Peculier Port phrases Thread.

[Conky]

I was thinking of all the phrases I used to hear about Port whch I didn't fuly understand. Like Horzontal and Vertical Tastings,Double Decanting, seepage,etc.
I thought we might use this thread as a way of explaning ONE phrase each, in turn, as we go along. Its a bit more interesting than one person just completing a huge list, and can occupy you when things are quiet. The newcomer can browse through it and hopefully pick things up a lot quicker than I did, My first contribution.

Double Decanting.

This is the method, were when it suits, you decant a bottle of Port into anyform of Container, but then pour it back into the original bottle again. It gives it two big swills of air, and if sieved/filtered has now got rid of all sediment. It is now in a position to be recorked (Often with a T Cork for convenience) and ready to be easily transported to a venue,etc.

Alan

[DRT]

A Vertical Tasting comprises two or more bottles of the same style of wine or port from a single producer/shipper.

An example would be Fonseca Vintage Port 1963, 1966, 1970 and 1977.

Derek

[Jay P]

A horizontal tasting: A tasting of multiple wines from the same vintage. For example: Warre 1985, Dow 1985, Fonseca 1985, etc.

Jay

[Conky]

Fill level.

This might sound obvious, but it is the level the Port reaches in the bottle when its stood up. When your reading a tasting Note or a Auction description, you will often hear it refered to. There is no hard and fast rule about where it sould be, and bottles can come in different shapes and sizes. Again a healthy fill level is obviously near the top, and is a good sign. If it drops to the start of the shoulder of the bottle, or below, it means the Buyer/owner is taking a chance. It could be an indication of Seepage, and the bigger the oxygen gap at the top of the bottle, the more chance it may have aged differently or been spoilt. Fortunately there are countless examples were a poor looking Fill Level in a bottle has still resulted in a rewarding drink. It can often be the reason why an otherwise expensive bottle appears a bargain.

[uncle tom]

Fill levels were always a bit vague until Christies first published their much copied diagram about 20 years ago.

The daft thing is that even Christies don't stick to it when describing lots!

Here is my guide to port fill level acronyms. This is broadly consistant with the Christies diagram and actual auction practice. The exact definitions are my own - you may ignore them if you wish!

HF - High fill

Rarely used by auctioneers as it's exact definition is a bit vague. Some suggest that it equates to the original fill level, but that is very variable.

My definition - not more than 15mm of air space between the base of the cork and top surface of the wine, excluding the meniscus.

IN - In neck

Widely used in auction descriptions, meaning what it says on the tin - but also a bit vague.

My definition - 5mm or more into the neck.

JIN/JN/LN - Just (in) neck or Low neck

Not often used.

My definition - wine in neck, but by less than 5mm.

BNOB - Base of neck or better

Self explanatory - the preserve of lazy auctioneers!

BN - Base of neck

A little bit vague, as some bottles have a swept join between neck and shoulder.

My definition - wine at the base of the neck, with the width of the meniscus no greater than the mean outside diameter of the neck.

VTS/JBJ - Very top shoulder or Just below join

The wine is out of the neck, but not by much.

My defintion - the meniscus is no more than 1.5 times the mean outside diameter of the neck.

VHS/HS/US - Very high shoulder or High shoulder or Upper shoulder

Inconsistently used by various merchants and auctioneers.

TS - Top shoulder

The wine is well out of the neck, but there has yet to be a major fluid loss.

My defintion -

a) Where the neck and shoulder come together abruptly - the distance between the base of the neck and the surface of the wine is less than 10mm.

b) Where the neck sweeps into the shoulder - the meniscus is no more than twice the mean outside diameter of the neck.

MS - Mid shoulder

As it says..

My defintion - the distance between the base of the neck and the surface of the wine is between 10 and 20mm.

LS - Low shoulder

The meniscus is still forming on the shoulder of the bottle, but not by a lot.

My definition - the distance between the base of the neck and the surface of the wine is between 20 and 30mm.

BLS - Below low shoulder

The level of the wine no longer reaches the shoulder - the bottle might only be half full.

My definition - the distance between the base of the neck and the surface of the wine is more than 30mm.

