23rdFebruary offline @ The New Cavendish Club - Vesuvio

[DRT]

We now have every Vesuvio Vintage Port ever produced in the line-up, plus the Vesuvio Capela 07 and a cask sample of Vesuvio 08. The final pieces of the jigsaw were put in place by our good friend Dom Symington. As far as I am aware, this will be the largest Vesuvio line-up ever assembled in the history of the Universe. Not too shaby.

[Deleted_User_1]

I have just acquired a 2004 to add to the list if we are going for the full house ...but none the less would still be more than happy to adopt the 1990 from Alex.

I'm unclear - does that mean you want to adopt the 1990 from me and bring that as well as the 2004? Or are you saying that you can bring a 2004 instead of adopting the 1990 now that you have one?

Rather than scupper a good plan I simply proposed that I would be happy to contribute the 2004 as well as the 1990 I have committed to, if it means we have a full house. Simples

[DRT]

I vote to stay with the Crusting Pipe on this occassion.

Following last night's experience of having 14 people in a tunnel and not being able to follow some conversations due to the enormous amount of noise I now think we should move this event to somewhere else. I would suggest trying The Bowler (near Farringdon) as suggested by JDAW.

Derek

[benread]

The venue of this tasting has now been amended and the original post updated.

New Cavendish Club

[Alex Bridgeman]

The cost of the night will be £40-50 per person for room hire, corkage and food. While the Club does have a handful of port decanters, they have very few port glasses and have asked us to bring our own. Please let me know if you have any glasses which you would be able to bring to the event for use on the night.

Some practical questions: with 19 wines, should we split this tasting into 2 flights? 2000-2008 before dinner, 1989-1999 after dinner?

We also need to pre-order our food. You may order 2 or 3 courses from the following:
STARTERS
Carrot and coriander soup
Chicken caeser salad
Mozzarella, vine tomatoes and basil bruschetta
Prawn cocktail with a basil and tarragon mayonnaise
Asparagus with fennel, dill and crème fraiche
Pan-fried chicken livers in a thyme jus on grilled a ciabatta
Baked salmon terrine, lemon vinaigrette

MAIN COURSE
Roast rump of lamb with crushed peas and mint
Grilled black bream with vine tomatoes, shallots and lemon butter
Pan-fried corn-fed chicken with a sage and onion "bubble and squeak"
Roast duck breast with a spring onion mash and roast carrots
Pan-fried fillet of salmon with asparagus and tarragon sauce
Grilled pork fillet with caramelised apples
Butternut squash risotto with sun-blush tomatoes and wilted rocket

DESSERTS
Lemon tart with crème fraiche
Eton mess
Ginger and orange pudding with crème anglaise
Dark chocolate & vanilla biscuit pave
Passion fruit and raspberry gateaux
Panacotta with mixed fruit compote
English cheeses with celery and grapes

Please let me know what you would to order as your meal for the night as soon as you can.

[DRT]

Pan-fried chicken livers followed by the duck for me please.

I would prefer to do the line-up in cronological order, leaving the younger wines until after the meal.

[Deleted_User_1]

Chicken Livers and Roast Duck followed by Cheese for me please...

I also think we should start with the 1989 and finish with the 2008.

Cookie

[Chris Doty]

"Chicken Livers and Roast Duck followed by Cheese for me please... "

the same -- please

[jdaw1]

Still seeking wifely permission.

If/when that granted: chicken livers; lamb; cheese. Thank you.

[Alex Bridgeman]

We have a line up of:
1989 - courtesy of the Symingtons
1990 - Cookie to adopt from AHB (chicken livers, duck, cheese)
1991 - Darren
1992 - Darren's +1
1994 - DRT (chicken livers, duck and no dessert as he is dieting)
1995 - Chris Doty (chicken livers, duck, cheese)
1996 - ARK
1997 - JGH to adopt from DRT
1998 - CMAG (prawns, pork, cheese)
1999 - Adam to adopt from WS1
2000 - on its way to BMHR (soup, lamb and cheese)
2001 - JDAW (chicken livers, lamb, cheese)
2003 - WS1
2004 - Cookie kindly bringing a second bottle
2005 - Kevin to adopt from WS1
2006 - AHB (this is the vintage when I was in the lagares) (prawns, pork, lemon tart)
2007 - AHB, pressurised by the group into conceding to make this a complete vertical
2008 - cask sample, courtesy of the Symingtons
2007 Capella - courtesy of the Symingtons

Post above now updated again

I think this is now the final list of wines. I will update the food choices as I receive them.

Alex

[JacobH]

Mozzarella & tomatoes bruschetta; butternut squash risotto; and lemon tart, please.

I'm quite excited about this tasting...just over a week to go!

