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I've just finished updating the 2014, 2015 and Shipper Tasting summaries and that led me to ponder the question of which shipper should we choose for our next deep vertical? Last year we did deep verticals of Ramos Pinto and Martinez - who should it be this year?

If anyone happens to have a few old bottles of Ferreira sitting around doing nothing that might be interesting.

I have a 2007.

Verticals make an excellent tasting. I do like verticals — even those going back only to the 1940s and 1950s.

Ferreira would be interesting, as would Kopke, and likewise Offley. Morgan should be mentioned — though perhaps that might be a small amuse bouche.

jdaw1 wrote:Morgan should be mentioned — though perhaps that might be a small amuse bouche.

With Vesuvio as a Savory?

Despite suggestions to the contrary, I don't have a lot of Ferreira vintages and the ones I do have might make for rather a pricey tasting. I could give decent support to verticals of Cockburn, Dow, Noval, Sandeman, Taylor or Vesuvio; less so towards Croft, Fonseca, Graham, Morgan or Warre.

We've never done a vertical of Noval. Can we put a decent line-up together between us?

AHB wrote:We've never done a vertical of Noval. Can we put a decent line-up together between us?

Noval would be good, but can we please ban Nacional?

There is a man abroad whom I have just PM’d.

We would also need a decision. Noval fell apart for a while. Do we restrict ourselves to ≤1970?

jdaw1 wrote:Ferreira would be interesting, as would Kopke, and likewise Offley.

These three were meant seriously.

I'd still like us to do a Calem vertical some day, though I realise this didn't have sufficient interest last time it was suggested. Of your list, Dow and Noval stand out as the ones for which there have been no significant verticals involving TPF folks in the last couple of years (that I am aware of); perhaps Niepoort might be another option?

Noval sounds like a good proposal though.

Cálem: ✔. Dow: ✔ (though we did have some magnums). Noval: ✔. Niepoort: ✔.

jdaw1 wrote:

jdaw1 wrote:Ferreira would be interesting, as would Kopke, and likewise Offley.

These three were meant seriously.

Not ignored for any reason other than I don't have much Kopke or Offley.

I also like the idea of verticals. I could make some contribution to Dow, Croft, Taylor, Graham. It seems that we perhaps need to determine whether we would like a vertical for a house for which we can stand up many vintages between us, versus a vertical we would like, but for which we might need to hunt for the vintages to make it up. I suspect for many of the top tier houses we could get something together without much fuss. For something like Calem or Offley, perhaps more hunting would be required.

Might I suggest we re-visit Warre?

The last (and only) one was some time ago and wasn't a huge success - it was in the basement room of the RAF club..

Like Phil-was going to mention Calem as a vertical has been on the stocks for some time (think I have the 63,77 and 83). However, if, as Tom has suggested, Warre is due a re-visitation then bottles are likely to be easier to source. Of the others mentioned, Offley would be quite interesting as again, they would likely be a little easier to source than Kopke and Ferreira for example.

My preference, in order:

1. Cálem
   I have only 83 and (one bottle of) 85, but would be very interested to taste more. It would presumably be possible to get someone who was associated with winemaking at Foz to attend, given notice. Perhaps Pedro Sá is in the UK for the BFT in May? Is that too soon?
2. Warre
   Would love to do a big vertical of Warre, a wine that I think I am growing to enjoy more and more. I'm very light on it though, just odd bottles, except for halves of 2000, mainly because I keep drinking it.
3. Niepoort
   Always a good option but likely to be extremely expensive if we want to have any depth.
4. Offley
   Possibly very good fun, but potentially a very 'light' tasting?

I'm also interested in a 'lesser SFE brands' theme - some sort of QH / GC / SW tag team?

djewesbury wrote:some sort of QH / GC / SW tag team?

See Thu 17 Nov 2011, RAF Club, GC + SW + QH.

jdaw1 wrote:

djewesbury wrote:some sort of QH / GC / SW tag team?

See Thu 17 Nov 2011, RAF Club, GC + SW + QH.

Had a feeling something similar had already been held. Didn't have a chance to check.

Would there be anything wrong with a massive vertical of Graham 1970?

DRT wrote:Would there be anything wrong with a massive vertical of Graham 1970?

An excellent suggestion.

AHB wrote:I've just finished updating the 2014, 2015 and Shipper Tasting summaries and that led me to ponder the question of which shipper should we choose for our next deep vertical? Last year we did deep verticals of Ramos Pinto and Martinez - who should it be this year?

Love the initiative, AHB. I'd vote for either Niepoort or Noval, personally, understanding that you may need some back-up bottles at hand.

Also, I do still hope to organize a NY/LON "Go to Warre!" tasting. If we can find the right date/format, I think that would be pretty awesome.

woo woo

Whatever it may be, can I ask there be a long lee-time as I wouldn't mind trying to make it. Date preferably to coincide with my next trip to Portugal, whenever that may be, so as to save on expensive airfare costs and vacation time usage. Thank you

But Andy, what if we get thirsty?

