Friday 13th February: Graham vertical in New York

[SushiNorth]

There is just too much uncertainty in terms of attendance and expectations. What had interested me was doing a relatively complete tasting of modern Grahams. Due to numbers and costs, we are headed to a partial tasting.

I understand, and I know what it's like to do these after a crazy day. So the issue for this is purely going to be attendance. For those of us who know people that might come, please reach out to them today. Let them know we are dividing costs and it is in the $100-$160 range (depending on how many will join). This is a limited seating event, we have around 3 open seats available first come first served.

[jdaw1]

I could arrive early in Brooklyn to help with logistics.

[g-man]

Oh no... Is this a sinking ship?

G-man is using his super-G-powers to save the day.

that and I've started contributing to the wife's birthday/valentine's taking her out fund.

[g-man]

Okay, so the wife and I are confirmed for this tasting.

[mosesbotbol]

Okay, so the wife and I are confirmed for this tasting.

Nice to have least one more female so my girlfriend has someone to talk to...

[jdaw1]

Appealing to Jay for a stay of execution!

[g-man]

umm. waht's thet line up again? =)

[SushiNorth]

Confirmed we have:

1. jdaw1
2. jfacciol
3. mosesbotbol
4. mosesbotbol+1
5. g-man
6. g-man+1
7. sushinorth
8. ajrh (Anthony) -- confirmed by phone as noted below

Pending we have:
9. JohninNYC

Line-up is still planned as: Graham's VP 1960, 1963, 1970, 1977, 1980, 1983, 1985, 1991, 1994.
(sorry, forgot the 94 last list).

[jfacciol]

I sounds like we are back in business. Josh, thanks for getting us all (including me) in line.

I am glad to hear that Jeff and Steph can make it.

[jdaw1]

Pending we have:
8. ajrh (Anthony)

Anthony confirmed by phone. He is still trying to pluck up the courage to reply in person on this bulletin board.

[g-man]

I sounds like we are back in business. Josh, thanks for getting us all (including me) in line.

I am glad to hear that Jeff and Steph can make it.

hey Jay,
what was the name of the restaurant we usualyl order from?

i'm going to ch eck to see if they have a catering menu.

Any other places you may recommend?

http://www.jakesbbq.com/1173/1194.html ?

[jfacciol]

Savoia. I am amenable to anything folks want to do. There are a number of Italian-American places here that could cater: Caputo's Fine Foods, Mastellone Deli, G Esposito. There is also excellent Lebanese food at Zaytoons. Caputo's has a good write up on Yelp with lots of reviews, although I have no idea what Yelp is. Zaytoons has its own website. Mastellone and Esposito are more opaque in terms of easy to find web info. For that matter, we could also have Fairway cater (there is a Fairway about three miles away in Red Hook). All of these would be tasty and inexpensive (to help offset the expensive port). The real issue would be delivery, although everything but Fairway is a relatively easy walk away.

Last time we were at my place, Tbird recommended Lucali's, a relatively new pizza joint in my neighborhood, that we could not order from that night as it was having a private party, if I remember correctly.

BBQ would be fine with me also.

[g-man]

Savoia. I am amenable to anything folks want to do. There are a number of Italian-American places here that could cater: Caputo's Fine Foods, Mastellone Deli, G Esposito. There is also excellent Lebanese food at Zaytoons. Caputo's has a good write up on Yelp with lots of reviews, although I have no idea what Yelp is. Zaytoons has its own website. Mastellone and Esposito are more opaque in terms of easy to find web info. For that matter, we could also have Fairway cater (there is a Fairway about three miles away in Red Hook). All of these would be tasty and inexpensive (to help offset the expensive port). The real issue would be delivery, although everything but Fairway is a relatively easy walk away.

Last time we were at my place, Tbird recommended Lucali's, a relatively new pizza joint in my neighborhood, that we could not order from that night as it was having a private party, if I remember correctly.

BBQ would be fine with me also.

we're thinking about dribving in so we can easily pick up before swinging over.

I'm fine with whatever.

Let me know team and I'll put the order in.

[mosesbotbol]

We are driving down and staying in Park Slope, so we could possibly help in picking up food if need be.

[JohninNYC]

Hello.
I am still free for Fri 2/13 but if called in to work that Friday evening, I have to go in. So far they haven't called me in but I just need to wait until next Thurs. to check and if still not called in, I could come Fri. I realize you wanted to do a final count on who is coming for sure. In this case, can I be a last minute entry if I am still free at which point I will do whatever works best for the group - either chipping in my share or adopting a bottle, etc?

[jfacciol]

Four quick comments:

First, my home can accomodate ten folks and we are at eight confirmed now. That means that I am fine with JohninNYC keeping his options open so long as two more folks do not commit before Feb 12;

Second, if Jeff or someone else picks up something before the tasting, it needs to be cold food (cold cuts, etc.) as it does not make for a good tasting to eat while drinking (equally, it does not make for a good tasting to never eat). But I would imagine that it will be about an hour and a half before we start eating--less than a Roy Hersh run tasting but still long enough for anything hot to become nice and cold.

Third, I assume that we are just splitting the costs of the port at the prices that Julian found rather than adopting bottles. More folks, of course, means a slightly lower amount per person.

