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Here's a good Nerdy question for you...

Only 9 shippers managed to achieve a score of 96 to 100 points on the Wine Spectator scale for their vintages up to 1987. Can you name them?

The winner is allowed to feel smug for 24 hours, unless he used google, a book or any similar reference source rather than trying to guess.

Derek

OK, wild guesses:

Taylor
Fonseca
Graham
Noval Nacional
Dow
Warre
Vesuvio
Croft
Sandeman

I was going to put Cruz but decided that I'm far too competitive, even when I haven't really got a clue.

I doubt Vesuvio will in there..

..they didn't start bottling under their own name until '89

I'd guess that the regular Noval will be in there

Tom

even when I haven't really got a clue.

I have reasons for putting this.

Dow, warre and vesuvio are wrong. I counted Noval and Noval Nacional as one shipper.

Keep guessing...

It shouldn't be there, but I'd guess Ferreira will be on it due to their huge export policies, and resulting sycophantic 'experts'. If thats right, I'd then guess Kopke for the same reasons. Globally, those two brands can get where Gas couldn't!

Alan

Don't forget Cockburn's who did great Port


Taylor
Fonseca
Graham
Noval
Croft
Sandeman
Cockburn
Niepoort
Ferreira

I object to having Cockburn shown in good light. This is due to my well known dislike of their low-end Ports, which make the Graham and Taylor low offerings look like good stuff.

I'm disappointed for Dow and Warre's - both very good shippers at all levels.

I wonder if there's a deceased name in there - Rebello Valente perhaps?

Tom

Fred scored 8/9 - the last one to be found is a Portuguese house but not Ferreira. Their claim to fame on the 100 point scale came in the form of a 98/100 score for their 1871 vintage tasted in 1989 - incredibly, despite this very high score at 118 years of age, Mr Suckling recommended that we should drink-up before the end of 1990

Derek

Dagnabbit. My hatred of all things Cockburn got me again. And me assuming that Niepoort being an early...dr...in...k...ing...port. Aaaaahhhhh... of, course, Suckles is a septic. How about

Martinez

No

Rats.

I now have to rely on my knowledge of young Jimmy based on our long, drawn-out conversations on-line and come to a conclusion of what his psyche would consider a top ranking Port. I might go and ask him.

Da Silva???

What? The great Sri Lankan all-rounder made a Port? Really?

Now dont laugh. But they did make Port in the 1800's. And to me it sounded Portuguese-ish!

If the clue Portuguese House, doesn't mean a name that sounds Portuguese, I'm seriously barking up the wrong tree. But as my Avatar will confirm... Dont Push Me!!!

Alan

OK it's...

..no, I cheated, I won't say - but I had some emails yesterday from a guy who's got 5 cases of their '78 inherited from his dad - I had to break it to him that his dad's choice of investment wasn't ideal... He's also got a case of their colheitas from 1960 - seemingly bottled about 25 years ago.

- I suggested that they might make £10/bottle if he was lucky...

Tom

Cruuuuuuuuzzzzzzzzzzzzzz!!!!!!!

You just can't help yourself, can you Alex? No, it's not Cruuuuuuzzzzzz.

...and no, Alan, it isn't Da Silva.

Tom has the answer and I'd be interested to know if he was as surprised as I was at their inclusion in this list?

For those still scratching around for an answer - it's 2 words, one of which is very common in the world of Port.

Derek

I'm swtill stuck on Portuguese sounding...

Ramos Pinto?

I know that cant be right because of your previous clue.

But Hey, I'm doing nothing else.

Or Royal Oporto!!!

There's a word we use a lot in the Port World!

You're right, it's no right

No, it's not Cruuuuuuzzzzzz.

Well, it was bloody Cockburn's.

Conky wrote:Or Royal Oporto!!!

There's a word we use a lot in the Port World!

As there are no rules to this game I declare Conky the winner, despite the fact that others gave him more tham 90% or the answer.

Fred is second for coming up with Niepoort

Tom is third for cheating

KillerB is eliminated for mentioning Cruz

Derek

I'd firstly like to thank my parents for having faith in me.........


(I think next time, I'll cheat!!!)

Don't you think you should have thanked Debbie for putting up with you?

Derek

Why? Doesn't everyone have a cute, curvy, sexy blonde by their side???


(As you will gather, she's well tucked up!)

Nope - we're both with brunettes - and flipping gorgeous they are too.

Quick Derek, agree, they may be watching

I agree with Alex

Phew! that was close!

Is Ramos Pinto or Delaforce the missing shipper?

The complete list, taken from Suckling's Vintage Port is:

100 Points

• Fonseca 1927
• Fonseca 1948
• Fonseca 1977
• Quinta do Noval Nacional 1931
• Qunita do Noval Nacional 1963

99 Points

• Croft 1945
• Quinta do Noval 1931
• Taylor's 1948

98 Points

• Fonseca 1963
• Niepoort 1955
• Quinta do Noval 1934
• Quinta do Noval Nacional 1966
• Quinta do Noval Nacional 1970
• Royal Oporto 1871
• Sandeman 1870
• Taylor's 1970
• Taylor's 1977

97 Points

• Cockburn 1983
• Fonseca 1966
• Graham's 1963
• Niepoort 1927
• Niepoort 1945
• Taylor's 1945
• Taylor's 1963

96 Points

• Fonseca 1955
• Fonseca 1970
• Graham's 1985
• Sandeman 1963

Most prolific is Fonseca with 7 wines in the above list. Quinta do Noval have 6 and Taylor's have 5. Niepoort have 3 wines in the list and Graham's and Sandeman each have 2. Croft, Royal Oporto and Cockburn each have only 1.

