Tue 25 June 2019 - 2017 Vintage Ports

[Alex Bridgeman]

UPDATE 25 April 2019
A date has been set, we will convene on 25th June 2019 to taste, discuss and debate as many 2017 Vintage Ports as producers are willing to provide. If you would like to attend, please let me know. Attendance requires you to post some tasting notes and thoughts on each of the wines you taste. The only reason producers are willing to provide us with tasting samples is to enable us to share our thoughts and impressions with the wine consumers who will be buying these wines.

Attending:

1. AHB
2. TC
3. MPM
4. CPR
5. DRL
6. JDAW
7. Rich_n
8. WS1
9. DG
10. IDJ
11. Nick A

Draft of the sticky labels and TN pages, entailing some additions to the list of Port House abbreviations.

ORIGINAL POST
People,

Last year we had the opportunity to taste a number of 2016 Vintage Ports. At the time we discussed that it would be rather nice if we arranged a similar but larger opportunity to taste a range of 2017 Vintage Ports in the second half of this year.

I'm happy to (help Tony) organise this, but would like some thoughts from the team on preferred dates. From the list I put out to help DRT arrange the 1966 horizontal it looks like the potential dates are:
w/c 15 Jul
w/c 22 Jul
w/c 29 Jul
w/c 9 Sep
w/c 7 Oct (but DRT not available on the Tuesday)
w/c 14 Oct (PW not available on the Tuesday)
w/c 11 Nov

Initial offerings from the bigger houses tend to be issued for orders to be placed before the end of July but the smaller houses and independents tend to be focused slightly later in the year. On balance, and to get as large a selection of final blends as we can, I would prefer w/c 9 Sep.

Any thoughts on
(a) do we do this — is there enough interest from the team?
(b) if we do it, does w/c 9 Sep work for those interested?

Thanks all.

[forest26]

I was thinking about this very topic over the weekend.

We should do this! I am happy to organise (with help).

Last year was a little last minute / ad-hoc. With a little more foresight we can have a greater range of shippers.

w/c 9 September works best on lots of levels.

[PhilW]

On balance, and to get as large a selection of final blends as we can, I would prefer w/c 9 Sep.

Any thoughts on
(a) do we do this — is there enough interest from the team?
(b) if we do it, does w/c 9 Sep work for those interested?

I think you may have forgotten that DRT has fixed the '66s for Sep 10.

[Doggett]

Wonderful idea.
W/c 11 Nov would be my vote. Would give us plenty of time to source the bottles and have them delivered to the B&F.

[flash_uk]

Great idea. Could do any of those weeks but not later in the week of 22 July.

[DaveRL]

Good idea. I enjoyed the 2016. Most of those dates are OK for me.

[Alex Bridgeman]

On balance, and to get as large a selection of final blends as we can, I would prefer w/c 9 Sep.

Any thoughts on
(a) do we do this — is there enough interest from the team?
(b) if we do it, does w/c 9 Sep work for those interested?

I think you may have forgotten that DRT has fixed the '66s for Sep 10.

Poo. I missed that one.

We could still go with the same week, and I like early September as it gives us the chance to invite a few people from the press who might want the chance to taste a wide range of 2017 Vintage Ports, although if Decanter do a tasting for an article, their tasting is likely to be in the summer.

Let me give it some thought...

[DRT]

A reminder for the organisers - Spring means cask samples, Autumn means finished wines that have been released to retail. These have different acquisition and logistical challenges.

[Glenn E.]

14 October is Columbus Day in the US, which my company oddly grants as a holiday. I might possibly be able to attend on that day, then fly home on Tuesday and only miss 1 day of work.

I will keep an eye on this thread and start looking into flights if things work out.

[Alex Bridgeman]

14 October is Columbus Day in the US, which my company oddly grants as a holiday. I might possibly be able to attend on that day, then fly home on Tuesday and only miss 1 day of work.

I will keep an eye on this thread and start looking into flights if things work out.

That gives me a real conflict. Talking to a couple of wine writers who have articles regularly published in Decanter and World of Fine Wine, they said that if we arranged a tasting in late May to late June and they were able to attend, the timing would feed perfectly into an October published article dealing with the new Vintage of Port arriving on the UK market in the winter. They were very excited about the idea as they believe we would be much more likely to get a good range of Ports from the smaller producers than a Decanter tasting.

But having Glenn in the UK would be a very good reason to arrange a tasting in October... What to do, what to do?

[jdaw1]

What to do, what to do?

Is “Both” ever the wrong answer?

[Glenn E.]

What to do, what to do?

Is “Both” ever the wrong answer?

He's not wrong, you know.

[forest26]

I am away for most of May so cannot 'support' a May date - probably too early in the cycle to accumulate samples. June could work quite well... it would inform buying decisions / press etc. so the shippers will be more inclined to support.

[Christopher]

I agree June makes the most sense as like to use this to decide what I buy.

[idj123]

I’d be happy with a June date but will go with the flow.

[jdaw1]

There would be advantages in imposing a particular rule on attendees. Attendees must post tasting notes within a week of the tasting. those not willing to commit to doing that may not attend.

[CPR 1]

I like the June suggestion if this works, as like CMAG it would be good to try before I buy

[Glenn E.]

"A June date" is too nebulous to research flights. Please be more specific, quickly.

[Alex Bridgeman]

"A June date" is too nebulous to research flights. Please be more specific, quickly.

Tell me your preference and we’ll try to work around you.

[Glenn E.]

"A June date" is too nebulous to research flights. Please be more specific, quickly.

Tell me your preference and we’ll try to work around you.

It doesn't look like June is feasible for me. Carry on. I'll hope that a 14 October version also comes into being soon enough for me to arrange tickets, which gives you a couple of months to plan.

[forest26]

Samples should be with me around first week of June. We have the 1994 mini on 11 June - can I suggest Tuesday 25th June?

[flash_uk]

25th June works OK for me.

[CPR 1]

Samples should be with me around first week of June. We have the 1994 mini on 11 June - can I suggest Tuesday 25th June?

Sounds good to me

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[Alex Bridgeman]

I have updated the first post

[Doggett]

Could I please be added to the list for now. Will be able to confirm availability in the next month.