Port Tasting: A Checklist
Posted: 00:02 Wed 25 Mar 2015
In adding to the list of placemats, I found a Word file which was last changed in May 2002. Its contents might entertain.
Port Tasting: A Checklist
Invitations
Sent out in good time, specifying dress code. A reminder should follow nearer the time.
Port
At least one bottle of volume per woman, and one and a half per man.
Not more than nine or at most ten different types.
Magnums can be used to increase volume when there is enough variety.
Every type should be comparable with another, where “comparable” means that at most one of year and house change between the two. Every port should be connected to every other by a chain of comparability.
Glassware
Each person needs one glass per type of port, and all the glasses for each person should be the same shape.
Water glasses. It is convenient that neighbours have different-shaped water glasses.
Decanters.
All to be cleaned and dried at least a day in advance.
Printing
Printed place setting for each person, with port names marked in each glass place.
Decanter labels.
Table plan.
Food
Before — Lots of something absorbent and plain.
After — Biscuits? Bread? Cheese? Fruit? Pate? Pies? Something more imaginative?
Appropriate crockery, cutlery and napkins.
Other
Table, chairs, lighting (candles?), tablecloth.
Decent corkscrew (screwpull recommended).
Several plastic funnels.
Non-bleached coffee filters (at least two or three per bottle).
Plus a lot of bottled water (assume one litre each).
Rolls of kitchen towel kept handy, in case of spillage.
The day before
Clean premises.
Clean glasses.
Sleep.
On the day
Food preparation.
Decanting between five and nil hours in advance, age dependent.
Dress.
Welcome guests.
Eat.
Drink.
Port Tasting: A Checklist
Invitations
Sent out in good time, specifying dress code. A reminder should follow nearer the time.
Port
At least one bottle of volume per woman, and one and a half per man.
Not more than nine or at most ten different types.
Magnums can be used to increase volume when there is enough variety.
Every type should be comparable with another, where “comparable” means that at most one of year and house change between the two. Every port should be connected to every other by a chain of comparability.
Glassware
Each person needs one glass per type of port, and all the glasses for each person should be the same shape.
Water glasses. It is convenient that neighbours have different-shaped water glasses.
Decanters.
All to be cleaned and dried at least a day in advance.
Printing
Printed place setting for each person, with port names marked in each glass place.
Decanter labels.
Table plan.
Food
Before — Lots of something absorbent and plain.
After — Biscuits? Bread? Cheese? Fruit? Pate? Pies? Something more imaginative?
Appropriate crockery, cutlery and napkins.
Other
Table, chairs, lighting (candles?), tablecloth.
Decent corkscrew (screwpull recommended).
Several plastic funnels.
Non-bleached coffee filters (at least two or three per bottle).
Plus a lot of bottled water (assume one litre each).
Rolls of kitchen towel kept handy, in case of spillage.
The day before
Clean premises.
Clean glasses.
Sleep.
On the day
Food preparation.
Decanting between five and nil hours in advance, age dependent.
Dress.
Welcome guests.
Eat.
Drink.