Search found 3300 matches

by JacobH
21:56 Mon 09 Jan 2023
Forum: Other Fortified Wines
Topic: NV Quady Starboard Batch 88
Replies: 7
Views: 2123

Re: NV Quady Starboard Batch 88

This bottle came from the Daylesford Organics wine shop in the Cotswolds. It seems to have made it onto the inventory of at least one distributor for independent wine merchants so I think tracking it down shouldn't be too hard. When I was looking for more info about the wine quite a few places came ...
by JacobH
16:36 Sun 08 Jan 2023
Forum: Other Fortified Wines
Topic: NV Quady Starboard Batch 88
Replies: 7
Views: 2123

NV Quady Starboard Batch 88

It’s a very long time since I tried this and I’ve never had a bottle at home, so I thought it would be a fun experiment. It’s a “Port-style” wine made by Quady (who are famous in the UK, at least, for their black muscat wines) in Madera (!) California. The blend is described as Port-like, although I...
by JacobH
11:38 Sat 31 Dec 2022
Forum: Port Conversations
Topic: Historic Port for Historic Mixed Drinks / Cocktails
Replies: 5
Views: 1881

Historic Port for Historic Mixed Drinks / Cocktails

Many very early mixed drink recipes, such as Bishop, Negus, Flip and so on call for Port or can be made in a Port variation. However, something that often troubles me is what the “Port” should be. I think it is fairly clear that fortification was a process that was invented for export purposes and t...
by JacobH
12:13 Thu 29 Dec 2022
Forum: Port Conversations
Topic: Festive Drinking 2022
Replies: 38
Views: 12228

Re: Festive Drinking 2022

Justin K wrote: 01:00 Thu 29 Dec 2022Chateau Ksara and I open it the day before, it always tastes better 24 hours later.
Thanks. Might see if I can find some. I appreciate Ksara is the biggest producer in Lebanon but I’ve always been pleased with their wines.
by JacobH
20:01 Tue 27 Dec 2022
Forum: Port Conversations
Topic: Festive Drinking 2022
Replies: 38
Views: 12228

Re: Festive Drinking 2022

Spice Route Quevri Orange Wine 2020 as a pre prandial before lunch today. Very pleasant probably chenin blanc orange wine but nothing in it that intrinsically tells you which continent it was from let alone vintage country or region. This sort of generic clay-aged wine seems to be becoming more pop...
by JacobH
19:44 Tue 27 Dec 2022
Forum: Port Tasting Notes
Topic: NV Wine Society Crusted 2013
Replies: 1
Views: 219

Re: NV Wine Society Crusted 2013

I was interested in what this was so looked it up. For the benefit of future posterity, after the Wine Society takes down its entry: it is made by the Symingtons from a blend of the 2009, 2010 and 2011 vintages. Incidentally, I keep forgetting that when trying to assess the relative age of a Crusted...
by JacobH
19:40 Tue 27 Dec 2022
Forum: Port Tasting Notes
Topic: 1872 Quinta do Bom Retiro
Replies: 4
Views: 664

Re: 1872 Quinta do Bom Retiro

Interesting. Thank you!
by JacobH
19:00 Mon 26 Dec 2022
Forum: Port Tasting Notes
Topic: 1872 Quinta do Bom Retiro
Replies: 4
Views: 664

Re: 1872 Quinta do Bom Retiro

What a fantastic Port to try! Was this some sort of tawny? I assume a vintage Port would be completely dead after being open for a week at 150 years' old.
by JacobH
22:58 Sat 24 Dec 2022
Forum: Port Tasting Notes
Topic: 1977 Graham
Replies: 0
Views: 375

1977 Graham

Delighted with the colour- transparent ruby red fading to a light pink. Terrible glasses which hinder the nose but there remains excellent concentrated fruit. In the mouth, the first sensation is a little subdued but then there is a hit of red fruit. Not real tannins left but there is a touch of aci...
by JacobH
18:36 Sat 24 Dec 2022
Forum: Port Tasting Notes
Topic: 1977 Palmer Colheita (bottled 2020)
Replies: 0
Views: 282

1977 Palmer Colheita (bottled 2020)

Bottled in 2020. The colour is a surprisingly deep brown in the middle fading to an amber at the edge. Terrible glasses so limited impressions on the nose. Some orange. Some sugar. Probably better with better glasses. In the mouth, I'm really struck by the pronounced oranges. Not much fresh fruit or...
by JacobH
21:33 Fri 23 Dec 2022
Forum: Port Conversations
Topic: Bottling dates on LBVs (& others)
Replies: 13
Views: 2909

Re: Bottling dates on LBVs (& others)

Yes! I’m pretty sure I could find out how when most of these LBVs were bottled without too much trouble, but I’m just curious as to why many don’t seem to have the bottling date on the labels any more.
by JacobH
15:51 Fri 23 Dec 2022
Forum: Port Tasting Notes
Topic: 2018 Fortnum and Mason LBV
Replies: 0
Views: 395

2018 Fortnum and Mason LBV

2018 Fortnum and Mason LBV (Niepoort) Having successful completed the Christmas shopping, I retreat to the basement of Fortnums in search of fortification. The bar only has two Ports (this and a 10-year-old tawny) but £6 for a 75ml sample of the LBV seems reasonable value and they don't bat an eyel...
by JacobH
22:31 Thu 22 Dec 2022
Forum: Port Conversations
Topic: Bottling dates on LBVs (& others)
Replies: 13
Views: 2909

Re: Bottling dates on LBVs (& others)

