17 November 2011 - GC/SW/QH triple vertical

Organise events to meet up and drink Port.
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RAYC
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Re: November Tasting - GC/SW/QH triple vertical

Post by RAYC »

PhilW wrote:I've checked calendar and can definitely make the 10th, but if it's the 17th I might have to pass, unless I can juggle some commitments.

Phil.
Date contingent on a couple of possibilities that are currently being explored....hope to have a firm landing over next couple of weeks.
Rob C.
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RAYC
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Re: 17 November 2011 - GC/SW/QH triple vertical

Post by RAYC »

First post updated.

I will be in touch with those who have offered bottles over the coming week.

Thereafter i will email everyone with approximate costings.

Cheers

Rob
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Re: 17 November 2011 - GC/SW/QH triple vertical

Post by jdaw1 »

Please post as well.
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Re: 17 November 2011 - GC/SW/QH triple vertical

Post by griff »

I managed to dig into the stash and sadly the 1994 is a Delaforce. Will need to source a bottle or buy in as suits.

cheers

Carl
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Re: 17 November 2011 - GC/SW/QH triple vertical

Post by DRT »

I have a bottle of Quarles Harris 1970 that was very kindly given to us for the 1970 Horizontal but was not opened. I have kept it as a donation to a suitable tasting and this seems to fit the bill.

The QH1970 can therefore be added to the line-up at zero cost, thereby allowing Axel to keep his bottle for another occasion.
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Re: 17 November 2011 - GC/SW/QH triple vertical

Post by jdaw1 »

DRT wrote:I have a bottle of Quarles Harris 1970 that was very kindly given to us
Please acknowledge the donor.
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Re: 17 November 2011 - GC/SW/QH triple vertical

Post by RAYC »

Fantastic.
Rob C.
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Re: 17 November 2011 - GC/SW/QH triple vertical

Post by DRT »

jdaw1 wrote:
DRT wrote:I have a bottle of Quarles Harris 1970 that was very kindly given to us
Please acknowledge the donor.
Not here.
"The first duty of Port is to be red"
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RAYC
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Re: 17 November 2011 - GC/SW/QH triple vertical

Post by RAYC »

All,

Bottles have now either been sourced or identified for this tasting (though '63s are still subject to confirmation) and a distinguished guest has confirmed his availability (with a second industry guest now invited), so I would be grateful if those who have given tentative indications of interest for this event are able to give a firm decision one way or the other in the near future.

On the basis of a full tasting (with two industry guests), the cost therefore comes out at approximately £175 per person (on the basis that we want to eat steak and drink from Riedels). This breaks down as approximately £85 for dinner, room and glass hire, and £90 for port. In the event that the '63s are not possible, the price will come to approximately £150 per person.

I appreciate that there are a number of contingencies for some of you that may not be resolved until the beginning of next month.

PMs/emails to follow to all who offered bottles or expressed interest.

Many thanks

Rob
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Re: 17 November 2011 - GC/SW/QH triple vertical

Post by jdaw1 »

A draft of the placemats.
  • Weird bug in the pre-pour sheets will be fixed, eventually. It really isn’t obvious why the ‘W’ misbehaves here, but not on the glasses pages.
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Re: 17 November 2011 - GC/SW/QH triple vertical

Post by DRT »

RAYC wrote:Since this will be sandwiched between the two large (and expensive) tastings already penned in for October and December, I would prefer to keep this relatively informal.
RAYC wrote:the cost therefore comes out at approximately £175 per person (on the basis that we want to eat steak and drink from Riedels).
:lol:
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Re: 17 November 2011 - GC/SW/QH triple vertical

Post by DRT »

jdaw1 wrote:A draft of the placemats.
  • Weird bug in the pre-pour sheets will be fixed, eventually. It really isn’t obvious why the ‘W’ misbehaves here, but not on the glasses pages.
Interesting bug. The "W' also seems to behave properly on the place names sheets.
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Re: 17 November 2011 - GC/SW/QH triple vertical

Post by jdaw1 »

No bug if distilled with GhostScript, which suggests that Adobe might be to blame. Let me play a little.
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Re: 17 November 2011 - GC/SW/QH triple vertical

Post by RAYC »

DRT wrote:
RAYC wrote:Since this will be sandwiched between the two large (and expensive) tastings already penned in for October and December, I would prefer to keep this relatively informal.
RAYC wrote:the cost therefore comes out at approximately £175 per person (on the basis that we want to eat steak and drink from Riedels).
:lol:
mission creep. I thought by reducing the first sentence you quoted to font size 6 i might get away with it!

Seriously, though, please would anyone drop me a pm if they feel the cost would be prohibitive to their attendance - there are ways of reducing the cost (for example, if i wash the RAF glasses, we drop the 63s and eat steak and kidney pie, the cost would be approximately £115).

The primary intent is to get a good group of TPF members around the table drinking port, rather than to price anyone out by overreaching.
Rob C.
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Re: 17 November 2011 - GC/SW/QH triple vertical

Post by DRT »

I wasn't complaining about the cost, but your post does make me question whether it is worth us spending £720 on three bottles of 63 from 2nd tier shippers, some fancy glasses and a different form of beef.

If the consensus is to go for the Full Monty on this one I am still in, but at the moment we don't have 12 confirmed paying guests so it might be wise to scale it back a little?

