Wednesday October 8, 2008

[jdaw1]

The Silent and The Sociable

Opinions differ on tasting. Some people like to do it in strict silence, so that their thoughts are not influenced by the words of others. This is reasonable. Others, very much including myself, perhaps because of non-professionalism, or perhaps because of non-impressionability, enjoy the social interaction, and benefit from endeavouring (and often failing) to find that which other say they find. This is also reasonable.

Hence it might be good to ensure that, in so far as possible, the silent and the sociable are separated. Bagsy me with the sociable. Others with a strong preference should express it here so that those devising the seating plan†  can endeavour to be as helpful as possible.

†  Alas boy-girl-boy-girl will not be happening.

[Andy Velebil]

Julian, with this many people there will be no stopping the talking. This is a sociable event as much as anything else. I can ignore anything for a couple of minutes when I need to write a TN. Quit over analyzing everything

BTW, how do you know there won't be any girls...may just find some and bring them along

[jdaw1]

• Sociable: JDAW, ADV.
• Silent: —;
• Undeclared: the rest.

BTW, how do you know there won't be any girls...may just find some and bring them along

Boy-girl-boy-girl requires as many girls as boys. More than none is possible; as many girls as boys seems a mite optimistic.

Quit over analyzing everything

If you are saying that we shouldn’t be obsessive, you are very much in the wrong place.

[Alex Bridgeman]

NEWSFLASH

The 1896 Cockburn was slightly misidentified and is now known to be an 1895 Cockburn.

If anyone knows the location of an 1896 Cockburn, please speak out.

[jdaw1]

Wine-Searcher and its professional version both deny knowledge of Cockburn 1896.

[uncle tom]

According to my database, Cockburn declared three times in the 1890's -

1890, 1894 & 1896

I have no previous record of an 1895.

Tom

[Alex Bridgeman]

Is there any chance of a picture or two of the Cockburn 1895 for us to take a peek at?

[Andy Velebil]

Seems weird to have back to back vintages. He sure its not an 1896?

Also, we need to update the first thread with what bottles the other attendee's are bringing.

[Simon Lisle]

I'll try and post some tonight as I'm off to France tomorrow.

[Alex Bridgeman]

Out of interest, here are a couple of pictures of the 1924 "Cockburn" that will be making an appearance on October 8. If anyone can help to identify these, please do.

[DRT]

The Silent and The Sociable

Can I assume that all you are suggesting here is sitting AHB in a corner on his own where he can write the equivalent of a short novel on the 25+ wines?

If so, I vote no. He should be made to sit with the rest of the gang so that we can distract him and make fun of him for being 5 or 6 wines behind everyone else. It's traditional to do so at tastings.

[jdaw1]

Can I assume that all you are suggesting here is sitting AHB in a corner on his own

No. RAH is fiercely silent, whereas AHB is placidly silent.

[DRT]

Can I assume that all you are suggesting here is sitting AHB in a corner on his own

RAH is fiercely silent

Even more reason to make him endure the chattering classes

[DRT]

Due to it being a special birthday for her on 7th October my girlfriend, Jo Marshall (JCM), has decided to join me on my trip to London and will be my non-participating partner at the tasting. Proably not all of it, just the part that happens after the shoe shops in London close.

I have explained the following to Jo and she has agreed to comply by attending the event without the benefit of her daily squirt of Channel.

Q: Dress code?
Typically there is no dress code, unless the restaurant (or home owner) should impose one. Well, almost no dress code. Please, no perfume. Please, no aftershave. Even a small splash would be noticed by your neighbour. And if you are the neighbour of a perfume-wearing fool, grumble sufficiently loudly that the fool is shamed into not doing it again.

Jo asked me to let everyone know that this will be the first time in 8 years she will have left home in such an unperfumed state.

Could all attendees please ensure that they also comply with this code and be brave enough to secure compliance by any female companion you may be bringing along.

