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So far, at least as my memory tells me, we only have two tasting events planned for the autumn / winter season. These being the "55 @ 55" - which I will start to organise properly when Roy lets me know whether or not he is organising a second week of his harvest tour - and the Christmas Offline of "The Unknown Shipper and His Peculiar Friends".

So far this year we have managed some rather obscure and specialist tastings - 1960, 1975 (sort of), 1978, 1982 and there was even talk of a 1976 horizontal.

I think its about time we organised something rather splendid in September or November. Something which we could confidently predict would deliver terrific levels of enjoyment and pleasure (of a purely port kind).

So, if you could attend something rather splendid, what would you want to be organised? (Bearing in mind that the cost will have to be shared out across the 12 or so people who attend.) Themes which immediately come to my mind would include:
- Horizontals: 1977, 1970, 1966 (or even 1948, 1945, 1935, 1927)
- Comparisons: 1983 vs 1985
- Verticals: Taylor, Fonseca, Graham, Dow, Nacional (pricey though!)
- Misc: 1 bottle from each decade of the last century

If we can get enough agreement, I'm happy to get organising. Let me know what you think would be most practical and any particular days or dates which wouldn't work and we'll see what happens...

AHB wrote:So, if you could attend something rather splendid, what would you want to be organised? (Bearing in mind that the cost will have to be shared out across the 12 or so people who attend.) Themes which immediately come to my mind would include:
- Horizontals: 1977, 1970, 1966 (or even 1948, 1945, 1935, 1927)
- Comparisons: 1983 vs 1985
- Verticals: Taylor, Fonseca, Graham, Dow, Nacional (pricey though!)
- Misc: 1 bottle from each decade of the last century

If we can get enough agreement, I'm happy to get organising. Let me know what you think would be most practical and any particular days or dates which wouldn't work and we'll see what happens...

What about a Dow vertical? I don't think there has ever been a serious exploration of that shipper in the history of ...

I think Dow is a strong suggestion. Would also be eager to try older Niepoorts, but I know those are hard to source.

Would be game for a 1960 or a 1977 horizontal as well.

Love the initiative AHB!

Great idea Alex. I think a bottle from each decade of the last century would be quite a challenge.

For me to be included though It would have to be in September/October though as I am on holiday for most of November.

Dates permitting I would be very keen. For this reason, it would need to be earlier part of Autumn I think! I am easy on themes, with the usual proviso about possibly needing to adopt.

Hi there,

I am also interested if the dates work out. As a theme I would be in favour of a comparison tasting. however I am not so fond of 1983 vs 1985. 1985 vs 1987 sounds more interesting. Dow vertical sounds also interesting.

regards

WS1

Dow: I have been saving a ’66 and a ’45 for a Dow vertical. Works for me.

Roy has given me his dates for his visit to the UK in early October and I will start to organise the 55@55 tasting just as soon as I have finished working out how my cellar will change over the next 25 years as I drnk from it and the wines I don't drink mature another year - damn you Uncle Tom, you knew I would get obsessive about this

So it looks like our Autumn Extravaganza is best organised for September. Any dates in September to avoid? I can make:
Th 2
Fr 3
Mo 6
Tu 7
We 8
Th 9
Fr 10
Mo 13
Tu 14
We 15
Fr 17
but nothing in September after this

Dow vertical sounds like a winner, let's adopt that as a theme unless anyone has a vigorous objection. Please let me know by PM what Dows you have available and what the cost would be for any bottles you could offer.

Put, me in, too, Alex.

Love to go for the 55 or any other horizontal or shall we go for the 63-66-70 Fladgate vs. Symington on our own (without any of the producers)? I guess they will be hard to be towed away from the douro at this time.

Best

Axel

Summarising decisions to date:
- Selected theme is a Dow vertical
- Venue not yet decided
- Date not fixed but first half of September
- Attendees confirmed (subject to final date) are AHB, AP, JDAW, BMHR, RLC, CSD, JGH, WS

So, please take a look at the dates I have suggested earlier in the thread and post a reply to say which dates are likely to work for you and which are not.

This offline is not intended to turn into a major tasting where we line up every vintage ever declared by Dow, just a bottle per person with a bit of co-ordination on my part to try and prevent duplication of years.

And anyone who is browsing and tempted by the idea but not sure whether it's polite to invite yourself along - it absolutely is! Feel free to say you'd like to join us and you would be welcome (although we do limit seats round the table to 14 to ensure everyone gets enough port to taste).

