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 Quinta do Noval
Re: 1963 Quinta do Noval
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 Quinta do Noval
N63. Dark dark red, 60% opaque. Mature, with a touch of heat mid-palate. Fruit mostly faded, leaving full sweetness. Good port, but drink with half a decade. Liked, a lot.
Re: 1963 Quinta do Noval
Dark red. Dull nose. Nice thick entry but faded quickly. Slightly better than other N63s I have tasted, which isn't a complement.
"The first duty of Port is to be red"
Ernest H. Cockburn
Ernest H. Cockburn
- uncle tom
- Dalva Golden White Colheita 1952
- Posts: 3543
- Joined: 22:43 Wed 20 Jun 2007
- Location: Near Saffron Walden, England
Re: 1963 Quinta do Noval
Very nice bottle, but probably not quite as good the N60 we got to try recently (I think..)
I may be drunk, Miss, but in the morning I shall be sober and you will still be ugly - W.S. Churchill
Re: 1963 Quinta do Noval
dark, glorious red color; concentrated, cherry smell; balance, length; full bodied and elegant; really classy port 

"Sometimes too much to drink is barely enough"
Mark Twain
Mark Twain
- Alex Bridgeman
- Fonseca 1966
- Posts: 15476
- Joined: 12:41 Mon 25 Jun 2007
- Location: Berkshire, UK
Re: 1963 Quinta do Noval
Deep brick-red colour. 80% opaque. Sweet jam and figs on the nose. Lovely sweet fruit on the palate, with a delicious sweetness and glorious sparkling acidity supporting and focusing the fruit. Full bodied, rich and enveloping and with a nice balance. So much heat on the aftertaste makes the mouth hurt before a lingering and concentrated finish. Apart from the heat, this is a great port. 94/100. Drunk 12-Oct-13. Decanted 9 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.