ThePortForum.com

Yes. Where were the admins when the drift began?

Honestly, you lot. It's getting so two people can't have a decent argument round here anymore. Anyway, I don't bicker, I exchange firmly held opinions.

Well it was about Christmas ports but the subject feels a bit turgid after the recent exchanges.

The areas which have come under consideration so far;

-Oporto versus British stored ports (but no comment yet on American stored port yet I note)
-A chat about Smith Woodhouse 77 which broadened out into comments on vintages ending in 7, which was reheated from Tom's earlier thoughts on why shippers favour this digit in the decade.
-Also a questioning of the 94 vintage.
-Then corks( ).

I think it all worked out nicely. I've no idea what to drink for Christmas. But I have been looking at a solitary Warre 66 for too long. Time to let go.

I told you that I was opening a magnum of Sandeman 70 (ex-cellars) and this was passed over in the rush to find something contentious to argue about.

I plan on opening a Fonseca '70, a Croft '63 and maybe something from 1985, yet to be determined what.

I always open a Cr70 sometime over Xmas/NY depending when driving etc. Will likely open something else too, probably an 85.

The nearest thing I have to a Christmas port tradition is a bottle of Graham 85 shared with my family after we get back from putting wreaths on the family graves on Christmas Eve. We cut my Christmas cake, comparing it with the three or four others over the course of the holidays. A winner is declared before new year. I am the defending champion this year.

Edit; I did try giving them Martinez 82 (or was it 85?) one year but there was much grumbling.

Had an interesting discussion about the cork issues yesterday with a member of the trade who is well known to most of us.

During the seventies there were a series of mergers and takeovers in the cork production industry which brought an end to some long-standing arrangements between cork manufacturers and wine makers. In the aftermath of this, the French got much the same quality as before, the Americans got duped into believing that smooth pale corks were superior, and some of the best corks went to Australia.

The Portuguese were accustomed to getting good corks at a low price, but now started getting the quality they were paying for..

LGTrotter wrote:I quote; "They have been with a 3rd party supplier until recently, good condition, not recorked."

I wonder who the 3rd man was? Cue zither music...

Opened one of these recently-purchased SW 77s earlier - the BBR stock have definitely been recorked (will post photo in New Year).