Hi Alex,

I am interested to join this offline if possible (subject to final date)

regards

WS1

WS1 wrote:Hi Alex,

I am interested to join this offline if possible (subject to final date)

regards

WS1

Absolutely. Your name should have been on the list because you posted earlier. Sorry.

But your post does give me a chance to gently prod - you say subject to the final date. Suggest one which works for you from the list I have posted above...

I've had an initial response that indicates preferred dates for this offline would be 2, 7, 14 or 17. Any preference from these? If not, I am inclined to go for Tuesday 7 September.

Alex,

for me everything until Sep 16th would work out. Dows vertical is excellent. RAF Club or anywhere else this time?

Anything you need for contributions? Shall we focus on the big years or would it be an anything goes vertical?

Axel

Axel P wrote:Alex,

for me everything until Sep 16th would work out. Dows vertical is excellent. RAF Club or anywhere else this time?

Anything you need for contributions? Shall we focus on the big years or would it be an anything goes vertical?

Axel

With 8 of us attending (and bringing 8 bottles), I would be inclined to go to the Crusting Pipe. 8 people fit nicely into one of the tunnels and gives us plenty of chance to talk as well as drink. If we start to get to a larger number of attendees then we could look to see if the RAF Club was free or stick with the Crusting Pipe.

Once we agree on a date, I think we'll open the field to any vintage of Dow (but not single quintas from Dow) so if anyone wants to bring along an obscure vintage then they are welcome to do so. The only coordination I will do is to ensure that no vintage is duplicated.

Should we do this blind or sighted?

Count me in..

Following Dows readily available for adoption:

1991
1985
1983
1980
1977
1975
1972
1970
1966
1963
1960

I also have a few older bottles - how far back are we going?

Tom

AHB wrote:With 8 of us attending (and bringing 8 bottles), I would be inclined to go to the Crusting Pipe. 8 people fit nicely into one of the tunnels and gives us plenty of chance to talk as well as drink. If we start to get to a larger number of attendees then we could look to see if the RAF Club was free or stick with the Crusting Pipe.

I agree; sounds good.

AHB wrote:Once we agree on a date, I think we'll open the field to any vintage of Dow (but not single quintas from Dow) so if anyone wants to bring along an obscure vintage then they are welcome to do so. The only coordination I will do is to ensure that no vintage is duplicated.

Should we do this blind or sighted?

I wonder if might need to give a bit more thought to the vintages? If we leave out SQVPs, then we will cover quite a large range of years, with quite a big variation in price, even with only 8 of us. More if we leave out the younger ones.

Alex,

copied. If we are going to be more and you tell me to I will ask at the RAF club.

On my opinion a blind vertical would be awesome, though harder to prepare.
Shall we disclose the bottles which are in the tasting at all or not?
When do you think you can fix the date? Yes I know that I am a pain, but I need to get flights scheduled.

Thanks

Axel

With the numbers attending, I would suggest leaving out the Bomfims - perhaps a complete twelve vintage lineup from 1960 to 1994..?

Tom

That's a splendid suggestion, Tom!

uncle tom wrote:With the numbers attending, I would suggest leaving out the Bomfims - perhaps a complete twelve vintage lineup from 1960 to 1994..?

That was the "bit more thought" I was thinking about; it would be excellent if we can get enough bottles and people together.

Outstanding idea, Tom.

Axel

OK. In the absence of anyone having objected, I declare the date to be Tuesday 7th September for the Dow vertical.

I like the idea of a complete lineup from X to Y. Does anyone have any preference as to when we start and when we finish? I have a Dow 1958 we could open so we have three choices:
(a) 1958 - 1991 (12 vintages, which we could manage even if only between 8 of us)
(b) 1960 - 1994
(c) something else

I am curious to know what the 1994 is like as I am not opening many bottles from this vintage at the moment, but neither have I ever tried the 1958 Dow before.

Help!! What shall we choose to do?

And we'll taste these blind. The challenge will be to put them into the correct chronological sequence and the winner will be the one who gets most right! Their prize will be to take home a sample bottle of the vintage of their choice.

Well, I was planning to contribute my 1994. Personally, I don't see any reason we can't extend the period from 1958-1994 and just make it 13 for 8 overs.

Chris Doty wrote:Well, I was planning to contribute my 1994. Personally, I don't see any reason we can't extend the period from 1958-1994 and just make it 13 for 8 overs.

These offlines (ie. not a tasting) have a habit of growing bigger uncontrollably. I will do everything I can to keep the event to no more than 12 bottles if we have only 8 people coming along.

Of course, if you can persuade a ninth person to join us then we could add another bottle or two...