) (moved back from attendees, unable to make date)
9. Magnus (can't make it)
10. Wolfgang G (WG) (moved up to attendees)
11. Rich N (RON) (availability uncertain, can advise nearer the time)
12. Zak (ZDR) (moved up to attendees) (moved back to reserves as availability uncertain)
13. Alex H (AH) (moved up to attendees)
14. Dia G (DG) (can't make it)

No response received:

1. Daniel (VDSS) (deemed unavailable given no response to comms)
2. Different Dave (deemed unavailable given no response to comms)

In image flights indicated by background colour:

Key details for the event:

• Payment will be in advance for lunch/dinner/tips/corkage etc of £200 per person
• Lunch and dinner will be from a set menu with 4 or 5 options for each of starter, main and dessert
• Discussion underway to have options available for premium grade steaks with an associated supplement cost
• Bottles are "priced" at £100 each, so if you are attending but not supplying any bottles, you'll need to pay a further £240. Attending and supplying two bottles and you'll be paying £40 extra. Once who's bringing what is finalised, some folks will likely get some cash repaid, where they have supplied >2 bottles
• Each flight will have two bottles per shipper, 15 pours from each bottle. Bottles offered by attendees should come from a known-to-be-excellent case, although for some shippers we may not have that luxury
• Any bottles supplied must be supplied in advance
• Advance payment will be requested at the beginning of September. Any advance payments not received, or bottles not received, by end of 15 September results in seat being forfeited
• For flights 1-4, attempts have been made to have three bottles supplied for each shipper, with the third being used should a faulty bottle be discovered at time of decant. Where not required, the third bottle will be returned to the bottle provider

Bottles by flight (as of 30 April 2025)

-----------------------------------------------------------
Note: Original #2 post now moved to this slot.

Very exciting and new date in my diary and confirmed. October is turning into a very fun-filled month for me!


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro

Reconfirming. Thanks, Michael grand effort. Will now get into training! Let us know when you want details of bottles held.

Reconfirmed - and available to help from about 10.30.

…or earlier if I decide to stay in town overnight.

Yes yes yes.

Reconfirmed. I know I have Warre and GB but will check what else idc.

Reconfirmed

What is the best way to send you a list of what I have and providence

hadge wrote: ↑21:35 Tue 11 Feb 2025 What is the best way to send you a list of what I have and providence

Please drop me a PM here on The Port Forum.

Looking forward to it.

Confirmed

Reconfirmed. I have W and BBR.

Minor update to the event details.

Something will need to be determined for dealing with faulty bottles. I'm going to wait until we've figured out who has what, and then set out some guidance. The most likely approach is that we'll toss a coin to see which side of the table gets a pour from the OK bottle. Those on the unlucky side, cope. If a second faulty bottle appears, then the lucky side from the coin toss become the unlucky side for the second flawed bottle. Repeat process for further flawed bottles.

If both bottles from a shipper are flawed, then sadness, but accepted.

@flash - for most of the majors, people probably have three bottles - so could possibly bring a backup?

winesecretary wrote: ↑14:33 Wed 12 Feb 2025 @flash - for most of the majors, people probably have three bottles - so could possibly bring a backup?

Yes indeed that is also a consideration I have in mind. Bring the third bottle on the day, expecting to be returning home with it in most/all cases. I'm going to wait until we have locked down who's bringing what, and then depending on where people are located, may well designate some shippers to have a spare bottle at the ready. And perhaps this will only be for flights 1 and 2. Even then, there are some where we may not even have 2 bottles never mind 3 - DB and TV for example.

Reconfirming and very much looking forward to this

I will send PM re bottles

Confirming. Will msg with bottles.

Tony C reconfirmed via WhatsApp.

Axel P reconfirmed via PM.

this sounds truely amaizng, would love to be added to the reserves list!

I'm afraid I won't be able to make it on this date.
I wish you all a fantastic tasting!
Gerwin

pommy42 wrote: ↑08:09 Thu 13 Feb 2025 this sounds truely amaizng, would love to be added to the reserves list!

Done!

gerwin.degraaf wrote: ↑08:13 Thu 13 Feb 2025 I'm afraid I won't be able to make it on this date.
I wish you all a fantastic tasting!
Gerwin

That's a shame - thanks for notifying.

/2alph wrote: ↑08:50 Wed 12 Feb 2025Confirmed

Moved up to attendees from reserves.