Tom

[jdaw1]

Double vertical

Two houses from each of several years. E.g., Taylor 1908, Cockburn 1908, Taylor 1927, Cockburn 1927, Taylor 1963, Cockburn 1963, Taylor 1970, Cockburn 1970, Taylor 1985, Cockburn 1985. This can be thought of a a Taylor vertical, plus a Cockburn vertical, with matching years.

[jdaw1]

Sesquivertical

A term invented by yours truly. Like a double vertical, except that one of the houses is missing about half the years. From the Latin “sesqui-†, meaning one-and-a-half times.

[Jay P]

Not to be too picky Mr ', but should the "sesqui" really be sesqui

Jay

[jdaw1]

Not to be too picky Mr ',

Not to be too picky Mr’,

Not to be too picky Mr.,

(I don’t control the BB’s automatic “wrote†, rather than “written†.)

Further, being merciful, this wasn’t used as your induction into that which passes as the TPF Hall of Shame.

should the "sesqui" really be sesqui

No. And why did you italicise the trailing space?

[Conky]

BOB's

Buyers Own Brands Which is when a Big Supermarket chain buys a Port and labels it as Tesco's own Vintage Port, etc. There's usually a clue on the label, but sometimes it needs a bit of detective work. As its often at a cheap price, and the Shipper's label isn't in danger, its provenance may be questionable. Like using up the stuff that was left over. But it shouldn't be too bad, otherwise no one would buy it.

Alan

[Jay P]

should the "sesqui" really be sesqui

No. And why did you italicise the trailing space?

Because I could?

Jay

[Alex Bridgeman]

A diagonal tasting is a combination of a vertical and a horizontal. It comprises of a selection of wines from different shippers and different vintages, often with the vintages being consecutive or nearly consecutive.

An example would be a tasting of Taylor 1963, Fonseca 1966, Graham 1970, Sandeman 1977 and Warre 1980.

Alex

[DRT]

Hmmm?

I thought a diagonal tasting was a combination of horizontal and vertical tastings such as:

Fonseca 1963, 1966 & 1970
Graham's 1963, 1966 & 1970
Taylor's 1963, 1966 & 1970

If this isn't a diagonal tasing then what should we call it?

Derek

[jdaw1]

Square. AHB’s example is indeed of a diagonal.

[DRT]

So, is this a rectangle?

Fonseca 1963, 1966 & 1970
taylor's 1963, 1966 & 1970

[jdaw1]

So, is this a rectangle?

Fonseca 1963, 1966 & 1970
taylor's 1963, 1966 & 1970

Yes, though I would be more specific and describe it as a double-horizontal.

[DRT]

...or a triple-mini-vertical?

[jdaw1]

...or a triple-mini-vertical?

Take the longer dimension. Is a tasting of Fonseca 1963, Fonseca 1970, Fonseca 1977, Fonseca 1985 a vertical, or four micro-horizontals? The former: use the longer dimension.

(And read this before attempting an ellipsis character.)

[Alex Bridgeman]

So, is this a rectangle?

Fonseca 1963, 1966 & 1970
taylor's 1963, 1966 & 1970

Now for your next challenge I would like you to describe an hexagonal tasting (note the use of 'an' as the indefinite article in a vain attempt to keep Julian happy).

Alex

Admin - please move me to meaningless drivel

[jdaw1]

Hexagonal? Well, not a term I would use in this context, but if I had to, perhaps it could be used it for F70 F77 T63 T70 T77 T85 G70 G77.

A hexagonal? An hexagonal? I don’t mind either. Easy-going, me.

[uncle tom]

Better still, go for a dodecahedron tasting...

You get three people to sit round a table with twelve pristine and ancient bottles, perfectly decanted (with placemats) - and then proceed to sample all the bottles four times over, paying particular attention to the finish, so no spitting is allowed.

The participants then gently prise themselves off the floor the following afternoon, (taking care to avoid daylight) and then discuss in long, slow, quiet words what can be remembered from the night before - if anything..

Tom

[DRT]

Tom,

Isn't that what we did last Christmas?

Derek