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A horizontal of 1994 and a G83 were tasted at Bordeaux Index, 10 Hatton Garden EC1N 8AH on Tuesday 4^th March 2014, in the presence of Richard Mayson, as arranged by Michael Schuster of MichaelSchusterWine.com.

Links:

• Review of the evening as a whole;
• 1994 Quinta do Crasto (#1);
• 1994 Smith Woodhouse (#2);
• 1994 Gould Campbell (#3);
• 1994 Ramos Pinto (#4);
• 1994 Martinez Quinta da Eira Velha (#5);
• 1994 Martinez (#6);
• 1994 Niepoort (#7);
• 1994 Quinta do Noval (#8);
• 1994 Quinta do Vesuvio (#9);
• 1994 Dow (#10);
• 1994 Warre (#11);
• 1994 Graham (#12);
• 1994 Fonseca (#13);
• 1994 Taylor (#14);
• 1983 Graham;
• Arrangements on MichaelSchusterWine.com;
• Arrangements on ThePortForum.com.

Michael Schuster wrote:1994 is a quite outstanding Port year. It is one of the three great declared vintages of the past three decades (alongside 2000 and 2011), and it will most likely outrank 1963 and 1966. It will certainly better 1970...

Fighting talk - not sure whether a genuine belief or stated with a view to promoting the tasting - but will be interested to hear whether the wines that were on show at this event support that assessment (or too early to tell...?)

A very interesting evening, my favourites being Dow, Taylor, Fonseca, and then Warre. Of the next rank there were several Ports which were similar: one person present, whose name I wasn’t given, rightly said that the year has left a strong stamp on the wine.

To Rob’s question: hmm. Of the past three decades, so back to 1984? It is good, and might be top three in that span. But is it as good as ’63|’66|’70? I say not.

Top row: Cs, SW, GC, RP;
Bottom row: D, W, G, F.

Top row: Mz, Ni, N, V;
Bottom row: T.

Top row: Cs, SW, GC, RP, MzEV;
Bottom row: D, W, G, F.

Top row: RP, MzEV, Ni, N, V;
Bottom row: F, T.

jdaw1 wrote:A very interesting evening, my favourites being Dow, Taylor, Fonseca, and then Warre. Of the next rank there were several Ports which were similar: one person present, whose name I wasn’t given, rightly said that the year has left a strong stamp on the wine.

To Rob’s question: hmm. Of the past three decades, so back to 1984? It is good, and might be top three in that span. But is it as good as ’63|’66|’70? I say not.

I'm not sure I agree with his implied ranking of '63 and '66 over '70.

But as far as '94 goes, I think it is too early to tell. '94 is just barely starting to emerge as a soon-to-be-ready Vintage, so I don't think we have enough information about where it is headed to conclusively compare it to mature vintages like '63, '66, and (almost there) '70.

My first horizontal, and very enjoyable it was, due to the company present. Dow and Warre were neck and neck as my favourites, with Taylor, Fonseca and Graham being right up there too. The 4pm start worked remarkably well I thought. Have noted to self that for future "3rd party" organised tastings, compiling a generic placemat using a well-known high quality piece of software would be a sensible step. As it happened, 1-14 scribbled on the back of some A4 did the trick, but there were a few moments where things almost got muddled.

Room at BI was bl00dy freezing to start. Not sure whether it eventually warmed up or rather I developed an inner glow...

Overall conclusions on 94 for me - on this evidence, a mixed bag. 5 or 6 that have massive potential, 8 or 9 that are unremarkable. But what do I know...in 10 years I might find a totally different outcome!

flash_uk wrote:Have noted to self that for future "3rd party" organised tastings, compiling a generic placemat using a well-known high quality piece of software would be a sensible step.

I had reached a similar conclusion. And as we knew the Ports in advance, I really had no excuse. Next time we’ll show up with the paperwork.

Edit: the thread Software that makes placemats now has a draft of generic numbered placemats.

On my very late arrival I found that the elves had solved the placemat problem so I did not have any trouble being confused.

DRT wrote:I did not have any trouble being confused.

Deliciously ambiguous.

jdaw1 wrote:

DRT wrote:I did not have any trouble being confused.

Deliciously ambiguous.

I was unambiguously confused by midnight.

excellent night and great to taste 94's side by side which was a first for me.

Fonseca was excellent (as expected), but for me the surprise was how very good the Warre was.

The Welsh cheese (anyone remember what it was?) was also excellent and very welcome by the 2nd half of the session!

Thanks to DRT for organising our tickets. Very enjoyable. The night ended in the Whisky Society though. Whose fault was that?

EDIT: agree with Charles that the Warre was quite wonderful. Also liked the Dow.

djewesbury wrote:Thanks to DRT for organising our tickets. Very enjoyable.

Quite right: doff hat at Derek.

Also, I note that during Derek’s brief presence he managed to take and not lose tasting notes — which doesn’t usually happen.

jdaw1 wrote:Also, I note that during Derek’s brief presence he managed to take and not lose tasting notes — which doesn’t usually happen.

Why did none of us think? They replaced him with a clone...
Give us back our DRT!

djewesbury wrote:Thanks to DRT for organising our tickets

+1

Yes indeed, thanks to DRT for arranging the tickets. A very enjoyable evening with the VPs improving as we made our way along the horizontal-my WOTN being the Fonseca (which I now need to get hold of). However, the Taylor is potentially a sleeping giant. And yes, Mr D, whose fault was it to decamp to the Whisky society just down the road-a decision that seemed slightly flawed at 6.30 the next morning although very enjoyable at the time!

idj123 wrote:Yes indeed, thanks to DRT for arranging the tickets. A very enjoyable evening with the VPs improving as we made our way along the horizontal-my WOTN being the Fonseca (which I now need to get hold of). However, the Taylor is potentially a sleeping giant. And yes, Mr D, whose fault was it to decamp to the Whisky society just down the road-a decision that seemed slightly flawed at 6.30 the next morning although very enjoyable at the time!

Can it have been me...?

Not even a mention in dispatches for the Vesuvio?


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benread wrote:Not even a mention in dispatches for the Vesuvio?


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It wasn't as marvellous as it could have been. Some suggestion that it was already rather ready. The V94 at the BBR Port Walk was also a little strange I seem to recall.