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After a recent deeply pleasurable bottle, and since the comparative tasting that would allow me to acquire the breadth of knowledge of the vintage that I really need to buy more widely has been moved to 2022, I bought Lay & Wheeler's last four bottles of the Vesuvio 1992 to keep me going...

On Wednesday's call idj commented that there weren't that many UK-available 40 year old tawnies. An idle lunchtime of googling this week proves him right. Even with the aid of others I can only find 11 currently available in UK (1-11 below). There are another 25 of which I am now aware which are ava...

Popped, decanted, and poured. 90% opaque red juice. Cool nose of mint and black cherries. Broad but not fleshy red fruit palate slowly darkening and with marmalade and a hint of prune late. Balance is fabulous, that sweet-but-not-sweet balance so well held. Still a bit warm on the late mid-palate (i...

New provisional date posted.

I have contacted the B&F and requested the Red Room for Thursday 10th June (tentatively, for the TTF) and Wednesday 23rd June (tentatively, for the 1980).

Works for me. I still have all four of the wines I have proffered.

Given the positioning, any coffee notes?

Somewhat in the vein of WS1, I shall be drinking ChAA 1998 on Wednesday 24th. Couldn't locate my case of 2000 VP in the limited time available to me before travelling back to town today. #firstworldproblems

It was 400 for a case of six! In which case the Farr Vintners price is market rate. You can occasionally snag the minor 83s and 85s for 400/dozen all in at auction though.

@rich_n - I would say definitely decant a 2005 a day ahead. I'll be decanting the 1991 TV this evening.

Looking forward to it.

I am on holiday this week so there has been more wine, I am happy to report. - Musar 2002 - in half - delicious even with only a two hour decant - if not quite with the strength of the 1999 - and a bargain 14 quid a half from Waitrose Cellar Online - Bourgogne Cotes Chalonnaise 2017, Champs de Themi...

@Screagle - no, not a Wine Society retailed bottle. But I am guessing that if one is dumb then absent usual bottle variation they are all dumb. For drinking now, try the Offley or the Warre - both delicious.

The first of a case of 12, this one condemned because of a slightly raised cork. Cork extracted whole and without fuss with Durand. Wine in splendid condition. + 4 hrs Deep red, 70% opaque. In the mouth young and vigorous, black-cherry led, seemingly barely mature, quite warm on the finish. + 28 hou...

I pray that we may all one day have cellars like WS1's where the experience of finding a bottle of Churchill '85 is 'Not the bt I was looking to find but at least something'. What a lovely, lovely phrase. And a lovely, lovely cellar. Up there as a TPF classic for me with 'We drank half a case of Fon...

Bottle in excellent condition, level well into neck, no signs of seep. + 30 mins. Largely orange wine, good legs. Odd slightly acrid nose. Even sluicing it though the teeth it's hard to find much fruit. Some Sevile orange. Nuts and heat on the short dry finish. +20 hours. Nose even more acrid than y...

@ Christopher - Ah, I wondered who was going to pick those up. Well done. New bottler to me.

Possibly Panascal 2001 in half, but may not be able to resist the siren call of the Vargellas 91. It's so lovely at the moment with a decent decant.

Yes please

Cork disintegrated during extraction even with a Durand - my fourth failure in five years of use. Does not bode well. Port, however, a nice red colour, 55% opaque. + 2 hours Very heavy tobacco scent on the nose, I would have thought it was Fonseca. But, not on the palate which had the characteristic...

Recent vinous highlights - 2010 Gevrey-Chambertin 'Les Marchais', Domaine Audiffred - weightless expression of the village, the kind of wine that reminds me why I have spent such terrifying amounts of money pursuing burgundian highs over the past 25 years- and almost convinces me it's worth carrying...

@ JacobH - the port one doesn't own: good question! To which each of us will have a unique answer. Because, depending on which way you slice and dice it, we all have gaps. For example I: - have a specific list of ports (6) of which I own none but think I ought to own a reasonable amount (say a half ...

Plus, when we can, and as prefigured in one of CD's previous threads: trip to Bern's by TPF.

@ rich_n - I like "Crusted" as a theme, good thinking.
@ nac - perhaps a "Colheita" theme for one of them?

From bottle. +90 minutes This is a bit disappointing. Under-decanting mutes what little there is of the body to it. Hot. Left, without much hope, in a bottle in the 'fridge. +24 hours Aha! There's something there. Cherries and marzipan on nose. Light fruity port palate, with only playful references ...

If I can access them I have ChAA 98 plus VPs from 82, 85 and 00. If you haven't had the latter, in particular, you really ought to try it. Logistics may be tight but family needs probably require me to do a vulnerable-parent-caring week from 8 Feb in any case so possible. Will report back. @nac - pl...