So what is everyone planning to open for the festive period?

Adam F · Post by **Adam F** » Wed Dec 20, 2006 12:26 pm

I am currently finishing a 97 Vesuvio (a tad too hot for me still but a very pleasent drink and my son keeps his wooden railway in the boxes!) and some SA tawny style (tried most and I think they are all tawny stlye my preference in descending order is Bredell, Allesverloren, Boplass, De Krans, Vergenoed).

For the festive period it will be a Niepoort. If I am on my own an 87 and if my brothers want to join in probably a 2000 since we all love that vintage and I have rather a few to get through!

Post by **Andy Velebil** » Wed Dec 20, 2006 12:39 pm

Tomorrow some good 'ol friends from Northern California are coming down to visit. A big hedonsitic wine dinner at my house is in order, that will include a 1970 Taylors VP and 1983 Warre's (birthyear of 1 friend).

As for the rest of the month, not quite sure yet.

Those Niepoorts will last a long long time, so take your time and stop knocking-off the young ones

John Conwell · Post by **John Conwell** » Wed Dec 20, 2006 5:56 pm

This weekend I'm having dinner with two good friends, and am planning on opening my only 1977 Smith Woodhouse VP. I havent tried it before and am pretty excited!

Derek T. · Post by **Derek T.** » Wed Dec 20, 2006 6:05 pm

I have decided to have a very young VP for Christmas, so I will be opening a Fonseca 1985 8)

Derek

Bob Parsons Alberta · Post by **Bob Parsons Alberta** » Thu Dec 21, 2006 6:55 am

I am visiting some friends in Medicine Hat, Alberta and am thinking some splits of `97 Noval LBV.

Richard Henderson · Post by **Richard Henderson** » Thu Dec 21, 2006 9:53 am

"Festive period"????????

Tom Archer · Post by **Tom Archer** » Thu Dec 21, 2006 1:26 pm

Christmas Eve will be a 1922, believed Taylor.

Christmas night will be a Niepoort 20yr Tawny (I think, I might change my mind..)

New year's eve will also be a birthday party for a friend who as born in 1975 - a Croft this time, I think..

Tom

Thomas McColl · Post by **Thomas McColl** » Thu Dec 21, 2006 1:28 pm

Gould Campbell 1983, on Boxing Day with friends. Looking forward to it.

Frederick Blais · Post by **Frederick Blais** » Thu Dec 21, 2006 1:55 pm

It started 2 nights ago with a Nacional 87. To my surprise it was already quite mature, no real tannins, lots of flavour of dates, tobacco, dried fruits and figs. Great concentration!

I don't know if I'll open great bottles with family members and they only drink for drinking even if it is corked

Philip Harvey · Post by **Philip Harvey** » Thu Dec 21, 2006 2:51 pm

Christmas eve, I'm thinking Ch Figeac '83 (oops, sorry Roy) and it'll just have to be Gould Campbell '77 later on.

We have a new baby (4 months) so my wife is not really focused on the cellar right now so I get to choose.

My mother in law is cooking on Christmas day and my palate may well be a liitle jaded by the evening and in need of reviving - I suspect a Noval Colheita '86 should do the trick.

Scott Anaya · Post by **Scott Anaya** » Thu Dec 21, 2006 9:06 pm

Last year was a '55 Taylor and Justino's 1900 Malmsey--both made for great drinking. This year it will be '63 Cockburn's (first time for this one) a Kopke 20 yr. and whatever a friend brings over on Christmas eve

Frederick Blais · Post by **Frederick Blais** » Thu Dec 21, 2006 10:55 pm

Tonight was a Niepoort 2000 to close the night. Wow!! what a VP. I remember tasting this 3 years ago and it was really open, not really concentrated port, showing much of red fruit and spices.

Now it is like if it was a different Port. It is hugely concentrated showing lots of licorice, dark cherries and plummy flavors. Long finish, amazing Port! 18.5/20++

Richard Henderson · Post by **Richard Henderson** » Thu Dec 21, 2006 11:08 pm

I am not sure what a "festive period" is but we opened a 1983 Fonseca tonight with my son's , Ian's, godmother,Nancy, transporter of wine to Roy,
but after 5 hours of decanting, classic blueberry , ripe strawberry, fruit cake nose. Silky mouth entry and more baked spicy fruit on the palate. Long lingering finish.

Sorry but "festive period" sounds like over the top political correctness or superficial whatever. But --- Happy holidays. Merrry Christmas, or Happy Hannakuh but to heck with festive period!!!!

Gary Banker · Post by **Gary Banker** » Fri Dec 22, 2006 6:04 am

Philip,
Please let us know how the Niepoort 86 colheita turns out. I recently bought some.

I plan to have D'Oliveira's 1966 verdelho for Christmas. 1966 was the first Christmas that I spent away from home (Vietnam). We did get to run ambush patrols, though, then got turkey sandwiches and Vietnamese Beer '33' and Beer Larue.

Gary

*sweetstuff · Post by *sweetstuff » Fri Dec 22, 2006 11:35 am

.. '85 Tayor. Rumor has it that this wine, always having seemed to me ungenerous and even a bit harsh or dirty, is now coming around. I'll give it a whack. I'll also give it several days of air.

Make sure you keep posting notes on all these significant wines you're opening! Don't get distracted by lesser things like family and Christmas!

Justin K · Post by **Justin K** » Fri Dec 22, 2006 6:28 pm

Prioritise!

Guests coming around - Quita Da Corte 1984

Sharing with the other half - Dow 1966

and finally for my own selfish pleasure - Croft 1950 (but only in half bottles)

Happy Christmas or as we say in my country Nollaig Shona

Tom Archer · Post by **Tom Archer** » Fri Dec 22, 2006 7:33 pm

Justin - if my past experiance is anything to go by, give that '50 plenty of time in decanter.

A weakish year, with wines that tend to look a bit dull and opaque in the decanter, but seem to come round very nicely after a couple of days.

Let us have a TN

Tom

Jay Powers · Post by **Jay Powers** » Fri Dec 22, 2006 7:48 pm

Well, presuming I can fly out tonight as planned, tomorrow is a selection of Bordeaux with lamb dinner, followed on the next night by a Warres vertical, courtesy of my father in law.

Last night it was a Niepoort 1991 colheita (excellent), which I picked up at a Wine Club tasting a couple of weeks ago. Far superior to the 94 and 95 colheitas we tried at the lodge a few months ago, enough to make me take more of an interest in young colheitas!

Jay

Derek T. · Post by **Derek T.** » Sat Dec 23, 2006 3:26 am

rahenderson wrote: I am not sure what a "festive period" is but .....
Sorry but "festive period" sounds like over the top political correctness or superficial whatever. But --- Happy holidays. Merrry Christmas, or Happy Hannakuh but to heck with festive period!!!!

Richard, the term Festive Period has been in use in the UK (the source of this thread) for as long as I can remember, which is in excess of 30 years. I can't tell you where or how the phrase originated but I can say with some certainty that it is not for the reasons you state above. Once again I think this proves that the UK and the US are separated by a common language

Happy Whatever to Everyone

Derek

Richard Henderson · Post by **Richard Henderson** » Sat Dec 23, 2006 8:50 am

Thanks for the explanation Derek, It still sounds like a dry, stale expression, whereas the Brits have generallly contributed more color to our uncommon language. "Festive period" conjures up images of vestal virgins partying at the temple at the wrong time of the month. :)

For The Love Of Port

So what is everyone planning to open for the festive period?

So what is everyone planning to open for the festive period?

As you can see from the thread I'm posting on it ...