Thanks
Derek

[benread]

Due to it being a special birthday for her on 7th October my girlfriend, Jo Marshall (JCM), has decided to join me on my trip to London and will be my non-participating partner at the tasting. Proably not all of it, just the part that happens after the shoe shops in London close.

Is her role to carry you home after drinking more port than your body can cope with?! I think we all need lots of practice before 8th October!

[DRT]

Ahhh! Maybe he was. Nicely cryptically similar to those of his initials that he usually uses.

In which case we have:
• Righties: JDAW, BMHR, AHB, ADV, THRA, SL, SLT+sip sharer, RAH, SRC;
• Lefties: —;
• Undeclared: DRT, MC-R, AP, CG, NN.

Righty

[DRT]

Is her role to carry you home after drinking more port than your body can cope with?!

NO. We will need someone to wash the glasses in between flights



...please don't tell her I said that - she'll kill me

[Andy Velebil]

Is her role to carry you home after drinking more port than your body can cope with?!

NO. We will need someone to wash the glasses in between flights



...please don't tell her I said that - she'll kill me

I think that just cost you another couple of pairs of shoes

[Axel P]

Alex,

since it has been some time, could you - as the official organisation-head of the tasting - summ up all the details please again:

Where, when, which flights, who brings what etc.

As I will arrive in Stansted at 0900 I would be very happy to help organising or decanting or to do whatever if needed.

Obrigado

Axel

[jdaw1]

According to my records:

[Updated on Mon 18 Aug after email from DRT.]
Cockburn Vertical at The Crusting Pipe, Covent Garden, London WC2E 8RD on Wednesday 8th October 2008

• Evening session:
  • 1895 (SL, in possession of SL);
  • 1908 (SRC, in Boston);
  • 1912 (AHB, in possession of AHB);
  • 1924 (ADV, in possession of AHB);
  • 1927 (CG+BR, at Wylie Fine Wines in Devon);
  • 1935 (DRT+AP, at Wylie Fine Wines in Devon);
  • 1955 (THRA, stored at home of MRZ);
  • 1960 (DRT, stored at home of MRZ);
  • 1963 (DRT+AP, stored at home of MRZ);
  • 1967 (AHB, in possession of AHB);
  • 1970 (JDAW, in possession of AHB);
• Afternoon session:
  • 1975 (SL, in possession of SL);
  • 1977 (MC-R, in possession of MC-R);
  • 1983a (ADV, in possession of AHB);
  • 1983s (SRC, in Boston);
  • 1985 (JDAW, stored at home of MRZ);
  • 1991 (THRA, stored at home of MRZ);
  • 1994 (AP, in possession of AP);
  • 1997 (???, stored at home of MRZ);
  • 2000 (MC-R, in possession of MC-R);
  • 2003 (MC-R, in possession of MC-R);
  • 2007 (MC-R, in possession of MC-R).

We need to agree start times. Perhaps 14:30 punctual and 19:00 punctual?

[DRT]

The start times sound sensible to me.

Some of the bottle locations noted above are incorrect. I will update these in a few days as some bottles are about to move.

Derek

[jdaw1]

Please just edit my post, putting your edits in green.

For the purpose of the event, “punctual† means that after the appointed time we will not wait for late-comers. Of course we might have to wait for decanting and pouring, but non-arrival of expected people will stay neither our tasting nor our drinking.

[Axel P]

Outstanding, gents,

now my simple german mind is all set to go for the big event.

Dankeschön!

Axel

[Axel P]

Julian, Derek, Alex, Tom:

did we or at least one of you think about putting flights together and the sequence of drinking or are you planning to place them altogether on the table?

Axel

[jdaw1]

did we or at least one of you think about putting flights together and the sequence of drinking or are you planning to place them altogether on the table?

Yes. Afternoon is 1975 to 2007. Evening is 189? to 1970. Within those, we haven’t split it. People will probably tackle them in date order. Certainly DRT and I taste at a similar pace, so — with his permission — I was going to sit near him and discuss things quietly as we proceed in date order.