ThePortForum.com

Charles Symington is back at Berry Brothers in November. On Tuesday 25th November he'll be leading a tasting of a range (as yet undefined) of Ports.

Tickets are £195 each, so it's not cheap, but I'll be there.

Must be a heck of a line up at that price.

very sadly i can't make this, as i enjoyed it before.

mosesbotbol wrote: ↑20:52 Wed 20 Aug 2025 Must be a heck of a line up at that price.

It's a decent line-up, with wines going back 50-60 years, but it's not intended to be a bargain basement event. Berry's events are a major source of revenue for them and an excellent way for their cellars to earn their keep. If you and Elys come to the UK next year, I recommend you look at booking yourselves on to one of their lunches or dinners; they are fabulous events. I usually do 2-3 a year I enjoy them that much.

Berry's list of current events (which, as I write this, runs to the end of November 2025) can be found here.

The line-up of bottles for the 2025 Port Walk hasn't been released yet, but 2024 included the following:

• Graham White Port Blend No. 5 (this was the welcome drink, as a White Port & Tonic)
• Dow 1994
• Graham 1963
• Graham 1970
• Graham 1977
• Graham 1983
• Graham 2003
• Graham 1997 Single Harvest Tawny
• Graham 20YO Tawny
• Dow Senhora da Ribeira 1999
• Dow Senhora da Ribeira 2009
• Dow Senhora da Ribeira 2019
• Taylor 2011
• Quinta do Vesuvio 1995
• Warre 1977
• Warre 1997

There were probably another 2-3 bottles of tawny, an LBV and (I think I remember) a crusted Port which I didn't get round to tasting — I just ran out of time: too much time spent chatting!

I have attended this for the last 3 years. It is expensive but there is a good selection of ports to try and Charles has always been generous with his time. My only criticism is it would be good, given the time you are asked to arrive, if they actually kicked things off a little earlier to allow for more time actually tasting.

The missing bottles from the 2024 list above that I noted were:
Grahams LBV 2018
Warre bottle matured LBV 2010
Graham 50 year tawny

The Senhora da Ribeira wines were the three at the blind tasting table so not advertised in advance.

Thanks for the heads up Alex, I'll see you there!