For The Love Of Port

Several domestic bottlings, but one from Portugal as of late, a corked 375 ml of 1997 Quinta do Infantado VP. That's been my luck.

On Wednesday I opened a bottle of Croft Vintage Character, bottled in 1953 to commemorate the coronation of Queen Elizabeth II and also a bottle of Munday's Fine Ruby Investiture Port - a Crusted Port bottled in 1969 to commemorate the investiture of Charles as the Prince of Wales.

Wednesday was an offline with a theme of "The Jubilee". Since 2012 is only the second time that a British monarch has reached their 60th anniversary I thought it was worth celebrating.

Broadbent Auction Reserve

-- Gary

1980 Croft Quinta da Roeda VP

1989 Warre Quinta da Cavadinha VP

2003 Smith Woodhouse VP for the Leap Day Virtual Port Tasting. TN here.

Quinta dos Murças 10 Year Old Tawny

Taylor's Crusted bottled 1974, Taylor 1985

1952 Dalva Golden White

1977/1985/1994 each of Dow, Graham, Gould Campbell and Fonseca.

A baker's dozen inside of 24 hours.

Last night a 20 year old Warre's Otima.

Tonight a 30 year old S. Leonardo Tawny.

Decanted a 1977 Warre's at noon for a Douro tasting this evening. I was going to take a 2004 Quinta do Crasto LBV as my backup. Be prepared!

1990 Graham's Malvedos. Haven't had it in quite awhile. Looking forward to it.

Roy

Roy Hersh wrote:1952 Dalva Golden White

1977/1985/1994 each of Dow, Graham, Gould Campbell and Fonseca.

A baker's dozen inside of 24 hours.

Nice! Any particular occasion?

I've been away from home and without port for a week, but get back tonight. I might not get to open any port as I'm told that I'm off to a quiz night - but when I get the chance it will be another half bottle of Croft 2004 LBV that gets opened.

Tonight will be a 1980 Dow.


As to answer Al B.:
Yes there were back to back events. The 1977-85-94 Dow/Graham/Gould/Fonseca was a comparative tasting seminar I held in Atlanta.

The 1952 Golden White was opened at the end of a comprehensive 1982 first and second growth Bordeaux horizontal the following afternoon.

1963 Dow's Vintage

-- Gary

... and a somewhat questionable bottle. Believed to be a 1963 Warre's.

-- Gary

Eric Menchen wrote:Decanted a 1977 Warre's at noon ...

Opened another today, with slightly more time. What can I say, I think they are drinking well these days. I'll be different with my next bottle, although it might be a Sauturnes. Taylor vertical is also on the horizon.

Gary Richardson wrote:... and a somewhat questionable bottle. Believed to be a 1963 Warre's.

-- Gary

Gary,
In what way?

Andy Velebil wrote:

Gary Richardson wrote:... and a somewhat questionable bottle. Believed to be a 1963 Warre's.

-- Gary

Gary,
In what way?

I have never been able to successfully upload photos, here, or I would provide one. Certainly caused by my own technical limitations ...

The original label was completely gone and had been replaced with a very generic and very small label at the bottom of the bottle with a handwritten note saying "1963 Warre's". The wax capsule was almost completely gone and the top of the cork was not in great shape and completely disintegrated when I tried to pull it. The fill level was low shoulder and there was some evidence of past leaking, though none since I purchased it about a year ago. It was not terribly expensive given the condition, so I gambled on it. 1963 seemed about right (maybe even 1970) for what was in the bottle, but I cannot say if it was Warre's. I must say, whatever the Port was inside (be it a 1963 Warre's or something else), it was wonderful. The heartiness of Port never ceases to amaze me.

-- Gary