Tuesday 29th July 2014: bring a blind bottle to share

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PopulusTremula
Warre’s Traditional LBV
Posts: 330
Joined: 17:45 Mon 23 May 2011

Tuesday 29th July 2014: bring a blind bottle to share

Post by PopulusTremula »

On Tuesday 29th July 2014 a group of us gathered for an informal evening in The Bung Hole, each having brought a bottle to share blind.

1994 Tesco (double dagger, MPM)
1980 Gould Campbell (RPA)
1970 Fonseca (THRA)
1970 Warre (CPR 1)
1970 Taylor (MPM)
1963 Gould Campbell (AHB)
1958 Martinez (MW)
1983 Barca Velha (MW)
PopulusTremula
Warre’s Traditional LBV
Posts: 330
Joined: 17:45 Mon 23 May 2011

Re: Tuesday 29th July 2014: bring a blind bottle to share

Post by PopulusTremula »

An enjoyable night was had last Tuesday, where the fiercely air conditioned basement of TBH was a great way to escape the oppressive heat of central London and it also proved conducive for consumption of port.

As usual, the attendees were less than stellar in their ability to identify the bottles, which were served blind. I failed to identify a single wine, but managed to guess the right vintage once (1970), no prizes for that given the number of 70s on the evening and the popularity of the vintage. Most pleasingly, all wines showed very well without any flawed or weak bottles, and if drunk individually, each port would have provided exemplary drinking pleasure. Notably, 1994 Tesco (QH) brought by Mike was very Vesuvio-esque on the nose and it held up very well considering its weaker credentials (on paper at least).

WsOTN were Mz58 (14pts), GC63 (11 pts) and F70 (9 pts).

The lack of a podium finish for T70 and W70, both of which showed very nicely indeed, speaks volumes of the top three wines of the evening. The GC80 is also a stonkingly good port.

I found the Barca Velha an OK wine but I am not quite sure it delivered in accordance with its reputation. Mike (i think) placed it on the Iberian peninsula as a potential Rioja, which was apt, there were definitely notes indicative of barrel aged Rioja to be found.
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flash_uk
Graham’s 1977
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Re: Tuesday 29th July 2014: bring a blind bottle to share

Post by flash_uk »

Many thanks for getting this one set up Magnus. Excellent port all round, managing to span 5 decades in 7 bottles. Slightly disappointed with the way the T70 showed, but as you say, it was in superb company. We should do more of these BABTS events, very enjoyable.
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flash_uk
Graham’s 1977
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Re: Tuesday 29th July 2014: bring a blind bottle to share

Post by flash_uk »

What was it?

Good effort by Charles to pick the T70 and the year for Tom's bottle, 1.5 points. And similarly Alex picked the W70 and the year for Tom's, also 1.5 points. the rest of us managed to guess the vintage on Tom's but that was it.
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flash_uk
Graham’s 1977
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Re: Tuesday 29th July 2014: bring a blind bottle to share

Post by flash_uk »

And the WOTN sheet...
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Alex Bridgeman
Graham’s 1948
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Re: Tuesday 29th July 2014: bring a blind bottle to share

Post by Alex Bridgeman »

It was a great evening and was greatly needed - I have been working like a Trojan recently and a night sharing some absolutely splendid port was just what I needed. Thank you for organising it Magnus.

And thank you also for sharing the Barca Velha. I don't get to drink it very often but when I do it is a real pleasure. I've not had the 1983 before so it was great to be able to try it.

And thanks for the great company guys. I can't believe that despite the fact that I was staying in London I was still the second to leave - but it was either leave or fall asleep at the table, and no-one wants to do that!
Top Ports in 2023: Taylor 1896 Colheita, b. 2021. A perfect Port.

2024: Niepoort 1900 Colheita, b.1971. A near perfect Port.
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jdaw1
Cockburn 1851
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Re: Tuesday 29th July 2014: bring a blind bottle to share

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