To celebrate the Quinquagenary of AHB, he arranged a horizontal of 1963s in Wokingham at The Cantley House Hotel (evenings of Friday 11th and Saturday 12th October 2013) and The Walter Arms (lunch on Saturday 12th), and two evening Champagne tastings for our better halves. Sadly the venue was not able to accommodate all he would have liked to have invited. Diaries had been blocked since early 2012, and bottles had been gathered for most of a decade before that. A splendid weekend indeed.
Partial links:
• Review of the event as a whole, which starts with a full set of links;
• Placemats (and parameters by which constructed).
1963 Dow
Re: 1963 Dow
Some links:
• Review which includes links to the Champagnes; Placemats and their Parameters;
• Fri evening 1963s: VS QH GC Ck G | Kh Pç Mg Av F | RV Rs S Dl Cn;
• Sat aftern’n 1963s: Sb RVi RCV Ad RO | Dm BBR T Cr Ni | Mk Fd O Mz;
• Sat evening 1963s: MC W D N NN | A B&I Df PS Cv | GB Cá CáF B Fr;
• Others: 1863 Burmester, 1977 Warre (tappitt hen), Martinez Crusted bottled 1973, 1966 Château Batailley (magnum).
• Review which includes links to the Champagnes; Placemats and their Parameters;
• Fri evening 1963s: VS QH GC Ck G | Kh Pç Mg Av F | RV Rs S Dl Cn;
• Sat aftern’n 1963s: Sb RVi RCV Ad RO | Dm BBR T Cr Ni | Mk Fd O Mz;
• Sat evening 1963s: MC W D N NN | A B&I Df PS Cv | GB Cá CáF B Fr;
• Others: 1863 Burmester, 1977 Warre (tappitt hen), Martinez Crusted bottled 1973, 1966 Château Batailley (magnum).
Re: 1963 Dow
D63. Glorious red, 50% opaque. Nose had closed dark plums. Tasted blind, it could almost be an ’80! Big full, dark fruited yumminess. Though with time in the glass it lessened, slightly, even though still big. What a youngster.
Re: 1963 Dow
Lovely nose - very dark - thick and chewy. Packed with dark plummy fruit. Lots of tannic dryness in the finish. Great Port.
"The first duty of Port is to be red"
Ernest H. Cockburn
Ernest H. Cockburn
- uncle tom
- Dalva Golden White Colheita 1952
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- Location: Near Saffron Walden, England
Re: 1963 Dow
Here, again contrast with DRT & JDAW, but now the other way round, I wrote: 'Poor bottle, hint of VA - pity..'
I may be drunk, Miss, but in the morning I shall be sober and you will still be ugly - W.S. Churchill
Re: 1963 Dow
glorious, dark, blackish red color; very chewy cherry smell; hints of VA that does get worse with time; nail varnish taste develops more over time; VA affected bottle; very nice texture; good meaty port that sadly changed over time because of VA into a rather unpleasant and bitter fruit juice. 

"Sometimes too much to drink is barely enough"
Mark Twain
Mark Twain
- Alex Bridgeman
- Fonseca 1966
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- Location: Berkshire, UK
Re: 1963 Dow
Deep red with a black cherry colour. Sweet cherry and sour grapefruit battle on the nose. The palate is stern and imposing; an austere dryness that somehow contains sweet fruit as well as dry tannins. The acidity balances and cleans the palate perfectly. There is lots of fruit on the late palate with a nice fragrance. Soft and gentle, with a harsh edge flashing briefly into view before a big, cherry finish. Very good port, with a touch of VA that became more apparent with more time in the glass. 93/100. Drunk 12-Oct-13. Decanted 9½ hours.
Top Ports in 2023: Taylor 1896 Colheita, b. 2021. A perfect Port.
2024: Niepoort 1900 Colheita, b.1971. A near perfect Port.
2024: Niepoort 1900 Colheita, b.1971. A near perfect Port.