Confirmed.
Will email you updated bottle list.

...and should be able to assist on both days.

nac wrote: ↑10:30 Thu 13 Feb 2025 ...and should be able to assist on both days.

Much appreciated.

Confirmed - and delighted to see that this show is back on.

Yes please! Happy to drink my birth year port on German reunification day.

Regards WS1

Confirming for this please. Outside chance that work will mean I would need to duck out but I would know before the sept deadline and very much hope to be on board for this historic taste off! Will need to pay/adopt please.

Alex Bridgeman wrote: ↑20:32 Tue 11 Feb 2025 and available to help from about 10.30.

…or earlier if I decide to stay in town overnight.

Many thanks Alex.

There is a draft of the placemats.

• A new record: 651 pages! (Previous record, twelve years before, was 435.)

• Flight 0 on /A2 needs trimming; all others on /A4.

• Who can print?

• Is the Niepoort dumpy or straight?

• I’m shocked, shocked, that we don’t have the other.

• Doubtless there is a powerful reason that the Croft and the Roêda are in different flights, but I admit that the motivation is not obvious to me.

• Between now and October there will be many many changes. Even though there is an early draft, this need not yet be a cause of stress.

• Careful checking necessary. But that can wait.

jdaw1 wrote: ↑22:25 Fri 14 Feb 2025 There is a draft of the placemats.

• A new record: 651 pages! (Previous record is twelve years before, was 435.)

• Flight 0 on /A2 needs trimming; all others on /A4.

• Who can print?

• Is the Niepoort dumpy or straight?

• I’m shocked, shocked, that we don’t have the other.

• Doubtless there is a powerful reason that the Croft and the Roêda are in different flights, but I admit that the motivation is not obvious to me.

• Between now and October there will be many many changes. Even though there is an early draft, this need not yet be a cause of stress.

• Careful checking necessary. But that can wait.

Fabulous! Thank you so much.

Some rough answers to some of the questions.
Flight 0 will need to be two flights 0a and 0b each of 12 wines. So could fit on A3. With a couple of spare glasses on each for some other port.
Is the Niepoort dumpy or straight? Only Will knows the answer to that.
Shocked, shocked...interesting. I will investigate.
Cr and CrR should of course be together as you say. A more final version of ports in flights can be made in September once all bottles are in place in London.

Thank you deeply, once again.

flash_uk wrote: ↑22:58 Fri 14 Feb 2025So could fit on A3.

Is that two flights, post-renumbering 0 and 1, between them the table being cleared? That would have administrative hassle.

Or is that a single flight, in which case you meant 2 × /A3, which would take too much table space, trimmed /A2 being much tighter.

I have added to the /A2 in the draft of the placemats an example use of FlightSeparations. I advise something of this type.

jdaw1 wrote: ↑13:07 Sat 15 Feb 2025

flash_uk wrote: ↑22:58 Fri 14 Feb 2025So could fit on A3.

Is that two flights, post-renumbering 0 and 1, between them the table being cleared? That would have administrative hassle.

Or is that a single flight, in which case you meant 2 × /A3, which would take too much table space, trimmed /A2 being much tighter.

I have added to the /A2 in the draft of the placemats an example use of FlightSeparations. I advise something of this type.

For Friday, 540 glasses are needed, and those 540 may as well be available for Thursday evening as well (assuming B&F able to do so). So on Thursday we could have sufficient glasses for 20 people x say 24 ports (=480 glasses). My spreadsheet current shows 23 ports for Thursday evening. Also assume (and will check) that even though we are only 20 on Thursday evening, B&F could nevertheless have The Ovens tablespace for 30 laid out for Thursay evening, as this will anyway be needed for Friday opening at lunchtime.

And so on Thursday evening there will be plenty of space for trimmed A2 for 20 people. I sense that you think (trimmed A2) > (two consecutive flights on A3), avoiding mid-evening pouring and setting out of glasses for "second" flight. I am thinking you are right. All pouring and setting out can be done in relaxed timeframe in advance of a 6pm start.

Could also have two portrait A3 side-by-side, for which printing is more readily available. Perhaps this would take up too much space across the table (picture of Ovens below, taken at a tasting in February 2017).

flash_uk wrote: ↑15:15 Sat 15 Feb 2025My spreadsheet current shows 23 ports for Thursday evening.

