ThePortForum.com

UPDATE:

THEME: Gould Campbell - Smith Woodhouse - Quarles Harris triple vertical: 1970 - 1994
DATE: 17 November 2011; 7.00 arrival for 7.15 start
LOCATION: London (RAF Club, Piccadilly)
COST: £150, less discount for bottles supplied

ATTENDEES:

1. RAYC
2. Richard Mayson
3. Zelandakh
4. SushiNorth
5. DRT
6. AHB
7. THRA
8. WS1
9. AxelP
10. PhilW
11. Griff
12. Sascha
13. [jdaw1]
14. Vacancy
15. SushiNorth+1 (non-drinking)

RESERVE/STANDBY:
benread*
*currently unavailable

Attendees updated by DRT while RAYC is enjoying this.

LINE-UP
Gould Campbell, Smith Woodhouse and Quarles Harris from: 1970, 1977, 1980, 1983, 1985, 1991, 1994
-----------------------------------------
ORIGINAL POST

All,

As my 30th is coming up on 13.11.2011, I would like to schedule a mid-November tasting.

Venue and precise date t.b.c., but i will aim for 10th or 17th November (both Thursdays) at a central London location (probably TCP).

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.

Please let me know if you would be interested, and - rather than watch me attempt to construct a 1981 horizontal using the single declared VP, some tired lbvs, a few (by all accounts rather good) 1981 colheitas and some (only tenuously linked to 1981) 30yr tawnies - use voting buttons for preferred theme:

- Niepoort Vertical: 1970 - present day (perhaps to include some colheitas...1970(bdx),1977,1982,1983,1985, 1987,1992,1994,1997,2003 VPs in my possession already)

- Smith Woodhouse v Gould Campbell double vertical: (1963, 1970, 1977, 1980, 1983, 1985, 1994...have a number of these and others should not be too problematic to source)

- 80s Matrix of some sort (following on nicely from October's tasting...best way to approach up for discussion)

Rob,

I'm in!

As this is your birthday I would be more than happy for you to select the theme.

Derek

I’d be keen too, agreeing with DRT that Rob should choose the theme! However, I probably won’t be able to confirm until mid-October due to work issues, if that’s ok.

Voters might wish to read of a recent and large Niepoort vertical in Germany (I was very impressed), and a Smith Woodhouse vertical in New York.

But I agree with the consensus that the birthday boy should choose.

I think either the Niepoort Vertical or SW-GC Double Vertical would make a good tasting.

I would love to do a Niepoort tasting and most of my bottles were acquired with that purpose in mind. I have enough to form the backbone of a modest but relatively complete tasting back to 1970, to which it would be easy to add a couple of nice colheitas, passadouros and/or secundums. There would still be gaps, however - without help i have no easy way of getting hold of the 1975, 1978, 1980 trio, let alone more spectacular bottles such as the squat 1970 (at which point costs start to spiral). Reading the thread jdaw1 posted on the tasting in Germany does make me wonder whether a more ambitious UK Niepoort tasting should be attempted by the group (even if we dont manage the very ancient bottles from before the 60s), in which case the November slot might not be the best.

The SW-GC double vertical is something that has appealed to me for a while and is perhaps more easily achievable without great effort/expense (and easily scalable to suit size of tasting) - it might also provide a good opportunity to do a couple of interesting side comparisons (mag v 75cl for one of the superb 77s, BBR b.o.b v original bottling for SW 1985 and 1991). However, I appreciate that it might not get people quite so excited as a Niepoort tasting (though i think SW in particular seems to be better regarded on this side of the Atlantic than the other, and i have previously been very impressed with both GC 70 and 77).

I'll make a call if people don't vote (and reserve the right to overrule in any event!), but would be interested to hear what people would like to be drinking in the November slot.

In principle I'm up for this, but around that time I may need to make a trip overseas at short notice. Put me down - if I have to duck out I'll donate a bottle!

Tom

RAYC wrote:I'll make a call if people don't vote (and reserve the right to overrule in any event!), but would be interested to hear what people would like to be drinking in the November slot.

Well, now that you are twisting our arms trying to get us to express a preference, I will vote for drinking Vintage Port at your Birthday Tasting.

