The Club is delighted that our first 2021 event will be with Adrian Bridge, Chief Executive of the Fladgate Partnership, which owns such prestigious Houses as Croft, Fonseca and Taylor.  He is an authority on Port after a background in the army (as an

officer of The Queen's Dragoon Guards) and investment banking (with NatWest).

Adrian is one of Portugal's leading businessmen, playing a key role in the Young Presidents Organisation and in Porto Protocol

which aims to reduce the impact of climate change.  Under his guidance, the company has built not only Portugal's leading hotel (The Yeatman) but the World of Wine Museum in Vila Nova de Gaia.  The US wine magazine, The Wine Enthusiast, named Fladgate as European Winery of the Year.

Adrian will tutor the tasting from Porto via Zoom.  As the wines are fortified, they will keep for at least three weeks if stoppered.  We doubt the bottles will last for long afterwards, but do note that these Ports can also be used in cookling - why not try Port with melon and Port with braised duck, not forgetting moistening the trifle!

You don't need to buy all the wines to enjoy the tasting but they are easily available.  If there are two of you, the cost of the first four Ports is under £10 each!  The Club needs to know who would like to join the event for which there is a modest £12 charge.  Please apply in the usual way (details below).

Adrian has selected six Ports:

• Chip Dry White:  the benchmark from selected grapes sourced in the Duro Superior;  Taylor's pioneered this stye more than 50 years ago.  Try this chilled with tonic water, a couple of mint leaves and some ice to hand!

• Taylor's Select Reserve Ruby:  a rich muscular style, fruity with a vigorous spicy palate.

• Taylor's Fine Tawny:  elegant, wood-aged Port with a mellow caramel and toffee richness in the mouth.

• Taylor's Late Bottled Vintage:  aged 5-6 years in wood, exuding fresh fruit - a perfect match for fruit cake and blue cheese.  Filtered in Portugal so that no decanting is required.

• Krohn Colheita Tawny 1999:  a single year Tawny with wonderful red fruit flavours based on the small 10ha vineyard at Quinta do Retiro Novo in the Torto valley.  Founded in 1865, Krohn has built an enviable reputation for the colheita style (single year aged in wood for a minimum seven years to take on a wonderful intensity).  The 1999 was bottled in 2020!  (Saxtys: £29.95 / 75cl)

• Fonseca, Quinta do Panascal vintage 2001:  rich and velvety, beautifully expressing the character of one vineyard (30ha under vine).  Fonseca dates from 1815 and is "held in the highest esteem" says Godfrey Spence in his authoritative The Port Companion.  (Saxtys: £14.95 / 37.5cl).

A pack of the first four Ports (5cl each) is available from Saxtys of Hereford (01432 357872  /  https://secretbottleshop.co.uk/collections ) at £13.95 plus £5.95 carriage (which can include other Ports/wines).  Saxtys offer a 10% discount for 6 bottles orders; which deems the pack as a bottle.  Alternatively, full bottles can be purchased from many merchants and supermarkets.

Procedure

If you are interested, please apply via the form below or e-mail tastings@redherringwineclub.co.uk giving an e-mail address for the Zoom link.

A payment of £12 is required for each e-address which can be paid by either of the following methods:

• Cheque (made payable to The Red Herring Wine Club) posted to:  The Red Herring Wine Club, 30 Trewint Street, London, SW18 4HB

• Bank transfer to the following account:   Barclays Bank plc:     Sort Code:  20-17-35     Account Number:  23429539

Please record your name, making clear you are paying for the Zoom Tasting.   (Please also remember to provide guest e-addresses, as applicable, when applying).

All applications will be acknowledged;  if the Zoom details have not been received by 4pm on the preceding day (Thursday 4th February) please telephone 01249 720842.

Date:       Friday 5^th February

Time:      6:30 pm 

Venue:    On-Line via Zoom 

Tasting Costs

HOW TO BOOK

Options:

• E-mail tasting request to tastings@redherringwineclub.co.uk 

• Via the on-line form below

HOW TO PAY

Options:

• By cheque (made payable to The Red Herring Wine Club) to:  THE RED HERRING WINE CLUB,  30 TREWINT STREET,  LONDON,  SW18 4HB

• By on-line banking (details below) 

Your reference should be as follows:

Bookings will only be allocated when funds have been received.

Enquiries can be made via e-mail to tastings@redherringwineclub.co.uk  or on 020 8947 5082 but bookings will only be allocated when funds have been received.

If using this method to pay your membership subscription(s), please advise membership@redherringwineclub.co.uk.

PLEASE NOTE THE ADDRESS FOR PAPER APPLICATIONS / CHEQUES:-

30 TREWINT STREET,  LONDON,  SW18 4HB

Please remember to advise the club of any home or e-mail address changes

Tasting Application

Diary Dates: (due to Covid19 restrictions, events are subject to postponement and dates are subject to change)