The London Olympiad Vertical - 1948 - 2012

[jdaw1]

Just had a reply from the 'Olympic Prestigious Hospitality' team and it's.....bad news....they would willingly accomodate us if we were prepared to each part with £795 + VAT...for this you have a buffet meal, open bar and tickets for the event of choice...for the final events the cost is £4800 + VAT per head...

Oh dear. The split infinitive isn’t even the worst bit of that post. £795 per head, with or without VAT, is too pricey for our purposes.

I still think that there is much merit in avoiding London.

[Alex Bridgeman]

If we really did want to have this offline at an Olympic event, we could consider one of the events outside London - sailing in Weymouth, rowing in Eton, canoeing and mountain biking in Essex. Find a friendly hotel close to the venue and stay well away from London.

[DRT]

Or we could hire a huge big house in the country for a weekend for a couple of hundred quid each and have more than one off-line?

For example, I hired Knockbrex Castle for a weekend for my 40th birthday for around £2k. I'm not suggesting we go there (although I wouldn't object if we did) but other similar options will be available.

[uncle tom]

Methinks we should book the RAF club - soon! - and make sure we get the room upstairs..

Possible wines (spreading the favours..)

2008 Quevedo

2004 Q. Crasto

2000 Cockburn

1996 Vesuvio

1992 Fonseca

1988 Q. de la Rosa

1984 Warre Cavadinha

1980 Dow

1976 Fonseca Guimaraens

1972 Offley Boa Vista

1968 Taylor Vargellas

1964 Noval Nacional

1960 Croft

1956 [A colheita..]??

1952 Niepoort colheita

1948 Graham

The majority I can supply. I'm conscious of two entries from Fonseca/Guimaraens, and having no Sandeman - all suggestions welcome..

Tom

[DRT]

Shouldn't all the wines be from "British" shippers?

[WS1]

Hi Tom,

RAF club sounds not bad, but I am not sure. Just to check, has not Cricket become olympic recently?!? If not it is on the brink and we should aim in my yes to have our Olympiade at a cricket game. Firstly we will not get ripped off and secondly they will not be flustered if we consume some port etc.
I fear anything we do is problematic because of the Olympics, hence my idea to go to a relevant event on which we will have an easy cheap entry.
With ports I generally agree but am not sure on the 2004 Crasto. Do not get me wrong but I am very fond of Vale Meao 2004. Have you had this yet?
Graham 1948 will be hard to get but should be good.

regards

WS1

[WS1]

Derek,

Shouldn't all the wines be from "British" shippers?

despite your patriotism (? I thought you are Scottish!) in a some years this can be hard work e.g. 2008 so far on what I tasted I like Niepoort Pisca, Quevedo, Noval and then Grahams Malvedos very much. I had not the opportunity to try all relevant shippers but i doubt on the first 3 a lot will change. Pisca 2008 is really very good indeed!

Also despite the Warre 1952 was very good, I doubt Tom has another one on his sleeves

Also where is your Olympic Spirit? Did it get an English drowning?

regards

WS1

[DRT]

Derek,

Shouldn't all the wines be from "British" shippers?

despite your patriotism (? I thought you are Scottish!) in a some years this can be hard work e.g. 2008 so far on what I tasted I like Niepoort Pisca, Quevedo, Noval and then Grahams Malvedos very much. I had not the opportunity to try all relevant shippers but i doubt on the first 3 a lot will change. Pisca 2008 is really very good indeed!

Also despite the Warre 1952 was very good, I doubt Tom has another one on his sleeves

Also where is your Olympic Spirit? Did it get an English drowning?

regards

WS1

The last time I checked Scotland was still British so I think my patriotism is intact. We could, if you wish, limit it to "British Shippers with Scottish ancestory", but that would be an almost identical list to "British shippers"

Graham's Malvedos 2008 certainly qualifies.

[jdaw1]

In the Olympics we compete as the UK. Which is why we never play Olympic football.

[DRT]

In the Olympics we compete as the UK. Which is why we never play Olympic football.

