2014 pre-Harvest Tour tasting, London, 9/23

[flash_uk]

A shame that TBH is not available. Are we likely to be required to pay corkage at another venue? How about Davy’s at Woolgate Bar and Brasserie...has the same steak menu as TBH, near to 3 tube stations and seems to have private dining for 10.

[DRT]

How about Davy’s at Woolgate Bar and Brasserie

A mere 100 yards from my office

[flash_uk]

How about Davy’s at Woolgate Bar and Brasserie

A mere 100 yards from my office

Presumably you have happened to attend the venue on occasion? Would it suit our purposes?

[DRT]

I have only been there once and did not assess its suitability as a tasting venue.

I am happy to wander over sometime this week to speak to them and take a look at the room.

Will report back soon.

[PhilW]

I have only been there once and did not assess its suitability as a tasting venue.
I am happy to wander over sometime this week to speak to them and take a look at the room.
Will report back soon.

Thanks Derek, that would be helpful; if it looks decent, I'll respond back to Carly and find out whether they have enough glasses (likely since they do wine courses there) and whether they have room for us that night - unless you ask while you're there and pre-book us if it's available and let us know? Cheers.

[Glenn E.]

A shame that TBH is not available. Are we likely to be required to pay corkage at another venue? How about Davy’s at Woolgate Bar and Brasserie...has the same steak menu as TBH, near to 3 tube stations and seems to have private dining for 10.

Looks good to me. Probably about 1.5 km from my hotel, but an easy cab ride. Probably not worth taking the tube as it appears you'd have to walk 1/3 of the way back to get an appropriate station.

Could TBH not intervene on our behalf since our reservation there is falling through?

[Glenn E.]

How about Davy’s at Woolgate Bar and Brasserie

A mere 100 yards from my office

When I worked at Mobliss in the Smith Tower in Seattle, we referred to the bar halfway down the block as "Conference Room C."

[Glenn E.]

I plan to bring a bottle of Smith Woodhouse 77

Splendid, I add it to the list.

[PhilW]

Placemats draft attached, pending updates for:
1. Location
2. RAYC's bottle id
3. DJ confirming if/not attending

ok... The draft would have been attached, except that "the extension pdf is not allowed" when adding an attachment to a post... admin??!!

[DRT]

PDF's are not allowed due to the size of the files. Normal practice is to host the file somewhere else on the web and post a link on

As this is a placemat JDAW will no doubt offer assistance.

[PhilW]

PDF's are not allowed due to the size of the files. Normal practice is to host the file somewhere else on the web and post a link on

Thanks Derek; Julian said much the same by PM. I'll post it to my website and link then.

[PhilW]

Placemats draft here, pending updates for:
1. Location
2. RAYC's bottle id
3. DJ confirming if/not attending

[flash_uk]

One little wrinkle in the placemats - you have the circle text for the TV69 and G66 transposed

[PhilW]

One little wrinkle in the placemats - you have the circle text for the TV69 and G66 transposed

Thank you - well spotted; I also couldn't remember your initials, so just put "Flash"

[flash_uk]

I have now purchased a bottle of F85 from BBR. Flash_uk has volunteered to pick it up and bring it already decanted to the tasting.

F85 has been collected and is now standing to attention awaiting decant at the appropriate time in advance

[jdaw1]

I also couldn't remember your initials, so just put "Flash"

MPM

[AW77]

I have now purchased a bottle of F85 from BBR. Flash_uk has volunteered to pick it up and bring it already decanted to the tasting.

F85 has been collected and is now standing to attention awaiting decant at the appropriate time in advance

Great. Thanks a lot. Just decant it for as long as you think fit. You're the expert on F85.

[djewesbury]

Flight booked!!

What am I bringing?

[Glenn E.]

Flight booked!!

What am I bringing?

Excellent!

We currently have a white, 5 VPs, a Garrafeira, and a Colheita. Also one unclear 1964, likely a VP or Colheita.

What would you like to bring? It's such a difficult theme.

[Alex Bridgeman]

Flight booked!!

What am I bringing?

Bring an 1864 so that you can compare the 1964 and the 1864 side by side and see what difference 100 years makes to a Port.

Or failing that, decide whether you'd prefer "too much brown sticky stuff" or a bottle of proper red port.

[djewesbury]

Flight booked!!

What am I bringing?

Bring an 1864 so that you can compare the 1964 and the 1864 side by side and see what difference 100 years makes to a Port.

Or failing that, decide whether you'd prefer "too much brown sticky stuff" or a bottle of proper red port.

Tart. Very tart.

[djewesbury]

Flight booked!!

What am I bringing?

Excellent!

We currently have a white, 5 VPs, a Garrafeira, and a Colheita. Also one unclear 1964, likely a VP or Colheita.

What would you like to bring? It's such a difficult theme.

I can see a very obvious omission here. We need a Graham 85.

[Alex Bridgeman]

Flight booked!!

What am I bringing?

Excellent!

We currently have a white, 5 VPs, a Garrafeira, and a Colheita. Also one unclear 1964, likely a VP or Colheita.

What would you like to bring? It's such a difficult theme.

I can see a very obvious omission here. We need a Graham Taylor 85.

[Glenn E.]

Flight booked!!

What am I bringing?

Excellent!

We currently have a white, 5 VPs, a Garrafeira, and a Colheita. Also one unclear 1964, likely a VP or Colheita.

What would you like to bring? It's such a difficult theme.

I can see a very obvious omission here. We need a Graham Taylor 85.

We already have a Fonseca and a Taylor. I think Daniel may be on to something.

In that case, though, hopefully RAYC was thinking of the 1964 Taylor Colheita and not the 1964 Taylor Vargellas VP. Two bottles of the brown sticky stuff does not seem like "too much" if there are 6 bottles of VP and 1 bottle of white.

[djewesbury]

OK, a G85 will be with us on the night, but I will only be arriving in the afternoon - can I send this to someone who might be able to decant in the morning? Mike? Ian?

[flash_uk]

OK, a G85 will be with us on the night, but I will only be arriving in the afternoon - can I send this to someone who might be able to decant in the morning? Mike? Ian?

Sure no problem. Are you shipping it from Belfast or buying online?

[djewesbury]

OK, a G85 will be with us on the night, but I will only be arriving in the afternoon - can I send this to someone who might be able to decant in the morning? Mike? Ian?

Sure no problem. Are you shipping it from Belfast or buying online?

Buying online from Roberson's in Kensington - do you want to PM yer address and I'll have it sent straight to you.

[Glenn E.]

First post updated. Looks like a grand time!

[PhilW]

I have only been there once and did not assess its suitability as a tasting venue.
I am happy to wander over sometime this week to speak to them and take a look at the room.
Will report back soon.

Derek - have you been able to drop by?

[DRT]

Sorry, not yet. I have a relatively empty diary tomorrow so will try to pop over.

[DRT]

Having seriously considered the implications for all of four minutes I have placed an appointment in my diary entitled "Lunch at Davy's" for tomorrow. Full review of accommodation, service, food, gymnastic potential and general aesthetic merits to follow...

[AW77]

Having seriously considered the implications for all of four minutes I have placed an appointment in my diary entitled "Lunch at Davy's" for tomorrow. Full review of accommodation, service, food, gymnastic potential and general aesthetic merits to follow...

Thank you. Will you go undercover (floppy hat, large, dark sunglasses, newspaper with two peepholes in it) on your recon mission?

[DRT]

Having seriously considered the implications for all of four minutes I have placed an appointment in my diary entitled "Lunch at Davy's" for tomorrow. Full review of accommodation, service, food, gymnastic potential and general aesthetic merits to follow...

Thank you. Will you go undercover (floppy hat, large, dark sunglasses, newspaper with two peepholes in it) on your recon mission?

I might even disguise myself as a Chef to explore the inner sanctum

[DRT]

I visited Davy's Woolgate Exchange today and spoke to the manager, Simon.

They are very happy to host us and appear to have all the facilities we require. There are small booth style tables in the main restaurant that seat four people, a larger booth that would seat six, a Boardroom that would seat ten and a large basement room that would easily take two tables of 14, so could perhaps have a drinking table and an eating table for a large tasting.

I did not eat there today but had a look at the menu. Normal Davy's fayre with an emphasis on dead cows.

A booking of the very large room normally attracts a £500 minimum spend, which Simon agreed to wave on the basis that we eat a two or three course meal and are regular Davy's customers.

The restaurant is very clean, spacious and all rooms have air conditioning that can be controlled separately. There is background music. This can be turned down or off in the Boardroom or large basement room but not in the main restaurant.

There seemed to be lots of staff, all of whom appeared to be friendly and helpful. Julian, the answer to your question is yes.

I made a provisional booking for the Boardroom for this tasting in Phil's name. Phil, can you please call Simon and either cancel or confirm that booking?

Finally, Simon's father is a Port fan and works in the City. He is going to pass our details on and suspects we will see his father here or at a tasting.

[flash_uk]

Excellent recce Derek - many thanks. Seems like a winner. And of course, we can all now ponder what question Julian asked - I have an inkling...

[Glenn E.]

Splendid, thank you for the most excellent recon Derek. This sounds like the perfect replacement for TBH for this tasting.

Since we are 9 the Boardroom is probably sufficient, though the larger basement room is appealing for the reasons Derek mentioned. I will certainly eat a 2 or 3 course meal if others would like to move to the basement in order to have more room and a separate table for eating. I know that when we do the ACPT tastings in New York, having room for the food on our Port tasting table is always an issue. Silly restaurants, always wanting to take up Port glasses space with plates and utensils and the like. Is there a circle for a dinner plate on my placemat? No? Then where do you propose we place this extraneous dinner plate? But I digress.

Yes. Dead cow is good. Davy's Woolgate Exchange sounds great.

[PhilW]

I made a provisional booking for the Boardroom for this tasting in Phil's name. Phil, can you please call Simon and either cancel or confirm that booking?

Thanks for checking it out for us Derek, this all sounds excellent. I just called, but did not get an answer (they must be busy) but will try again later/tomorrow and confirm the booking (have guests arriving with us imminently). Cheers - Phil.

[jdaw1]

Julian, the answer to your question is yes.

As I was reading, I was thinking, “should I report that?” Done.

[AW77]

Since we are 9 the Boardroom is probably sufficient, though the larger basement room is appealing for the reasons Derek mentioned. I will certainly eat a 2 or 3 course meal if others would like to move to the basement in order to have more room and a separate table for eating.

I will eat at least a 2 course meal, so it would be ok for me to move to the bigger room. But the smaller one would be ok for me, too.

[DRT]

To give some perspective, the "bigger room" is approximately four or five times the floor area of the room we normally occupy at THB.

[PhilW]

I think the boardroom would be fine for us on this occasion, as per the provisional booking you have made. The larger room sounds like it could be ideal for our larger tastings though, when there are 14 or so of us (e.g. Mz vertical, currently booked at TBH in November). Let us see how it goes at Woolgate on the 23rd first.

Davy's t Woolgate place sounds like it could be a good alternative venue, the answer to Julian's question being a well-received bonus. I did assume that the offer was to waive the fee, vs to wave it in our faces if we wanted to book The only thing you haven't mentioned is glassware, which I imagine will be fine but I will check when I call Simon today to confirm. Thanks again for doing the recce Derek

[djewesbury]

Excellent recce Derek - many thanks. Seems like a winner. And of course, we can all now ponder what question Julian asked - I have an inkling...

Please get it seen to and don't inkle all over the place on the 23rd. We want to be asked back. For Julian's sake. His aesthetic survey is nowhere near complete.

[PhilW]

The only thing you haven't mentioned is glassware, which I imagine will be fine but I will check when I call Simon today to confirm. Thanks again for doing the recce Derek

Booking confirmed, and they now have my contact details against it. Glasses no problem, and I have currently asked for 120 (9 people, 10-12 bottles plus spares).

[DRT]

I did discuss glasses with Simon and he was aware of our needs. He has often supplied glasses to TBH for some group of nutters who seem to need hundreds of them on a regular basis.

[flash_uk]

He has often supplied glasses to TBH for some group of nutters who seem to need hundreds of them on a regular basis.

[djewesbury]

Thanks to Mrs Flash for receiving delivery of my G85 today. May the circle be unbroken!

[flash_uk]

Thanks to Mrs Flash for receiving delivery of my G85 today. May the circle be unbroken!

Yeah she got a bit of a shock! Mrs Flash was in the back garden. Flash junior, aged 4, wanders out, "Mummy the doorbell went, so I opened the front door." Mrs Flash rushes to the front door to find a slightly confused courier chap waiting

[djewesbury]

Thanks to Mrs Flash for receiving delivery of my G85 today. May the circle be unbroken!

Yeah she got a bit of a shock! Mrs Flash was in the back garden. Flash junior, aged 4, wanders out, "Mummy the doorbell went, so I opened the front door." Mrs Flash rushes to the front door to find a slightly confused courier chap waiting

Excellent! The whole Family Flash enjoying the goodness of G85 - and Stefan the courier wondering what was going on. I think they should all be invited to the tasting!

[flash_uk]

Excellent! The whole Family Flash enjoying the goodness of G85

That would be true, were it not that Roberson have packaged and shipped a Warre 85...

[djewesbury]

Excellent! The whole Family Flash enjoying the goodness of G85

That would be true, were it not that Roberson have packaged and shipped a Warre 85...

What?? Really???