But Andy, what if we get thirsty?

DRT has some wonderful 1983 Royal Oporto

Andy Velebil wrote:DRT has some wonderful 1983 Royal Oporto

DRT wrote:

Andy Velebil wrote:DRT has some wonderful 1983 Royal Oporto

No.. You mean - you've drunk it all..???

No. I am planning on donating one bottle per year to the Traditional Annual Belfast Tasting.

DRT wrote:No. I am planning on donating one bottle per year to the Traditional Annual Belfast Tasting.

Invitation withdrawn

djewesbury wrote:

DRT wrote:No. I am planning on donating one bottle per year to the Traditional Annual Belfast Tasting.

Invitation withdrawn

DRT wrote:

djewesbury wrote:

DRT wrote:No. I am planning on donating one bottle per year to the Traditional Annual Belfast Tasting.

Invitation withdrawn

I can't bear to see a grown man weep. Invitation restored.

Cockburn. We haven't done it for a long time and if we make the cut at 1977 we can be more or less assured of fabulous juice across the line-up.

Yes, that would be fun. I can't contribute.

DRT wrote:Cockburn. We haven't done it for a long time and if we make the cut at 1977 we can be more or less assured of fabulous juice across the line-up.

Cockburn: excellent idea. Reminder: Cockburn vertical on Wednesday 8^th October 2008. But we need the ’77 in both single and magnum.

jdaw1 wrote:

DRT wrote:Cockburn. We haven't done it for a long time and if we make the cut at 1977 we can be more or less assured of fabulous juice across the line-up.

Cockburn: excellent idea. Reminder: Cockburn vertical on Wednesday 8^th October 2008. But we need the ’77 in both single and magnum.

Also Cockburn vertical on Sat 19th Nov 2013 in Leverkusen with several TPF members present.

I would be in favour of Dow or Noval.

Axel

DRT wrote:Cockburn. We haven't done it for a long time and if we make the cut at 1977 we can be more or less assured of fabulous juice across the line-up.

djewesbury wrote:Yes, that would be fun. I can't contribute.

Like I said; Leverkusen be damned.

djewesbury wrote:

DRT wrote:Cockburn. We haven't done it for a long time and if we make the cut at 1977 we can be more or less assured of fabulous juice across the line-up.

djewesbury wrote:Yes, that would be fun. I can't contribute.

Like I said; Leverkusen be damned.

+1 {Mugabe election rules apply - one man many votes}

I think it should be seen more as a response to Leverkusen than a damning of it. But Cockburn.

I agree with Owen.

So do I. I make that six votes for Cockburn so far.

Vote-rigging aside, there seems to be a general consensus on either Cockburn or Noval.
There also seems to be good interest to note for the future in Calem, Warre and Niepoort.

I think Niepoort might be one that we'd need some assistance with - even locating the bottles. Who here has more than one or two older bottles?

djewesbury wrote:I think Niepoort might be one that we'd need some assistance with - even locating the bottles. Who here has more than one or two older bottles?

Not I.

PhilW wrote:there seems to be a general consensus on either Cockburn or Noval.

Perhaps a very interesting double vertical?

DRT wrote:

PhilW wrote:there seems to be a general consensus on either Cockburn or Noval.

Perhaps a very interesting double vertical?

That sounds good! I have nothing to offer from Noval. Think I have Ck63 and 70.

Agreed- a Ck and N double vertical seems more accessible than a Ni vertical. Of the former, I believe I can lay my hands on N58, N60, N66, N70, N82 and N85. For Ck, 63, 67 and 70.

idj123 wrote:Agreed- a Ck and N double vertical seems more accessible than a Ni vertical. Of the former, I believe I can lay my hands on N58, N60, N66, N70, N82 and N85. For Ck, 63, 67 and 70.

I have only a single bottle of N55, and no Ck.

PhilW wrote:Vote-rigging aside,

I resent this imputation against me, Derek bought my vote fair and square.

And what's all this double vertical with Noval nonsense, keep it focussed and coherent as I can't think of any meaningful overlap between Noval and Cockburn.

Cockburn!

LGTrotter wrote:

PhilW wrote:Vote-rigging aside,

I resent this imputation against me, Derek bought my vote fair and square.

And what's all this double vertical with Noval nonsense, keep it focussed and coherent as I can't think of any meaningful overlap between Noval and Cockburn.

Cockburn!

Actually I have to agree with every word of that. Unless the overlap is "houses that had a really rubbish period before being bought by someone else". Which I think is tenuous. Honestly, I don't think we'd do justice to either by having a double.

I vote Cockburn.

Current score is 10 votes to Cockburn and 2 votes to the double with Noval.

Is that a landslide?

I think I just heard that Fox have called it for Cockburn.