The placemats currently have ‘only’ nineteen on the Thursday, but this is fixable.

flash_uk wrote: ↑15:15 Sat 15 Feb 2025even though we are only 20 on Thursday evening

Then the placemats need extra code to cope with the set of people varying. This is fixable.

flash_uk wrote: ↑15:15 Sat 15 Feb 2025I sense that you think (trimmed A2) > (two consecutive flights on A3), avoiding mid-evening pouring and setting out of glasses for "second" flight. I am thinking you are right.

Yes: I want to avoid mid-evening not-cold-sober complexity.

flash_uk wrote: ↑15:15 Sat 15 Feb 2025A3 side-by-side, for which printing is more readily available.

Previously at least one attendee has been able to arrange trimmed A2 (e.g., 1997s on 16 June 2014 and Vesuvio on 24 Feb 2016). And if not that, professional printing of ≈ two-dozen A2s would not be fiercely expensive.

Assuming sufficient notice is given, I’ll be able to get whatever size is needed printed.
A week should suffice.

I am much more worried about having a sufficient supply of glasses. As someone who has to occasionally hire several hundred wine glasses, I would advise that it is not something to leave to the last minute if the B&F are not able to supply them.

Alex Bridgeman wrote: ↑22:59 Sat 15 Feb 2025 I am much more worried about having a sufficient supply of glasses. As someone who has to occasionally hire several hundred wine glasses, I would advise that it is not something to leave to the last minute if the B&F are not able to supply them.

Top of my list to be dealt with. Will either get confirmation from B&F, or get a 3rd party to support.

jdaw1 wrote: ↑22:25 Fri 14 Feb 2025There is a draft of the placemats.

With grey borders, as requested.

jdaw1 wrote: ↑22:25 Fri 14 Feb 2025• Who can print?

jdaw1 wrote: ↑15:44 Sat 15 Feb 2025Previously at least one attendee has been able to arrange trimmed A2 (e.g., 1997s on 16 June 2014 and Vesuvio on 24 Feb 2016).

nac wrote: ↑22:28 Sat 15 Feb 2025Assuming sufficient notice is given, I’ll be able to get whatever size is needed printed.
A week should suffice.

Thank you.

nac wrote: ↑22:28 Sat 15 Feb 2025 Assuming sufficient notice is given, I’ll be able to get whatever size is needed printed.
A week should suffice.

Super - many thanks.

Hello,

plese book me in for this tasting

Best
Wolfgang Giehrl

Wolfgang Giehrl wrote: ↑20:29 Sun 16 Feb 2025 Hello,

plese book me in for this tasting

Best
Wolfgang Giehrl

Reconfirmation noted. I think there’s a strong chance you’ll move up from reserves

Hello, confirming my attendance for the 1970 horizontal. Looking forward to it!

Hi all,

Hope you all are well. Sadly, I can't make this tasting so will have to contend with a grumbling ex-post read-through of the review and notes.

Magnus

PopulusTremula wrote: ↑09:01 Wed 19 Feb 2025 Hi all,

Hope you all are well. Sadly, I can't make this tasting so will have to contend with a grumbling ex-post read-through of the review and notes.

Magnus

Thanks for letting us know Magnus. Shame you can't make it - you can read the notes while sipping a bottle of 1970.

One of the four seat reservations I made is unable to attend and thus that seat is released to the reserves.

Wolfgang Giehrl wrote: ↑20:29 Sun 16 Feb 2025 Hello,

plese book me in for this tasting

Best
Wolfgang Giehrl

Which means Wolfgand Giehrl moves up to the attendee list.

I have attempted to contact both Caparica (Daniel) and Differentdave, by PM on the board, by email via the board, and by email directly with each, but have had no response. Also I note that both have not visited these parts for some considerable time:




As such I have deemed both to be unavailable.

Consequently, Rich and Zak move up to the attendee list.

OK folks, the time has come to let me know who has what.

So far I have bottle details from:

1. +Alex B (AHB)
2. +Mike M (MPM)
3. +Charles R (CPR)
4. +Ian J (IDJ)
5. +Axel P (AP)
6. +Neil C (NAC)
7. +Harry H (HTWH)
8. +Will W (WHW)

I have emailed everyone else to request details of bottles which could be offered. Many thanks.

@ Mike - I have received no email, but I have 3 bottles of GB on hand reserved for this tasting.

@Mike, I'm unable to confirm for this date at the moment, and probably won't be able to for at least a couple of months so please drop me back to the reserves and give my spot to Alex H.