1954 Practical Bar Management by Eddie Clarke

PRACTICAL BAR MANAGEMENT

birthday. By the way, both these wines are left peacefully at rest, somewhere away from the light of day, for about fifteen years. Crusted Port Wine that was made in non-vintage years, or blended wines of different years, but they are treated in the same way as Vintage Ports. Tawny Port Is a blend of Port of different years,and matured in casks. This allows it to mature much quicker, enabling it to draw the oxygen from the air, but it loses some of its colour during the process—hence the name Tawny. Ruby Port Made by the same process as the Tawny, but a younger wine. White Port Same process as Tawny and Ruby but the wine is made from the white grape. Although named White Port, it is slightly golden in colour. Tarragona Not a Port, but a very dark and sweet fortified wine from Tarragona. VINTAGE WINES OF RECENT YEARS Alsace Came to the fore in this country after the late war because of the dearth of good Hocks and Mc^'^elles. Best years, 1945, 1947, 1949—1945 the biggest, and 1949 the most attractive. Moselle Should be drunk fairly young. Best years 1945, 1949. Some very attractive 1948's were made, although considered an unfashionable year. 1949 was a better yield and better known. Hock Will keep better and longer than Moselle. Best years, 1945, 1947, 1949. The year 1949 is almost on a par with the supremely good year of 1931. Champagne Many vintage years oflate—1941, 1942, 1943, 1945 and 1947. The latter looks like being the best of the lot, is much fuller than most. Claret Best years 1934 and 1937, both scarce but excellent although the latter is inclined to hardness. The years 1938, 1943 and 1944 produced very attractive wines, but 1945 and 1947 were really lovely wines and much better known. Burgundy Of recent years, 1942, although not well known, was a good wine, while 1945 and 1947 were both excellent years.

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