FITB: I felt like I was in The Twilight Zone when ____.

[Chris_Presutti]

@Dale McClaran

Mark,

Funny, I just changed my avatar yesterday.
Recently, I have been watching all the TZ’s on Netflix, in order and commercial free. Of course the more famous episodes are still really good, or even great, like ‘Time Enough At Last’ or ‘Nightmare at 20,000 Feet’. But what blew me away was the sheer quantity of lessor know, but equally superb episodes…

So sorry to continue the drift but I got to this point above and A Passage to Trumpet instantly came to mind! Another brilliant episode was Nick of Time with William Shatner and Patricia Breslin. Set in a diner in Ridgeview, Ohio, a young couple has lunch while waiting for their car to be repaired and are f’d with by a fortune telling machine at their booth.

Back to topic…I like Port.

[DougS]

@Ramon Cabrera

Here’s a sixth bizarre dimension - that cited $250 Dow’s 2011 at Winebid seems to be also available in many other places for much less. These probably don’t come with the wooden box.
Here it is for $84:

http://www.krestonwines.com/sku9093436.html

Yeah, if you can pick it up in Delaware. I also doubt that they actually have any inventory. Nobody who can get the wine out of state still has any for the release price. Even in places like MA where we can’t ship, nobody has any more for release price.

[andy_velebil]

@Xavier Lavoipierre

I don’t want to poop on your parade, Mark, but I don’t think '85 was a strong vintage for Dow’s. Still, for a porto going into its 30th year, $65 isn’t bad. I last had a bottle on New Year’s Eve 2006-07. It was okay, but was a bid advanced and raisined, which is pretty consistent with many of the CT notes. In '85 Graham’s is very nice, and Fonseca is simply killer (and seemingly will last forever!). Either of them is well worth the extra $20, in my opinion, especially the Fonseca.

1985 VP’s in general are not holding up very well. It was the tale end of the “dark period” for VP production (mid 70’s to mid 80’s). Lots of faster than normal maturing bottles, lower quality for the usual top tier producers, TCA issues, and lots of VA issues in the 1985 vintage. Dow’s however did quite well in this vintage, as did some others like Graham’s, Fonseca, Ferreira, to name a few. Thankfully after 1985 things improved a lot and producers got back on track. The price paid is pretty average, a good price on a very good VP. Can’t go wrong with a case of this in your cellar. If you think you’re gonna get rich off that case by flipping it, you’re sadly mistaken. Enjoy a few now and put some away for later in life when it’s matured even more and you’ll be glad you did.

[Mark_B]

Thanks for all the info, guys. These wines are for drinking and enjoying with cigars outside once the polar vortex leaves Chicago. I thought '85 Fonseca was off the charts, so even if the Dow’s is half as good, I’ll be a pretty happy camper. Also, “Little Girl Lost” was another great TZ episode.

[Xavier_Lavoipierre]

Andy, I enjoy porto, but I don’t drink it often. Based on what I’ve seen on some past threads, your knowledge is ten times mine, so I appreciate the background on the “dark period.” I wasn’t even aware of that. It may explain why I’ve also found the '77 Dow’s pretty underwhelming. Glad to hear your experience with the '85 has been better than mine. I didn’t dislike it, mind you, but I just felt the pleasure was was far less than that given by the Graham’s and Fonseca. I picked up a half-case of the '94 about seven years ago and opened a bottle early just to check it out. Massive and unyielding, a stupendous wine, but I can’t imagine it will approach maturity for another ten years. I’m not sure when I’ll open a second bottle. If you have any thoughts on that score, let me know!

Mark, sounds like you’ll be enjoying your find. And apparently you already discovered the beauty of the '85 Fonseca! By the way, I enjoy your “look what I found” posts. Keep 'em up.

[C_Tumey]

/off topic (or on at this point…?)
“Monsters Are Due on Maple Street”

/on topic
Not really into too port yet, but I did pick up a case of 2010 Stags’ Leap Petite Sirah for $25/bottle. Yea, not a steal of a deal in the sense of I can find it for that price all day long, but at that price makes a great Tuesday night bottle.

[Ramon_C]

@Dale McClaran

Of course the more famous episodes are still really good, or even great, like ‘Time Enough At Last’ or ‘Nightmare at 20,000 Feet’.

Yep, “Nick of Time” with Shatner was excellent.

But “Nightmare at 20,000 Feet” truly showcased the Shatnerian school of over-the-top acting to the max. His acting in this episode was as equivalent to most California reds as it can be.

[JYoung]

Talky Tina scares the sh*t out of me

[andy_velebil]

@Xavier Lavoipierre

Andy, I enjoy porto, but I don’t drink it often. Based on what I’ve seen on some past threads, your knowledge is ten times mine, so I appreciate the background on the “dark period.” I wasn’t even aware of that. It may explain why I’ve also found the '77 Dow’s pretty underwhelming. Glad to hear your experience with the '85 has been better than mine. I didn’t dislike it, mind you, but I just felt the pleasure was was far less than that given by the Graham’s and Fonseca. I picked up a half-case of the '94 about seven years ago and opened a bottle early just to check it out. Massive and unyielding, a stupendous wine, but I can’t imagine it will approach maturity for another ten years. I’m not sure when I’ll open a second bottle. If you have any thoughts on that score, let me know!

Mark, sounds like you’ll be enjoying your find. And apparently you already discovered the beauty of the '85 Fonseca! By the way, I enjoy your “look what I found” posts. Keep 'em up.

Dow’s 1977 has massive issues with TCA, so much so I won’t buy anymore as it’s a crap shoot if it’s bad. which is a real shame as when it’s not infected with TCA it’s an awesome bottle of Port.

1985 Dow’s is probably my 3rd favorite of the vintage, after Fonseca and Graham’s (in that order). It is very different in style to those two though, as they tend to show more sweetness where the Dow’s is a slightly drier style. So it may just be a stylistic issue that you prefer the other two better. Regardless, can’t go wrong with any of them.

You’re spot on, 1994 Dow’s is a rock star. Super young and with a good life ahead of it. Keep those in the cellar for later

[Xavier_Lavoipierre]

Thanks, Andy! Sure enough, one of the bottles of '77 Dow’s I tried was horribly corked. The latest one I noted was a “very good, but not great, vintage port.” As you suggested, it may be a style issue.