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Subject: London Port off-line with Roy Hersh TNs

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KillerB

Barrel Racker
Posts:1533

11/18/2005 11:53 AM
Fabulous day in honour of Roy Hersh being over in Blighty. Full sit-down meal with great company and a truly exceptional line-up. Thanks to Alex B for setting it all up, a superb job. As always my notes got slightly less coherent as the tasting progressed. I put this down to the failure to issue a spitting bucket. Not that I would have used it but the presence always keeps one on one's toes. Mine will be nowhere near as comprehensive as Nick's anyway. Linden's blind - I thought that this was quite young as the colour suggested it might be. It had a classic dry quality that immediately put me in mind of Dow or Taylor but didn't have a clue what style. Plenty of life in the nose and palate and wasn't in the least surprised to find that it was Dow's LBV, just by the fact that it was 1961 - would never have guessed. Thanks Linden. Flight 1 - 1963 Sandeman, from Derek Turnbull Dusty characteristic. Lightest coloured port on display. Nose was muted with the dustiness the strongest with some light cherry notes behind. In the mouth it wa squite pleasant but held nothing great and seemed like it was falling apart - drink NOW. After about 30 minutes the dusty nose had blown off and some pleasant dried fruits had emerged. Perfectly nice but simple port and nothing spectacular. Graham's, from Christopher Gee Darker red colour with brown tinge, excellent legs. Nose was figgy and in the mouth it was very sharp on the tongue. Nice coffe notes but were a bit over-powered. Tasting later the sharpness had faded and the coffee and dried figs came out beautifully, excellent port in the end. Taylor, from Alex Kilbey (who?) Slightly browned-off deep ruby. Very sharp note on the nose, similar to the Graham's sharpness. Massive alcoholic hit in the mouth and again distinctly sharp but cherries and plums were also banging about vying for position. Later on the acidic hit had turned to orange and made for a lovely complex fruit-filled wine. Fonseca, from Alex Bridgeman Easily the reddest, pure ruby wine, no noticeable browning. Classic floral Fonseca nose and masses of dried fruits with prunes being at the front for me. A genuinely beautiful and youthful wine with a gorgoeus mouthfeel. For me, the wine of the day. Flight 2 - 1966 Sandeman, from Nicos Neocleous (Gooner in residence) The musky noes that was on the 1963 was here again showing that it is unlikely to be a fault and more of a feature of the wine. First note of any nuts that I found with distinct almond flavour, almost marzipan. Considerably more lively than the 1963 and showing that my second ever Sandeman wasn't going to be my second-last. I got to take this home with me which meant walking around tube and railway stations with an opened bottle of booze in my hands looking for all the World like a down and out hobo. Finished it off at home with Lady K and it was an extremely pleasant way to finish the day. Not sure that I would go to the effort and expense of buying this myself as the following notes will show. Taylor's, from Roy Hersh A distinct haziness against the light became a little pool of grit by the time we had finished, suspect that this was due to transport trauma. Slightly muted nose with fennel being the strongest (OK, it was aniseed but Derek and I agreed to put different notes down). Much heavier body than the 63 and notably sweeter. Maraschino cherries abounded and a lovely warm brandy. This was a gorgeous wine by the time we'd finished with it and I was straining the grit between my teeth to get the last of it. Graham's, from Ian Wright (not a Gooner but a Sky Blue - woohoo) Darker than the 63 and actually gloopy. The acidity form 63 was missing but it was all sweet cherries, plums and raisins. This was the epitome of what Graham's should be like and, for me, was the pick of 1966 for drinking now. Fonseca, from Nick Alabaster Very sweet nose, dark as the pits of hell without the fires on. I wrote "Bloody Hell!" on tasting it. This was simply the most powerful of ports. Huge cherries and fabulous coffee notes on the finish. Far too many different flavours to pick and catch before something else took over. I had an inexplicable 'buttercups' pop into my head - don't ask. This still has many years, if not decades, left in it. A really quite spectacular wine but needs more time! Flight 3 - 1970 - tasted blind Sandeman, from Jo Marshall Spotted whilst the ports were being poured. Easily the lightest and the musky nose was back again. Possibly the best of the Sandeman's which suggests earlier drinking all round. Nice, no more notes. Graham's, from Justin Willott Pitch black, OK not quite but was the obvious choice for the Fonseca. Swilling around the glass it was... gloopy, aha! Nose was sweet cherry... uhu! In the mouth it was sweet and viscose and I picked it as the Graham's straight out. This was notably a better bottle than we had at the Berry Brothers and Rudd tasting in August and this with the 66 are putting me back onto Graham's after being less impressed then. I earn one brownie point for this spot. Now how to lose it. Taylor's, from Linden Wilkie Dark Ruby but not as dark as the Graham's. Nose of cherries and dried fruit with a muskiness that later became obviously TCA. In the mouth it was dried fruits with a coffee after-taste prompting me to claim that it was indisputably Fonseca - wrong! Shame about the TCA as I reckon this could have been the best of the vintage. Fonseca, from Mario Ferreira Similar colour to the Taylor's. Later the floral nose came out but never the coffee. It was, however, packed with fruit and plenty of other things to make it the best of 1970, just over the Graham's. Best of 1963 - Fonseca Best of 1966 - Graham's Best of 1970 - Fonseca Overall best Vintage - 1966 Overall best Producer - Fonseca (by a country mile, never again Bin 27) Best Wine on Display - Fonseca 1963 Best for the future - Fonseca 1966 The only person to pick Fonseca 1970 - Ian Wright. Best lines from conversation/discussion/debate/full-bloodied-argument between Nicos and Nick: "I haven't got pre-conceived ideas, I've got experience" - Nicos "Wine is better when you don't know what you are talking about" - Nick

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