Search found 3518 matches

by uncle tom
19:36 Tue 02 Sep 2008
Forum: Port Conversations
Topic: Keeping track of your port
Replies: 35
Views: 10561

Re: Keeping track of your port

The one million pound notes, for what it’s worth, were printed in plain black on one side of A5 paper. No colour, no watermark, no hologram, nothing. They were also de-monetarised a long time ago - I think there are still some some £1,000 pound notes around that the Bank of England would exchange f...
by uncle tom
19:23 Tue 02 Sep 2008
Forum: Port Conversations
Topic: 2008 vintage - The countdown
Replies: 39
Views: 14505

Re: 2008 vintage - The countdown

A grower told me that in August the nights were especially cold, which is unusual. His crop seems normal regarding to quantity, just 2 weeks late at the moment. We'll go and visit him togheter btw Cool nights were cited as a reason to declare 2007 - in the rather premature statements made last year...
by uncle tom
17:37 Tue 02 Sep 2008
Forum: Organising Tastings and Get-togethers
Topic: 1960 Horizontal
Replies: 7
Views: 3379

Re: 1960 Horizontal

2010 it is then

I have eight different '60's to choose from, so with a little hunting we should be able to put together a dozen or so.

Tom
by uncle tom
17:26 Tue 02 Sep 2008
Forum: Port Conversations
Topic: 2008 vintage - The countdown
Replies: 39
Views: 14505

Re: 2008 vintage - The countdown

Well, the broad atlantic depression I commented on twelve days ago pulled itself together and turned into hurricane Gustav, whose remnants are not, I think, a threat. A couple more storms (Hanna & Ike) have also formed, and could cause problems; but the one I'm worried about was the system I saw...
by uncle tom
12:24 Tue 02 Sep 2008
Forum: Port Tasting Notes
Topic: 1992 Ramos Pinto LBV (unfiltered)
Replies: 3
Views: 2981

Re: 1992 Ramos Pinto LBV (unfiltered)

Just a hunch Hunch correct - part of a mixed lot that included a few odd bottles of RP VP as well. Several merchants list the more recent RP LBV's, but they are retailed at around the £15 mark, which is too heavy for my liking. Not a lot of LBV comes to auction, but when it does, the big name wines...
by uncle tom
10:08 Tue 02 Sep 2008
Forum: Port Conversations
Topic: Keeping track of your port
Replies: 35
Views: 10561

Re: Keeping track of your port

Still havn't figured out why we have a penny these days...totally annoying when i have a pocket full of them. There is a good argument for abolishing copper coinage on both sides of the pond. Here the 1p coin is now easily the most worthless we have ever had, even though it is worth nearly 2 US cen...
by uncle tom
17:54 Mon 01 Sep 2008
Forum: Port Tasting Notes
Topic: 1983 Kopke Sao Luiz
Replies: 6
Views: 4084

1983 Kopke Sao Luiz

Three bottles quaffed in close succession, the runts of a large, rough, and very inexpensive litter. These bottles were more oxidised and developed than I would have normally expected, so an atypical note. Very similar to Kopke '70 - a full wine with bags of sugar and a deep noble tawny hue that has...
by uncle tom
16:01 Mon 01 Sep 2008
Forum: Port Tasting Notes
Topic: 1992 Ramos Pinto LBV (unfiltered)
Replies: 3
Views: 2981

1992 Ramos Pinto LBV (unfiltered)

One of five bottles bought earlier this year. Decanted cleanly off it's sediment, and immediately approachable. Very sound wine, nicely mature with great depth of colour, and showing much better than recent VP encounters from this vintage. Good to drink now; I see no reason to either hasten or delay...
by uncle tom
09:44 Mon 01 Sep 2008
Forum: Port Conversations
Topic: Keeping track of your port
Replies: 35
Views: 10561

Re: Keeping track of your port

and price paid (before tax). Why do you Americans have such a hatred of tax inclusive prices? You go to the US, buy something that has a nice round price tag, and then get a few percent of sales tax added that leaves you with a pocket full of change.. ..the reason why is probably related to the rea...
by uncle tom
22:56 Sun 31 Aug 2008
Forum: Port Conversations
Topic: Keeping track of your port
Replies: 35
Views: 10561

Re: Keeping track of your port

I think there are two philosophies to choose from here. 1) Stock manage perfectly, and know exactly what you have and where it is. 2) Buy when the whim to do so inspires you, stow the bottles safely and forget all about them. Then, years later, when browsing for a bottle to drink, discover them afre...
by uncle tom
21:23 Mon 25 Aug 2008
Forum: Port Conversations
Topic: Nacional - Myth or Magic?
Replies: 49
Views: 20067

Re: Nacional - Myth or Magic?

The release price of Nacional has rarely been committed to print - part of the mystique that Noval have crafted has been borne of their habit of releasing it only to merchants who ask for it nicely on the back of orders for other products, and even then it seems to be a 'price on application' produc...
by uncle tom
17:41 Mon 25 Aug 2008
Forum: Port Conversations
Topic: Nacional - Myth or Magic?
Replies: 49
Views: 20067

Nacional - Myth or Magic?