Apologies. Shippers with Northern Irish heritage also qualify.

[DRT]

In the Olympics we compete as the UK. Which is why we never play Olympic football.

Apologies. Shippers with Northern Irish heritage also qualify.

Actually, I think you will find we compete as "GB" (or "GBR"), much to the irritation of our NI team mates.

[Alex Bridgeman]

Shouldn't all the wines be from "British" shippers?

I don't understand why. The Olympics is open to all countries, provided they reach a certain minimum standard. Why should our Olympiad have different participation?

[benread]

No Hutcheson then!

[RAYC]

This sounds great, would love to be added to the list. Worth adding a 1908 to commemorate the first time London held the Olympics...?

According to wikipedia, 2012 will be 100 years since GB won gold in Olympic football and the first time a GB-representative team (that I'm sure Derek will be cheering for) has played since '72, so might be a good occasion if it is decided that this will not be held at/near an olympic venue.

If this were organised as a weekend away from London/event centres during the Olympics, I might re-assess as I'm quite looking forward to going to a few events, though fully understand if that's everyone else's preference

[Deleted_User_1]

Just by way of an update I have had an interesting discussion regarding a 'very special' venue for this event. I would rather wait for confimation before getting everyone too excited as to the location but I can assure you that if this happens, it will be in very fine surroundings....so for now just watch this space

[jdaw1]

No. Not Buckingham Palace again. Just no.

[Deleted_User_1]

No. Not Buckingham Palace again. Just no.

Close..but no cigar

[uncle tom]

Not Buckingham Palace again

Fear not - but a very interesting venue we've not been to before..

During our recent trip to Porto, Cookie and I were on the look out for Olympic years, with a view to having a different shipper for each..

Provisionally, this should be more or less do-able:

1948 - Graham
1952 - Warre (but hard to find..)
1956 - Niepoort (Dirk has very kindly offered to provide for this most difficult year)
1960 - Croft
1964 - Noval Nacional
1968 - Fonseca Guimaraens
1972 - Sandeman
1976 - Ramos Pinto (large stash spotted in their magnificent bottle store - will need to ask them nicely!)
1980 - Dow
1984 - Calem, Delaforce Corte or Krohn (a difficult year..)
1988 - de la Rosa
1992 - Taylor
1996 - Vesuvio
2000 - Cockburn
2004 - Crasto
2008 - Quevedo

- All suggestions for alterations welcome. I've not found a slot for Offley, nor have I had the chance to explore their bottle store.. If they have any of the difficult years, such as '52, '68 or '84; we could re-arrange to include them (Martinez & Ferreira - ditto..)

Tom

[Andy Velebil]

I obviously don't know my travel plans, but if I can make it I will. So place me as "tentative"?

[Deleted_User_1]

I have just received a positive reply as to the prestigious venue to be used for this event but the date needs to be confirmed as well as some other details so I will update the position early next week...this is going to be fantastic so make sure you are on the list as we are getting very close to closing it

[Andy Velebil]

I obviously don't know my travel plans, but if I can make it I will. So place me as "tentative"?

Upgrade me to coming

[Alex Bridgeman]

Depending on the date, my better half has expressed an interest in attending this tasting. Could I include her as my +1 subject to any fully fledged members of TPF stepping forward in the near future?

[Axel P]

Please put me in.

Axel

[DRT]

Depending on the date, my better half has expressed an interest in attending this tasting. Could I include her as my +1 subject to any fully fledged members of TPF stepping forward in the near future?

Please put me in.

Attendees:-

1. Cookie
2. Uncle Tom
3. DRT
4. WS1
5. Ben
6. JDAW
7. AHB
8. RayC
9. KillerB
10.Andy Velebil
11.Oscar Quevedo
12.Guest of Honour
13.Axel

Shouldn't Mrs AHB be on the list? (or is she, as she should be, the Guest of Honour?)

[uncle tom]

We are probably looking at a two bottle event here.

I suspect we will have more than one member of the trade present, and one or two other dignitaries should also be allowed for.

Suggest we limit attendance to TPF x 14 + others.

Tom