A couple of options are to stay with the full line-up and change venue to the Crusting Pipe or leave out the two youngest vintages?
"The first duty of Port is to be red"
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Re: 17 November 2011 - GC/SW/QH triple vertical

Post by RAYC »

DRT wrote: at the moment we don't have 12 confirmed paying guests so it might be wise to scale it back a little?
i will underwrite the risk of getting fewer than 12 paying guests, so this should not be a factor.
DRT wrote:A couple of options are to stay with the full line-up and change venue to the Crusting Pipe or leave out the two youngest vintages?
I would be against losing the two youngest vintages, as these are able to be provided very cheaply, would be a great shame to omit, and would not make a great difference to the overall cost (saving of approx. £15 per paying guest).
Rob C.
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Re: 17 November 2011 - GC/SW/QH triple vertical

Post by jdaw1 »

If we had to prune, my preference is to keep the things that there is a chance of buying. For me this is a ‘what should I buy?’ tasting, rather than being completist. YMMV.
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Re: 17 November 2011 - GC/SW/QH triple vertical

Post by DRT »

RAYC wrote:
DRT wrote: at the moment we don't have 12 confirmed paying guests so it might be wise to scale it back a little?
i will underwrite the risk of getting fewer than 12 paying guests, so this should not be a factor.
That is a very kind offer, but I don't think it is fair on you and sets a dangerous precedent that future organisers might not wish to suffer from. The way in which we share the cost of tasting has always been fair to all involved and I think that is how it should remain.
jdaw1 wrote:If we had to prune, my preference is to keep the things that there is a chance of buying. For me this is a ‘what should I buy?’ tasting, rather than being completist. YMMV.
According to http://www.wine-searcher.com the first vintage for which all three shippers is still available is 1977. Perhaps that should be the earliest vintage with the bottles from 1963 and 1970 being saved for completist events?
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Re: 17 November 2011 - GC/SW/QH triple vertical

Post by jdaw1 »

DRT wrote:
RAYC wrote:i will underwrite the risk of getting fewer than 12 paying guests, so this should not be a factor.
That is a very kind offer, but I don't think it is fair on you and sets a dangerous precedent that future organisers might not wish to suffer from. The way in which we share the cost of tasting has always been fair to all involved and I think that is how it should remain.
I second DRT’s refusal of your kind offer, for the same reasons.
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Re: 17 November 2011 - GC/SW/QH triple vertical

Post by PhilW »

Agree with all above re: not taking Rob's kind underwriting offer; We should share the cost of whatever is decided we do.

If we're pruning, it seems like we have a few options, with different preferences from people; Certainly we could pare back from a 24-bottle tasting at RAF club if we are slightly shorter on numbers; also re-planning for TCP or Steak Exchange as an option to reduce overhead has also been suggested.

Trying to think through possible options for bottle-count reduction:
(a) Drop the early years (e.g. lose 63,70 especially given diffculty to source, becomes 18-bottle and lower cost)
(b) Drop the later years (e.g. lose 91,94; Rob already stated not keen on this option)
(c) Split the tasting into two parts, make this session the 63-77 session (to match the 11th Oct for other houses) and defer the 80-94 matrix for a subsequent session
(d) Keep the year range, but reduce to two houses instead of three (reduced cost and bottle count to 16)

Personally I'd be keen to compare at least the 77s and 70s to previous tastings for possible future purchase, but would also enjoy trying the later 83/85/91... ah hell, I want to try everything probably, not for completionism, just for the experience!

I guess I'm saying that I'm still happy to continue with the full tasting and pay my share including the earlier bottles, but am also happy to for a reduced tasting if that is the preference. I would probably shift venue if we reduce the bottle count. Since it is both his birthday and his event, it should be Rob's final decision.
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Re: 17 November 2011 - GC/SW/QH triple vertical

Post by jdaw1 »

PhilW wrote:(c) Split the tasting into two parts, make this session the 63-77 session (to match the 11th Oct for other houses) and defer the 80-94 matrix for a subsequent session
It is still on Thursday, so I am still out. But this seems to be a splendid suggestion.
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Re: 17 November 2011 - GC/SW/QH triple vertical

Post by RAYC »

I am keen to get some momentum behind this tasting and for it to go ahead broadly as originally proposed.

Personally I believe this to be a very interesting line-up of ports (with some frequently mentioned as amongst the top 5 or 6 of their vintages), and i think it will be rather special to drink these in the company of Paul Symington (our confirmed guest), who will no doubt be able to satisfy our curiousity on these houses and, indeed, the latest news from the 2011 harvest.

For a 3-course meal at the RAF club and 21 bottles of vintage port (1970 - 1994), I think it pretty amazing that this can be done for £115. The room is booked, so I'm not sure moving to TCP saves much money (though does save glass washing), and i do know that guests tend to enjoy the setting of the club on Piccadilly.

I think the best way forward is for people to confirm whether they are happy at that price/with that plan, we can then discuss separately whether to add anything else to the tasting.

The cost of additionals would be:

+ Riedels (to save washing glasses) = approx £33 per person
+ ISOs = approx £21 per person
+ Steak (as some have expressed the desire for a change from steak and kidney) = approx £5 per person
+ '63s = approx £25 per person.

In terms of unfilled spaces, this should not be a particular issue as I will, if necessary, be able to rustle up a few friends with an interest in wine/port to help me celebrate my 30th! However, i would first like to see if we can get this up and running with TPF members with a real passion for port, experiencing varied tastings, and meeting members of the trade.
Rob C.
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Re: 17 November 2011 - GC/SW/QH triple vertical

Post by DRT »

DRT wrote:If the consensus is to go for the Full Monty on this one I am still in
:wink:
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Re: 17 November 2011 - GC/SW/QH triple vertical

Post by Axel P »

DRT wrote:If the consensus is to go for the Full Monty on this one I am still in
Me, too.
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Re: 17 November 2011 - GC/SW/QH triple vertical

Post by PhilW »

More than happy to go ahead with the full plan :D
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