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An email just received:


Let the ranting begin.

Well I think that it's wonderful that Taylor is doing the right thing. Who could dispute the venerable and trustworthy name of Taylor belongs on every one of those bottles. I have been listening to old episodes of 'The Hitchhikers guide to the galaxy' of late and I am reminded of the line; 'when it comes to a choice between doing the whole thing all over again or taking the money and running, then I for one could do with the exercise'. Those who do not remember the series should pass over this post.

I like that it'll be launched at 9.30 am, presumably with toast or granola. Which will it go with better?

djewesbury wrote:I like that it'll be launched at 9.30 am, presumably with toast or granola. Which will it go with better?

Probably best with Krohnflakes.

DRT wrote:

djewesbury wrote:I like that it'll be launched at 9.30 am, presumably with toast or granola. Which will it go with better?

Probably best with Krohnflakes.

!!

DRT wrote:

djewesbury wrote:I like that it'll be launched at 9.30 am, presumably with toast or granola. Which will it go with better?

Probably best with Krohnflakes.

DRT wrote:Probably best with Krohnflakes.

This has an appalling greatness to it.

djewesbury wrote: !!

Glenn E. wrote:

LGTrotter wrote:This has an appalling greatness to it.

Such accolades are rare for one of my attempts at humour. I'm here all week.

Don't milk it.

djewesbury wrote:Don't milk it.

Agreed. Port doesn't go well with fatty liquids (excluding gravy, custard, clotted cream and any sauce you can have with a steak).

There seems to be a paucity of moaning in this thread which I find mystifying. Here we have a glorious opportunity to go on about something and all we get are puns. This should not be allowed to pass even though it has mostly been said already.

I’ll admit to being very disappointed with the title of the tasting at 14:45 on the 2^nd: “A New Tasting Approach Based on Emotional Expectations”. Really.

(Was that what you wanted?)

I suppose this is what they will be launching. Yet another ultra-premium bottling for trophy hunters.

RonnieRoots wrote:I suppose this is what they will be launching. Yet another ultra-premium bottling for trophy hunters.

That would be the old Krohn's, there is also an old white from around the same period. Taylor's is releasing a lot of these old Krohn's, as Krohn had plenty of old stocks when TFP acquired them.

Andy Velebil wrote:

RonnieRoots wrote:I suppose this is what they will be launching. Yet another ultra-premium bottling for trophy hunters.

That would be the old Krohn's, there is also an old white from around the same period. Taylor's is releasing a lot of these old Krohn's, as Krohn had plenty of old stocks when TFP acquired them.

The white (plus a second Tawny) is 1896, as I recall. Krohn released a limited supply of those as a pair... for €8000 as I recall.

Did anyone taste this at the day with David Guimaraens? Was that yesterday? Who went? Review please.

djewesbury wrote:Did anyone taste this at the day with David Guimaraens? Was that yesterday? Who went? Review please.

There was a tasting on Wed with David Guimaraens at which the different aged varietal components of were to be present (was it T94 plus each individual component separately aged in bottle? I forget which year it was to be); unfortunately I was unavailable due to other work commitments, as I think that would have been a fascinating event. I have no idea whether the "new" 1863 release was to be present.

I tasted the 64 recently and liked it so feck the pedants! That's what we Irish use when we want to be polite or when we are doing our Father Jack impressions.

Justin K wrote:I tasted the 64 recently and liked it so feck the pedants! That's what we Irish use when we want to be polite or when we are doing our Father Jack impressions.

Not wishing to be pedantic but is there a tasting note for this?

I think that the quality of the wines is not the moot issue here, (which it should be and yes, it is a bit pedantic) it is that Taylor is taking the kudos for another man's work.

I've said this before when a similar thread was started at the time the 1964 colheita was released. I see nothing wrong here. Taylor spotted an opportunity to generate some value from a transaction - they knew that when sold through their routes to market they would be able to achieve higher prices than would Krohn. They paid Krohn a fair price for their stocks of old wines - presumably something approximating to Krohn's estimation of the price at which Krohn could have marketed the wines - and are now using Taylor Fladgate knowledge and expertise to access different markets which will generate a better price. What's wrong with that? Surely (almost) everyone is a winner:-
Krohn's owners because they have got a lump of cash and no more headache in trying to run a marginal port company;
TFP because they have got some prime stocks of old colheitas which can be sold at a profit;
Consumers because they are now seeing stocks of port being released and made available that were impossible to get hold of before.

The only people who I can see losing out in this arrangement is the very small number of people who knew about the quality of Krohn's colheitas and were able to buy them prior to the sale. That's probably a hundred people or so, mainly here and/or FTLOP.

I for one applaud any corporate transaction where the economics for the transaction aren't based on cost cutting and sacking a load of people. If an acquisition can be supported by achieving a significant increase in the value of the assets purchased then good for the acquirer - they were able to do something that the selling company couldn't and true value has been added.

Incidentally, I overheard Stephen Spurrier talking to Amanda Lloyd of Taylor Fladgate the other day, discussing the Taylor 1964 colheita. Amanda was very clear and unambiguous in her statement that the wine used to make the blend was wine from the Krohn stock, which Stephen noted and no doubt will reflect in his tasting note when it comes out. TFP are not trying to hide the fact that these wines are Krohn wines - instead they are (rightly in my opinion) proud of the fact that they are the ones who are privileged to be able to offer these to the market.

So, in other words, stop being a bunch of grumpy old men and be happy for the rest of the world who would otherwise probably not have got to hear of these wines.

AHB wrote:stop being a bunch of grumpy old men

I fear it is much too late for that

For the record, I was persuaded by your argument last time and my comment above was merely a world class joke that achieved much critical acclaim. I sense a British Comedy Award could be in the offing.

DRT wrote:

AHB wrote:stop being a bunch of grumpy old men

I fear it is much too late for that

For the record, I was persuaded by your argument last time and my comment above was merely a world class joke that achieved much critical acclaim. I sense a British Comedy Award could be in the offing.

I shall watch the BAFTAs tonight to see whether you win the lifetime service to comedy award.

The last sentence of the first post wasn’t wrong.

jdaw1 wrote:The last sentence of the first post wasn’t wrong.

Agreed, but did you expect the longest and most intense rant to be in support of Taylor?

DRT wrote:

jdaw1 wrote:The last sentence of the first post wasn’t wrong.

Agreed, but did you expect the longest and most intense rant to be in support of Taylor?

Only because I haven't had time to compose an apposite riposte.