On the Quevedo it says "Lote: LA-AABA" but that was too cryptic for me!
by JacobH
10:23 Thu 22 Dec 2022
Forum: Port Conversations
Topic: Bottling dates on LBVs (& others)
Replies: 13
Views: 2909

Re: Bottling dates on LBVs (& others)

I was thinking about this some more. I presume that, before bottling, the LBV blend is assembled and stabilised by most shippers in large tanks, at which point a hold from 4 to 5 years or 5 to 6 years before bottling might change it very much, so perhaps the bottling age isn’t important?
by JacobH
10:19 Tue 20 Dec 2022
Forum: Port Conversations
Topic: Bottling dates on LBVs (& others)
Replies: 13
Views: 2909

Re: Bottling dates on LBVs (& others)

This is all interesting. Thank you. I’ve rummaged through my wine fridge to see what LBV I have to hand and the answer is “surprisingly little”. The new-style Churchill LBV doesn’t have a bottling date on the label but does seem to have a laser-etched date code on the bottle (as to the others from C...
by JacobH
10:21 Mon 19 Dec 2022
Forum: Port Conversations
Topic: Bottling dates on LBVs (& others)
Replies: 13
Views: 2909

Bottling dates on LBVs (& others)

The last two LBVs I’ve tried—the Messias 2016 and Quevedo 2017—were at opposite ends of the quality spectrum but neither, as far as I could tell, included a bottling date on the label. I appreciate that a bottling date is only really essentially for buying colheitas and almost every producer bottles...
by JacobH
16:51 Sun 18 Dec 2022
Forum: Port Tasting Notes
Topic: 2017 Quevedo LBV
Replies: 0
Views: 766

2017 Quevedo LBV

Oddly this bottle doesn't specify either a bottling date or any hint as to whether it is filtered or not (e.g. it doesn't even say "no decanting required") beyond the fact it has a shortish driven cork. Very deep purple to the edge where it fades slightly. Nose excellent. Like a young vint...
by JacobH
19:21 Sat 17 Dec 2022
Forum: Port Tasting Notes
Topic: 2006 Burmester Colheita (bottled 2022)
Replies: 0
Views: 367

2006 Burmester Colheita (bottled 2022)

Bottled in 2022. Beautiful deep amber colour with perhaps the slightest touch of red left. Quite consistent to the edge where it fades out. Nose is quite nice. Some orange. A little caramel. In the mouth, I get little primary fruit, followed by a huge hit of golden syrup, accompanied by an unctious ...
by JacobH
11:46 Sat 17 Dec 2022
Forum: Organising Tastings and Get-togethers
Topic: Thu 15 December 2022 - The Port Forum's 15th Xmas Tasting
Replies: 82
Views: 21435

Re: Thu 15 December 2022 - The Port Forum's 15th Xmas Tasting

PS. I think you can also buy dissolvable labels designed for caterers which dissolve in a dishwasher which might be worth trying if you've only used general purpose stickers before.
by JacobH
10:32 Sat 17 Dec 2022
Forum: Organising Tastings and Get-togethers
Topic: Thu 15 December 2022 - The Port Forum's 15th Xmas Tasting
Replies: 82
Views: 21435

Re: Thu 15 December 2022 - The Port Forum's 15th Xmas Tasting

Bad luck about the pipes, although I'm glad you had a good night! Re- marking glasses. I've tried a few things over the years. I think chalk markers are only really suitable for semi-permanent use. I use them to write in the bottom of a bottle what's in them so I can tell when they are lying down wh...
by JacobH
11:23 Wed 14 Dec 2022
Forum: Port Conversations
Topic: Festive Drinking 2022
Replies: 38
Views: 12228

Re: Festive Drinking 2022

A couple of bottles of the excellent (both in terms of quality and value) Squerryes Reserve 2018 to start I haven’t tried a bottle from them for ages. They are really close to us and we investigated having our wedding reception either at the house or the winery. Unfortunately, the owners had so man...
by JacobH
21:28 Tue 13 Dec 2022
Forum: Port Tasting Notes
Topic: 2000 Quinta do Vale Dona Maria
Replies: 0
Views: 326

2000 Quinta do Vale Dona Maria

Apparently it is over a decade since I’ve tried a QdVDM vintage port and very much to my surprise no-one has reviewed this Port on :tpf: since 2009 . The colour is impressively dark in the middle, fading to a purple / red on the rim. The nose is rather attractive. Vibrant red fruits with cherries pr...
by JacobH
13:59 Tue 13 Dec 2022
Forum: Organising Tastings and Get-togethers
Topic: Thu 15 December 2022 - The Port Forum's 15th Xmas Tasting
Replies: 82
Views: 21435

Re: Thu 15 December 2022 - The Port Forum's 15th Xmas Tasting

Alex Bridgeman wrote: 12:43 Tue 13 Dec 2022 I have also packed a set of Port tongs.
I’m amazed you travel anywhere without them! ;-)
by JacobH
11:16 Tue 13 Dec 2022
Forum: Port Conversations
Topic: Pointless Statistics
Replies: 251
Views: 191959

Re: Pointless Statistics

Seeing as it would be rather difficult to identify the harvest date for most vintage ports, I presume Tom has decided on an official birthday for all of his Port like horses which implies a need for a birthday party!
by JacobH
11:05 Tue 13 Dec 2022
Forum: Port Tasting Notes
Topic: 2016 Messias LBV
Replies: 4
Views: 976

Re: 2016 Messias LBV

That was my impression before opening this bottle and it has stayed pretty much the same. However, there is nothing wrong with it as a Port and I am enjoying drinking it which is more than can be said for some cheaper LBVs.