[Alex Bridgeman]

Please note that the choice of menu has to be with the caterers by first thing on Wednesday. Anyone not providing me with their choice of menu by the deadline will have to take pot luck and my educated guess. For those of you I do not know, please also let me have your full names for reception.

Please also note that the dress code is smart casual, which excludes jeans, trainers, shorts and sports
clothing.

Thanks.

Alex

[WS1]

Hi Alex,

please find in the following our order

Adam: Chicken liver, the pork fillet and the cheese
Kevin: Chicken liver, the pork fillet and the cheese
Wolfgang: Chicken Caesar salat, the pork fillet and the cheese.

regards

WS1

[Alex Bridgeman]

I apologise, but I misunderstood my instructions from the caterers. I should have offered a choice of only 2 dishes (plus vege option) for each course. Given the votes so far, the choice has been redefined to be:

STARTER
Prawn cocktail
Chicken livers

MAIN
Duck
Pork
Risotto

DESSERT
Lemon tart
Cheese

So those who have chosen other than from this limited list, please revise your choice. Those who have yet to choose, please choose from this limited list before the end of today or I will have to make a choice for you and hope you approve.

Thanks

[clawhit]

Sorry Alex for the delay in responding

Daren (DJP) will have Prawn Cocktail, Pork, Cheese
Daren's +1 (AV) is now doubtful due to surgery finishing hours - the good news is I have secured a babysitter so will be attending in his place therefore can I have Chicken Livers, Duck, Lemon Tart. Don't worry about changing placemats I'll have AV's.

Many thanks

Claire

[jdaw1]

Don't worry about changing placemats I'll have AV's.

Other changes have been requested, so AV→CLP will be done as well.

[jdaw1]

And, if I have understood the new rules, I need to switch lamb for duck. (Hence chicken livers; duck; cheese.)

[DRT]

All,

I am delighted to inform you that Johnny Symington will be joining us at this tasting. It will be a real pleasure to have one of the Symington family at what we believe to be the tallest vertical of Vesuvio vintage ports ever assembled anywhere in the world

Derek

[Alex Bridgeman]

The arrangements for next Tuesday are now in place.

We will be in the Jubilee Room at the New Cavendish Club, 44 Great Cumberland Place, W1H 7BS (020 7723 0391). This is less than 5 minutes walk north of Marble Arch tube station. We should gather together at 6:30pm with a view to starting the tasting of the first flight of older wines at 7:00pm. Dinner will be at 8:00pm and the second flight will be at 9:00pm.

There is no fixed time to finish, but at some point the staff will want the room back to set it up for the next day and we will be encouraged to relocate to the bar or the living room.

The cost for the event will be £50 per person, which can be paid either by card to the club as you arrive or to me on the night in cash or by bank transfer before the tasting - I am the guarantor for the cost of the event so please don't forget!

We are also still short of a few glasses so if anyone has a handful of tasting glasses that you could bring to the tasting, please do and let me know how many you are able to bring.

Looking forward to seeing you all on Tuesday! This will be my third and largest complete vertical of Vesuvio ports - I must be a glutton for punishment.

[Deleted_User_1]

Alex

I can go to the Bell and collect 3 or 4 boxes of our stored glasses if this helps...it will make me look like a 'bag lady' for the journey but I am sure I will get off with a caution.

Cookie

[WS1]

Hi Alex,

Adam, Kevin and me will bring our own glasses. (30 glasses) I am not sure if you conted us in. Please let me know.

regards

WS1

[KillerB]

Due to a car-pooling I will be bringing 35 glasses

[benread]

We are also still short of a few glasses so if anyone has a handful of tasting glasses that you could bring to the tasting, please do and let me know how many you are able to bring.

Alex,

I have a dozen glasses I will bring.

Ben

[Alex Bridgeman]

Thanks for the offers of glasses. I'll get my calculator out later today and let you all know how many we need.

[jdaw1]

Updated draft of the placemats:

• • Johnny S.;
  • Alex B.;
  • Derek T;
  • Julian W.;
  • Ben R.;
  • Christopher G.;
  • Jacob H.;
  • Ray C.;
  • Alex K.;
  • Chris D.;
  • Wolfgang S.;
  • Kevin T.;
  • Adam O.;
  • Daren P.;
  • Claire P.
• Changed flighting:
  • First session:
    • ’89→’92 (being four vintages);
    • ’94→’98 (being five vintages);
  • Second session:
    • ’99→’04 (being five vintages);
    • ’05→’08 (being five vintages with the Capela, and four in the Capela-free variant).
• Placenames pages added.
• Food choices now appear as the footer of the second tasting-note page, and on the placename pages.

Please check your food choice!

[jdaw1]

Updated draft of the placemats

(Yes, I’ve just spotted the same bug. On the task.)