In another thread, Axel asks me why I think the NN97's are overpriced - this seems worthy of a thread of it's own. Firstly, I have no particular agenda with regard to Nacional - a healthy suspicion certainly, that the prices commanded may be seriously disproportionate to its merits; one that has res...
by uncle tom
16:40 Mon 25 Aug 2008
Forum: Port Conversations
Topic: 2008 vintage - The countdown
Replies: 39
Views: 14505

Re: 2008 vintage - The countdown

If 2008's come out in 2010, I wait 20 years to drink them, that's 2030 at a minimum. I will be over 60 years old and will hopefully have a fully stocked cellar by then. There are/will be plenty of great vintages to buy, and the way pricing is on new vintages, I see little to get excited about. Buil...
by uncle tom
23:53 Fri 22 Aug 2008
Forum: Port Conversations
Topic: 2008 vintage - The countdown
Replies: 39
Views: 14505

Re: 2008 vintage - The countdown

Could care less about whether 2008 will be a vintage year. Sorry to rain on the parade.
Why?

Tom
by uncle tom
11:52 Fri 22 Aug 2008
Forum: Port Conversations
Topic: Mature VP for sale - £5/bottle!
Replies: 6
Views: 2162

Re: Mature VP for sale - £5/bottle!

I've just sorted through them all. I plan to drink another weakling and then re-wax the best dozen before stowing them in the cellar. That leaves 14 x £5 bargain bottles plus another 6 that have levels that are just in neck. If Axel wants half a dozen to take home on the plane, it might be better if...
by uncle tom
22:52 Thu 21 Aug 2008
Forum: Port Conversations
Topic: 2008 vintage - The countdown
Replies: 39
Views: 14505

Re: 2008 vintage - The countdown

Well, while Julian is hanging out the flags for the centenary of the Ideal Home Exhibition, I'm keeping my beady little eyes on a little weather system that's starting to brew between Cape Verde and Dakar..

Each to his own, I suppose... :wink:

Tom
by uncle tom
16:18 Thu 21 Aug 2008
Forum: Port Conversations
Topic: Mature VP for sale - £5/bottle!
Replies: 6
Views: 2162

Mature VP for sale - £5/bottle!

Yes, it's true! The wine is Kopke '83, and it's a rather sad stash of bottles, many of which show signs of seepage - my guess is that they were probably stored upright for most of their lives, and then started to leak when someone tried to rack them. The labels are substantially decayed, so I suspec...
by uncle tom
02:01 Thu 21 Aug 2008
Forum: Port Conversations
Topic: 2008 vintage - The countdown
Replies: 39
Views: 14505

2008 vintage - The countdown

While the climate in the Douro is significant throughout the year - especially with regard to yields; the difference between a declarable year, and an also-ran, is almost always determined in the 40 days between now and the end of September. So far, the conditions this year have not been particularl...
by uncle tom
00:56 Thu 21 Aug 2008
Forum: Port Conversations
Topic: A Good Nose
Replies: 13
Views: 6909

Re: A Good Nose

Port is such civilised pleasure
Absolutely agreed - welcome on board!

Tom
by uncle tom
09:35 Mon 18 Aug 2008
Forum: Port Conversations
Topic: Glasses: what to buy; where to buy?
Replies: 73
Views: 36548

Re: Glasses: what to buy; where to buy?

I have a dishwasher, but no longer use it. In the time it takes to load and unload it, I can wash almost everything faster by hand, leaving the odd pan to soak in the sink. Glasses I usually wash with cold water and nothing else (unless something greasy has come into contact with them), shaking the ...
by uncle tom
06:18 Mon 18 Aug 2008
Forum: Port Conversations
Topic: 2008 - small crops can be very good..
Replies: 20
Views: 7198

Re: 2008 - small crops can be very good..

Forecast for the remainder of the month is dry, with good heat in the next few days, followed by slightly cooler conditions toward the end of the month. Looking further ahead, the hurricane season is looking very quiet, with only one tropical storm of significance on the radar (Fay) - which at the m...
by uncle tom
19:15 Sun 17 Aug 2008
Forum: Port Conversations
Topic: Fun fact in Port History
Replies: 6
Views: 3073

Re: Fun fact in Port History

Gout is primarily caused by over-consumption of protein and/or foods and drinks that have a high fructose content. I am not sure when litharge was used to sweeten wine (or for how long), but the resultant poisoning is said to cause symptoms that resemble gout, although this seems to be slightly at o...
by uncle tom
11:52 Wed 06 Aug 2008
Forum: Port Tasting Notes
Topic: 1890 Unknown
Replies: 16
Views: 10963

Re: 1890 Unknown Shipper vintage port

Orange is a distinctive signature on old Crofts, but I missed it on the '75 and again recently on the '91.

Tom
by uncle tom
23:22 Mon 04 Aug 2008
Forum: Other Wines
Topic: Joao Pato Vinho de Mesa
Replies: 1
Views: 1705

Joao Pato Vinho de Mesa

Someone, somewhere, has a fair stash of these, as they been have drip fed into the auction circuit (most notably Straker's) for more than a couple of years now. The vintages are all in the range of 1989 to 1995. This is seat of the pants peasant juice, with loads of sediment - very much an old schoo...
by uncle tom
20:16 Mon 04 Aug 2008
Forum: Port Conversations
Topic: Keeping tabs on other types of port.
Replies: 16
Views: 5988

Re: Keeping tabs on other types of port.

I tried that text with the Google language tools, and got this: Special categories of Port wine White The Wines of Porto may bear the words Reserve or an indication of age (10, 20, 30 or + 40 years) provided that completion of procedures included in the Regulations of the Port wine on this topic. Al...