Fourth, any interest in adding Graham 1966 for a complete vertical of the drinkable contemporary Graham (if 1994 can be counted as drinkable)? We are up to eight confirmed (with nine bottles). I don't have a bottle in my collection but Hart Davis has it for $150.00 (plus shipping). There are also several other stores out there with the bottle from $180 to 190 plus shipping and tax. I vote for doing this and, if we want to do this, I would place the order.

[jdaw1]

1966?

I concur with any sensible non-ascetic decisions.

Which is a yes.

[mosesbotbol]

Go for it. I am in favor of dropping '94 & '91 if we have to cull the line-up for '66 which is an awesome vintage for Grahams.

Having only drunk with Julian a couple of times, I don't know how much port the other attendees normally put down. If anything like Julian or I, all bottles will be needed...

[SushiNorth]

Go for it. I am in favor of dropping '94 & '91 if we have to cull the line-up for '66 which is an awesome vintage for Grahams.

Having only drunk with Julian a couple of times, I don't know how much port the other attendees normally put down. If anything like Julian or I, all bottles will be needed...

That sounds like an ascetic decision, but I think it might not be a bad one. I like the idea of adding the 66, and i doubt the 94 -- or even the 91 -- is prime enough to drink. I suspect we'll simply find it "very different, hold for 20 years." Also, (sorry guys) we have some lighter weights this time around. It looks like I may have my first feb 14 obligation in a long time, at least one other drinker mentioned to me they're taking it easy, and (no offense to the ladies) we have a few +1s who are smarter about body:booze ratios!

On the opposite side of the issue, though, is that the 1991 is WS93, and the 1994 is WS95, and I have neither in my basement! Part of me says "rare chance!" and the other part says "they won't be ready, and you can't handle another pour!"

j/j/j -- what are your thoughts?

[jdaw1]

My thought about the ’94 is that the original purpose of this tasting was to drink my USA-located port.

[jfacciol]

My thought about the ’94 is that the original purpose of this tasting was to drink my USA-located port.

Yep, that's the way it began and then blossomed. So 1994 has to stay.

That still leaves the question of 1966. We don't have to finish all of the bottles and no one has to drink a pro rata portion of what is available. There have been many times that others (who shall remain nameless) have drunk more (much more) than me. To my mind, however, the advantage of adding the 1966 is to have a tasting of contemporary Graham that is complete, except for 1975, which would not be worth adding unless someone has it in their collection already and wants to get rid of it.

Ten bottles for eight people means that there might be some left at the end of the evening but I, for one, am not bothered by this. Also, it is quite possible (if not probable) that at least one bottle will be undrinkable or very poor. This has happened any number of times at our tastings in the past year or so.

So far I count two votes for adding the 1966. I count one probable vote against.

[g-man]

My thought about the ’94 is that the original purpose of this tasting was to drink my USA-located port.

Yep, that's the way it began and then blossomed. So 1994 has to stay.

That still leaves the question of 1966. We don't have to finish all of the bottles and no one has to drink a pro rata portion of what is available. There have been many times that others (who shall remain nameless) have drunk more (much more) than me. To my mind, however, the advantage of adding the 1966 is to have a tasting of contemporary Graham that is complete, except for 1975, which would not be worth adding unless someone has it in their collection already and wants to get rid of it.

Ten bottles for eight people means that there might be some left at the end of the evening but I, for one, am not bothered by this. Also, it is quite possible (if not probable) that at least one bottle will be undrinkable or very poor. This has happened any number of times at our tastings in the past year or so.

So far I count two votes for adding the 1966. I count one probable vote against.

i have a credit line at hart davis, but they refuse to ship any wine to me in teh cold months because of their fear of me returning bad bottles. =P (I apparently spent over 10k$ a year there) ... I'd definitely vote for the fonse... grahams 66 I meant at 150$ ...
Jay let me know if you want me to pick it up and ship it to your place, or if you'll pick it up, we'll all split the cost of it.

[g-man]

Four quick comments:

Second, if Jeff or someone else picks up something before the tasting, it needs to be cold food (cold cuts, etc.) as it does not make for a good tasting to eat while drinking (equally, it does not make for a good tasting to never eat). But I would imagine that it will be about an hour and a half before we start eating--less than a Roy Hersh run tasting but still long enough for anything hot to become nice and cold.

btw good point jay,

as I have to work that day before teh tasting, I'll see perhaps what cold cuts i may be able to pick up

the bbq tho, sounds like a great idea and may require aday in advance to do a proper kansas city style ribs (at least if I was preparing it)

[jfacciol]

We are up to 4 yes votes and 1 probable no. What about the other folks attending?

Jeff, let me order the bottle if we decide to get it as that way all of the money transactions will be simpler.

[SushiNorth]

We are up to 4 yes votes and 1 probable no. What about the other folks attending?

Jeff, let me order the bottle if we decide to get it as that way all of the money transactions will be simpler.

Well, if you count the +1's as voting in kind, we're at 5 yes's, 2 probable no's, and no word from the phone-in or tentative (votes 8 & 9) So it sounds like the aye's have it. Here's how the pricing looks with it: