Mon 16 January 2012, The Bunghole

[jdaw1]

Agreed plans.

When: from 18:30 on Monday 16th January 2012.

Location: The Bunghole, 57 High Holborn, London WC1V 6DT, tel 020 7831 8365.

Who:
1. JDAW;
2. AHB;
3. RAYC;
4. WS;
5. DRT;
6. CMAG;
7. BMHR.

Who has what?

• DRT: “I have Croft 1966, 1975 and 2000. I would prefer not to use the 1966 if others have ample supply.”
• RAYC: “For Croft, I have 63 (£55) and 66 (£40 i think) and 82 (£35) Croft available. … I only have one roeda 67, so I'm tempted to withold thaat for a completist or niche event.”
• WS: I have plenty of Croft 1982 (20£) and also picked up some 09 Croft the other day . I think both should be included. On the other hand I have only 1 bt of Croft 1960 and would like to keep it for now. Croft 1970 or 1966 can easily come from me”
• AHB: “I have little Croft readily available. I could offer bottles from 2005 (LBV), 2004 (LBV in halves), 1991, 1967 (Roeda) or 1963. I have other vintages either older or in full case lots in bond.”
• JDAW: “Inconveniently in Sussex I have one bottle of each of 1963 and 1927.”

Vintages available (pink is a preference to withhold, and semi-pink meaning only one):

• 1927 (JDAW);
• 1960 (WS);
• 1963 (RAYC AHB JDAW);
• 1966 (WS RAYC DRT);
• 1967 Roeda (AHB RAYC);
• 1970 (WS CMAG-magnum);
• 1975 (DRT);
• 1982 (WS RAYC);
• 1991 (AHB);
• 2000 (DRT CMAG);
• 2009 (WS).

[jdaw1]

Would any folks need VP in early January 2012?

Candidate dates include Tue 03 Jan, Wed 04 Jan, Mon 09 Jan, Tue 10 Jan, Wed 11 Jan. Preferences?

Venue: perhaps we could test The Bunghole? (Of 57 High Holborn, London WC1V 6DT, tel 020 7831 8365.) Objections?

Theme: how about ‘vintage port, ordinary but nice’?

[DRT]

"PRIVATE DINING ROOM / OFFICE SEATING 5/20" might be worth investigating.

I won't know if I will be in London in early Jan until early Jan. Please go ahead and I will join in if I can.

[jdaw1]

I won't know if I will be in London in early Jan until early Jan.

If there are any dates that are definitely out, say so.

Worthy of mention is the Bunghole of 57 High Holborn WC1V 6DX (☎ +44 20 7831 8365), which has two private rooms (which can seat 4, and 8-10), and, as a backup, the out-of-the-way table 6 around which six could sit. The deputy manageress, Stephanie, seems very helpful.

[DRT]

I won't know if I will be in London in early Jan until early Jan.

If there are any dates that are definitely out, say so.

No dates are impossible at the moment.

[benread]

No certainty I will be able to make 9th, 10th or 11th but more certain I would not make week before. If 9th, 10th or 11th I will do my best. Just been told mother-in-law here then which assists my case!

Sent from my BlackBerry 9900 using Tapatalk

[RAYC]

I return to London for good on 3 Jan and by working weekends/late nights if necessary can generally free myself up for any night.

Here AHB expressed some enthusiasm for a 9th or 10th Jan tasting

[RAYC]

Venue: perhaps we could test The Bunghole? (Of 57 High Holborn, London WC1V 6DT, tel 020 7831 8365.) Objections?

No objections from me. Presumably you are keen for the same reason i like Steak Exchange and DRT likes TCP...?!

[RAYC]

Theme: how about ‘vintage port, ordinary but nice’?

Or a mini-theme. If we could stay non-completist, we could for instance put some bottles together for a little Offley or Croft/Roeda line-up? Or a mini 85 horizontal?

For Croft, I have 63 (£55) and 66 (£40 i think) and 82 (£35) Croft available. Axel speaks great things of the 75 Croft, which i have not tried. That and both the 70 and 77 could be relatively easily acquired if no one has stocks, making a good 6 bottle line-up if there's just a few of us.

Depending on numbers interested, we would perhaps avoid the 85, but i do have have a 67 Roeda (£65) and i'm sure i've heard either Ben or DRT say at a tasting that they have a small stock of the 80 and 83 Roeda. The 87 Roeda would make a nice addition too if anyone has that, and even the 60 Croft is not too expensive.

Plus if we still look like we might be light on port, would be nice to add in something like the 03 which gets rather good ratings.

For 85 i could supply Fonseca, Gould, Churchill, Dow

Thoughts?

[jdaw1]

I have a better theme: “Bottles Provided By RAYC, Costs To be Split”.

Objections?

[RAYC]

I have a better theme: “Bottles Provided By RAYC, Costs To be Split”.

Objections?

Yes - others (including you) have much better cellars!! I'm just suggesting mini-themes that i could contribute to... i am happy to adopt from others if something else is preferred!

[jdaw1]

Others also have cellars. And over time this theme could be replayed with obvious variations.

But would it work for you in early Jan?

[AHB]

I have to be in London on both Mondays 9th and 16th January.

I am happy to have a glass of port with fellow port lovers, whether in the bunghole or the crusting pipe, on either or both of those days.

My preferred theme would be an informal "bring a bottle to share" with a mild preference for serving blind but able to be persuaded for the event to be sighted and declared in advance.

Or, as an alternative theme, how about "Port for a Jubilee" with bottles being linked to a jubilee in some way? A little like a tasting a few years ago when we had bottles from the 7 Day War, The Falklands Campaign and Desert Storm under the general heading of "Port from the War Years".

[RAYC]

Others also have cellars. And over time this theme could be replayed with obvious variations.

But would it work for you in early Jan?

This would obviously be possible, but my vote would still be to see whether those attending could put together some bottles from their collective cellars for a mini-theme.

The only "mini-themes" i could build exclusively from my cellar are a Niepoort vertical and an 82 horizontal...

If there is no mini-theme but people would nevertheless like to adopt, i can of course do that. But since the bulk of my buying has been retail rather than auction (and over the last two years rather than when port was much cheaper), my prices are not particularly competitive.

[RAYC]

My preferred theme would be an informal "bring a bottle to share" with a mild preference for serving blind but able to be persuaded for the event to be sighted and declared in advance.

ok - fine - i have absolutely no quarrel with this. If the usual suspects (and maybe a couple of new people...) are drinking port together and eating steak/roast nut cutlet, i will be happy.

Or, as an alternative theme, how about "Port for a Jubilee" with bottles being linked to a jubilee in some way? A little like a tasting a few years ago when we had bottles from the 7 Day War, The Falklands Campaign and Desert Storm under the general heading of "Port from the War Years".

Deal - you bring a Sandeman 1935, I'll bring Niepoort 1992, someone else can bring another corked Dow 77!

[DRT]

Or, as an alternative theme, how about "Port for a Jubilee" with bottles being linked to a jubilee in some way? A little like a tasting a few years ago when we had bottles from the 7 Day War, The Falklands Campaign and Desert Storm under the general heading of "Port from the War Years".

Deal - you bring a Sandeman 1935, I'll bring Niepoort 1992, someone else can bring another corked Dow 77!

I can't attend but am happy to contribute 8 bottles to commemorate the end of the Argentinian Dirty War in 1983.

[jdaw1]

Worthy of mention is the Bunghole of 57 High Holborn WC1V 6DX (☎ +44 20 7831 8365), which has two private rooms (which can seat 4, and 8-10), and, as a backup, the out-of-the-way table 6 around which six could sit. The deputy manageress, Stephanie, seems very helpful.

Stephanie no longer works at the Bunghole. But tonight’s on-duty manager, Ben, seemed friendly and competent.

I have to be in London on both Mondays 9th and 16th January.

The Bunghole can accommodate us on either Monday. But the 9th is also the monthly quiz night — the word ‘noisy’ being used several times. The diary page for the 16th was blank — a better date for this venue.

So if the 9th, a different venue. If the 16th, the Bunghole. Both?

[WS1]

Hi,
also interested in getting together in January. Since it looks like DrDirk is in London over New years Eve I can also see getting together on the 3rd of January could work. DrDirk needs to confirm.
It is unlikely that i will join you on the 9th since I have two Burgundy 2010 cask sample tastings that day and as far as I remember there will be further Burgundy 2010 tastings in this week. Potentially can join you the 16th of January.
With regards to themes doing Croft is easy, I think I have 60, 63, 66, 70, 75, 77 and 80 somewhere lying round. Personally I would be interested to do something mini vertical 1977ish to see what is what. Otherwise we can go back tasting some more 1970s

regards

WS1

[jdaw1]

I have to be in London on both Mondays 9th and 16th January.

Potentially can join you the 16th of January.

If the 16th, the Bunghole.

Any objections to the Bunghole on Monday 16th January 2012, with a Croft theme?

[DrDirk]

Hi,

I will be in London on the 3rd of january and would be happy for some port.

Dirk

[jdaw1]

This is looking like two events, almost two weeks apart. Who else can make 3rd Jan?

[RAYC]

I am up for 3rd and 16th.

3rd I am happy for whAtever Dr Dirk would like - but more than happy for 77 horizontal of which I have only 4 btls in my cellar (all available): T77, F77, M77, GC77

[RAYC]

I do also have a 5th BBR77 potentially available but only if WS1 and I agree first

[jdaw1]

M77

Mg77, Morgan? Or Ms77, Messias? But ’77 horizontal a good plan.

[RAYC]

Discussion of 3rd Jan tasting continued in new thread here