Derek

Derek T. wrote:The complete list, taken from Suckling's Vintage Port is:

100 Points

• Fonseca 1927
• Fonseca 1948
• Fonseca 1977
• Quinta do Noval Nacional 1931
• Qunita do Noval Nacional 1963

99 Points

• Croft 1945
• Quinta do Noval 1931
• Taylor's 1948

98 Points

• Fonseca 1963
• Niepoort 1955
• Quinta do Noval 1934
• Quinta do Noval Nacional 1966
• Quinta do Noval Nacional 1970
• Royal Oporto 1871
• Sandeman 1870
• Taylor's 1970
• Taylor's 1977

97 Points

• Cockburn 1983
• Fonseca 1966
• Graham's 1963
• Niepoort 1927
• Niepoort 1945
• Taylor's 1945
• Taylor's 1963

96 Points

• Fonseca 1955
• Fonseca 1970
• Graham's 1985
• Sandeman 1963

Most prolific is Fonseca with 7 wines in the above list. Quinta do Noval have 6 and Taylor's have 5. Niepoort have 3 wines in the list and Graham's and Sandeman each have 2. Croft, Royal Oporto and Cockburn each have only 1.

Derek

Let's play another game now - how many of these have you had (or will have had after the TPF Offline #2) and broadly agree with Suckling's scores.

I've had 11 of these wines and broadly (ie. +/-2) agree with Suckling's scores on only 5 of those. I guess the others we're just bad bottles or the wines had deteriorated over the 20 years between him drinking them and me drinking them.

Alex

Note: Edited by DT to remove a listing syntax error in original post

I've had 10 but have to disagree with placings. I'm not daft enough to try and claim that a wine is a precise point between 95 and 100, except that I can say my preferences. I have had Fonseca 1977 twice, 1970 three times and 1966 twice. One 66 was a goner and I didn't get the spectacular 1977 but I think that 1970 was great all three times and the other 66 was spectacular.

I loved all of the above Ports.

I have tasted the following wines from the above list:

100 Points

• Fonseca 1977 (TPF offline #1)
• Qunita do Noval Nacional 1963 (Dinner at QdN Oct 06)

99 Points

• Croft 1945 (sample from AHB in Apr 06)
• Qunita do Noval 1931 (sample from Uncle Tom in Dec 06)

98 Points

• Fonseca 1963 (Crusting Pipe Offline Nov 05)
• Taylor's 1970 (Crusting Pipe Offline Nov 05)
• Taylor's 1977 (Dinner at Q do Vargellas Oct 06)

97 Points

• Fonseca 1966 (Crusting Pipe Offline Nov 05)
• Graham's 1963 (3 Offlines in Nov 05, Aug 06 and May 07)
• Taylor's 1963 (Crusting Pipe Offline Nov 05)

96 Points

• Fonseca 1955 (Offline with Tom in Dec 06 and TPF Offline #1)
• Fonseca 1970 (Crusting Pipe Offline Nov 05)
• Graham's 1985 (on my own )
• Sandeman 1963 (Crusting Pipe Offline Nov 05 and very much better bottle with AHB in Aug 06)

That's 14 fabulous wines and a statistic which surprises me greatly

Like KillerB, I would not be so bold as to attempt to put specific 100-Point scores on these wines but I can say that my memory of each of them is extremely good on at least 1 occassion of drinking them. I could not argue that any of these do not deserve their place on this list.

Derek

I’m surprised to find myself saying I’ve had as many as 13 or 14 (memory gap means I’m not sure about one).

AHB,

I know that you have had at least 13 of those in my list. We shared 12 of them at various Offlines and the other is the QdN31 which I know you have had. The one I'm not sure of is Graham's 1985. If you know you have this one then you have had 14, plus any that are not in my list.

Derek

Conky wrote:Why? Doesn't everyone have a cute, curvy, sexy blonde by their side???

Well, they are usually not that good looking, occassionally smell, are handcuffed..not always a bad thing, and are locked in the backseat

Derek puts me to shame by knowing the ports I have drunk better than I do myself - I can only claim lack of access to my tasting notes as an excuse.

It seems that there are at least 2 and possibly 3 of Suckling's ports that I have drunk and failed to remember. Tom's Fonseca '55 was one and the Taylor '77 at Vargellas was the other. I can't remember if I have had a Graham '85 or not.

While all but one spoiled bottle of Fonseca '66 were very enjoyable wines, make that 5 out of 13 Suckling scores that I broadly agree with.

Alex

I can honestly say that I only had to look up 2 of these in my notes, T77 and C45. The latter only because I can never remember if it was the 45 or 55.

Alex, I promise to be there for you when senility finally takes hold and you can't remember who you wanted to leave your cellar to in your will

Derek

Back home with my tasting database, I can now say that I have never tasted the Graham '85 but have otherwise tasted 15 of the wines on Suckling's list.

Alex