[WS1]

Hi Julian,

placemats look great. Thanks a lot! Small issue to report, I ordered Pork Fillet and not Duck Breast as far as I recall.

regards

WS1

[jdaw1]

Wolfgang: Chicken Caesar salat, the pork fillet and the cheese.

Apologies: my error, and errors also for ARK and CLP. Thank you for checking. Now fixed I think so check again!

Updated draft of the placemats

[Alex Bridgeman]

Thank you for the offers of help. My glass calculations are now complete. If the following people could bring glasses with them then we will have enough for both flights:

AHB - 86
DRT - 50ish
JDAW - 100ish
BMHR - 12
WS1 - 30 (Inc KT and AO)
ARK - 35

Thanks

[jdaw1]

JDAW - 100ish

Is anybody going to Sussex between now and then?

[Alex Bridgeman]

JDAW - 100ish

Is anybody going to Sussex between now and then?

I could possibly do so on Monday early evening, but then I will have the problem of getting them to London - for which I may have a plan if I do not also have get them back to my house after the tasting. My contingency plan will depend on how many boxes the 100ish glasses are contained in.

[jdaw1]

Larger boxes each holding four smaller boxes each holding six glasses. So outer boxes of twenty-four. There are four full such boxes, and one partial.

I’ll take them away with me, if that’s easiest for you.

[DRT]

I will have my car so am happy to take away anything that people cannot carry home to be returned at a later date.

[DRT]

The following are now in my possession: 89, 90, 94, 97, 06, 07 and Capela 07.

I have arranged to collect a number of other bottles on Tuesday en route to the venue so thatjdaw1 and I can start decanting in the afternoon. If you will be in and around London with your bottles on Tuesday morning or early afternoon please PM me with the address of your location and I may be able to come and collect your bottle to add it to the others so that all can be decanted at around the same time.

Derek

[benread]

Derek,

I was planning to decant the 2000 first thing on Tuesday morning. Does that cause you any concern? I am based East Croydon, so unlikely to be conveniently located for you!

Ben

[DRT]

I was planning to decant the 2000 first thing on Tuesday morning.

I will defer to the opinion of A"V"B

[clawhit]

Daren's is now going to go into London to work on Tuesday so will be bringing the 91 and 92 with him - he'll be working from earl street next to liverpool street station - let me know if this works or I need to send him over to you.

[DRT]

Daren's is now going to go into London to work on Tuesday so will be bringing the 91 and 92 with him - he'll be working from earl street next to liverpool street station - let me know if this works or I need to send him over to you.

Claire,

I will be in that area in the early afternoon so will collect the bottles from Daren. Can you please send me a private message with daren's mobile number so that I can contact him on the day and arrange somewhere to meet?

Thanks
Derek

[DRT]

A discussion on the difference between an off-line and a tasting has been split from this thread and can be found here by DRT.

[Alex Bridgeman]

I was planning to decant the 2000 first thing on Tuesday morning.

I will defer to the opinion of A"V"B

Interesting question. In my experience and for my taste, the powerful Vesuvios come into their own many hours after decanting. I recall a tasting I managed to do on a bottle of the 1994 over about 5 days. If I recall, I found the wine to be at its best 48 hours after decanting.

That's a long answer, which could be summarised as "First thing Tuesday will be fine."

[DRT]

So should we all decant what we have on Monday night or Tuesday morning?

[Alex Bridgeman]

So should we all decant what we have on Monday night or Tuesday morning?

I recognise that I like my ports lighter and more elegant than many. On that basis, I would say no but...

...perhaps we should ask one of the people who made the wine and who will be with us on Tuesday

[DRT]

perhaps we should I ask one of the people who made the wine and who will be with us on Tuesday

Done.

[Deleted_User_1]

I am available late Monday and/or early Tuesday for movement of bottles/glasses with suitable vehicle if required.

PM me with your needs if required.

Cookie

[jdaw1]

I should be at the NCC at about 3pm.

[DRT]

I should be at the NCC at about 3pm.

So should I.

[DRT]

The following are now in my possession: 89, 90, 94, 97, 06, 07 and Capela 07.

Plus the 08 and a contingency 96 in case KillerB stays buried under the glacier that is currently sitting on top of the Midlands.

[DRT]

Thank you for the offers of help. My glass calculations are now complete. If the following people could bring glasses with them then we will have enough for both flights:

AHB - 86
DRT - 50ish
JDAW - 100ish
BMHR - 12
WS1 - 30 (Inc KT and AO)
ARK - 35

Thanks

80 AHB glasses plus 52 of my own are in the process of being washed now. AHB seems to have mis-counted by 6, so if anyone else can bring some please do so.

[jdaw1]

AHB is collecting my 100ish, which could be nearer 115. So we should be OK.

[Axel P]

Have a splendid tasting, gents. I am jealous that I am not able to attend.

Axel