While I agree with Derek, I have a slight preference for an 80s matrix. If that proves to be unpopular, then my next preference would be for the SW / GC double vertical.

If there are only a few people it could be both: {GC, SW}×{1980, 1983, 1985}.

Sounds like either a GC-SW double vertical or 80s matrix - happy to leave in the air until there's a better idea on numbers.

AHB wrote:While I agree with Derek, I have a slight preference for an 80s matrix.

How would you approach this?

The Dow-Graham-Fonseca-Taylor line-up from the Matrix Revisted but over 1980, 1983 and 1985 vintages, or perhaps a Symington-only matrix over 80, 83 and 85 with G,D,W,GC and SW?

If we were to go down the GC-SW route, the following line-up would be achievable without too much fuss (bottles I can provide indicated by initials, otherwise approx. winesearcher prices are shown).

Vintage GC SW
1970 RAYC RAYC
1977 RAYC ~£80 [Extra: Justerini b.o.b (SW) - ?(no availability on winesearcher)]
1980 RAYC RAYC
1983 ~£40 RAYC
1985 ~£50 RAYC [Extra: Berry's b.o.b (SW) - RAYC]
1991 RAYC RAYC [Extra: Berry's b.o.b (SW) - ?(no availability on winesearcher)]
1994 ~£55 ~£35 [Exra: Berry's b.o.b (SW) - RAYC]

Hi Ray,

sounds a terrific idea. Please let me know what theme you choose. Since i was at both of the Niepoort events in Germany I would be more in favour of the 80 Matrix tasting or the GC SW compariosn. I should be available in November and would like to attend if possible. Please let me know.

regards

WS1

Ray,

for GC/SWC I would be in as well. We could do this in the RAF Club then, if wanted. How about Quarles Harris as well?

Best

Axel

‟The Matrix of Two Names”?

I would have:

QH: 63, 70, 77, 80, 83, 85, 91, 94
SWC: 77, 80, 85, 94
GC: 77, 83, 85, 91, 94

If wanted I could send these in advance to ensure proper storing

Axel

AHB wrote:I have a slight preference for an 80s matrix.

Axel P wrote:for GC/SWC I would be in as well.

Alex - willingness for international travel trumps your mild preference for 80s matrix, so we will go down the GC-SW theme.

Axel - I think that's a great idea - the other obvious possibilty i suppose would have been Martinez. I will email you separately re: RAF and your bottles - many thanks.

First post updated.

Rob,

fix the date and I will book the club

Axel

I have no problem with the theme chosen. However, you will need to control the completists amongst us as they attempt to include every vintage from these shippers known to have been declared since 1690.

Perhaps you could follow the modest lead of the Matrix Tasting and limit the number of bottles (and therefore cost) to 2 more than the number of people attending.

I have GC77, GC91, QH77, QH97 (if we go that young), SW77, SW83, SW91 which I could offer as contributions toward the line-up.

I have available:

GC - '24, '66, '70, '75, '77, '83, '85 & '94
QH - '75, '77 & '97
SW - '20, '35, '47, '70, '77, '80, '85, '91, '94, & '97

I would prefer not to open the oldest ones if they can't be paired for comparison.

Tom

I don’t know if I can make it. Please have me down as ‟first reserve” (yes, before the main list is full), and also I’ll make placemats.

Rob,

I would like to attend please, although I would be unable to confirm for definite until my wife returns to work in early October as it would be contingent on her being able to get home for the kids in time. Something she will have to sort out once she is back at work. If that arrangement causes a problem, put me down as a reserve!

I will email you what I could contribute.

Phil W has asked me to post his wish to attend this offline.

AHB wrote:Phil W has asked me to post his wish to attend this offline.

Thanks Alex I would certainly like to attend. 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.

I would be interested in attending but I only have a 94 Quarles from memory so may need to buy in. I'll pm when I can check.

Hi there,

a good friend of mine (Enrico) would also like to attend. He was also present at the Sandeman tasting as well as the 1970 horicontal. Please let me know if this is possible.

regards

WS1

WS1 wrote:Hi there,

a good friend of mine (Enrico) would also like to attend. He was also present at the Sandeman tasting as well as the 1970 horicontal. Please let me know if this is possible.

regards

WS1

Absolutely - post updated