Old & Odd, New York, Friday 7th November 2008

[jdaw1]

New page, so a reminder of the state of play won’t hurt.

19:00 Friday 7th November 2008, Nick + Stef’s, 9 Penn Plaza at Madison Square Garden, 33rd Street and Eighth Avenue, NY 10121-0111.

By bottle:

1. 1873 Schofield (FF);
2. 1896 ‘Refreshed’ Garcia (AHB);
3. 1932 Butler Nephew (ED);
4. 1938 Hooper (JDAW, adopted by GEE);
5. 1942 Hooper (JDAW);
6. 1944 Hooper (JHG);
7. 1947 Barros (JDAW);
8. 1952 Barros (JDAW);
9. Vintage Character, Quinta do Infantado, bottled October 1996 (JDAW).

By person:

1. FF (1873 Schofield);
2. AHB (1896 ‘Refreshed’ Garcia);
3. ED (1932 Butler Nephew);
4. GEE (1938 Hooper);
5. JHG (1944 Hooper);
6. JDAW (1942 Hooper; 1947 Barros; also 1952 Barros; also Vintage Character, Quinta do Infantado, bottled October 1996);
7. DCP, guest of JDAW;
8. BS, guest of JDAW.

(And if needed I have another O&O to hand.)

Placemats, featuring a first use of very pointy stars.

Decanting:

• Vintage Character, Quinta do Infantado: 4 hours;
• Post-1900s: last moment at home;
• 1873 Schofield and 1896 ‘Refreshed’ Garcia: pop-and-pour in the restaurant.

Dress code: cufflinks, of course.

[SEAN C.]

Is there still room at this if I can make it down there?

[jdaw1]

If g-man expands the reservation, will you actually come?

[SEAN C.]

I'm working on getting a hotel now and I'll report back.

[g-man]

the reservation can be easily changed, hope to see you here.

[jdaw1]

Did the hotel work? What old and odd port will you be bringing?

[Alex Bridgeman]

I'm catching up on this thread just before I jump on the plane.

1) I don't enjoy tawnies as much as vintage port so I would (very much) prefer the Dow '80 as a rinse-mouche rather than the Taylor 20. However, I recognise that I am only one out of many and that America is a democracy. Incidentally, if you are a vintage port fan and have never tried the Dow '80 since it is from a vintage that is one with a poor reputation then I recommend that you change this...

2) Rather than try to decant at the restaurant, with all the problems that could cause, I propose to double-decant the 1896 just before I leave the hotel. I am no more than a 5 minute cab-ride from the restaurant, so I believe that this should work.

3) How are we organising the sequence of the event? Should we taste first and then eat and drink the remainder of the port or something else. (Note that the answer to this question might affect point 2 above.)

4) Sean - if you're coming down to NYC on your own and would like to share a room on Friday night, then let me know. I need to call you later today anyway.

Alex

[jdaw1]

1: Taste. 2: Eat and drink. 3: Drink.

[SEAN C.]

Guys please count me out ..I will unfortunately not be able to make it Friday.

[Glenn E.]

That's a bummer, Sean. Well hopefully I'll get to meet you some other time!

[SEAN C.]

Absolutely!
I'm especially unhappy because I just dug up some real oddball bottles from the '20's

[jdaw1]

It’s a shame. Would have been nice to see you in the big apple.

[SEAN C.]

Hopefully I'll be around for the next one!
My suggestion is an "Old and NOT Odd" event!

[jdaw1]

Sure, but my few old bottles really belong in a serious more-strictly-themed tasting probably a vertical. Aren’t you pleased that you saved your old Crofts for that fantastic vertical in Boston, rather than serving them with a random collection of other bottles?

[SEAN C.]

No doubt ..we must put together another epic vertical soon!

[jdaw1]

I will be in the UK the first week or so of February, and could bring back goodies. Maybe you want to start a new thread, proposing dates and themes?

[g-man]

I will be in the UK the first week or so of February, and could bring back goodies. Maybe you want to start a new thread, proposing dates and themes?

yes please do, some of us younglings would need to look out for bottles in upcoming auctions so a pre determined theme would be most appreciated.

[benread]

I will be in the UK the first week or so of February, and could bring back goodies. Maybe you want to start a new thread, proposing dates and themes?

Is this tying in with the 1970 Axel is proposing or do we need to discuss other opportunities to wear our new cufflinks?!

[jdaw1]

Problem. I have, for the first time, seen the Barros bottles (they went straight from auction to friend’s house). And, err, both back labels say that they were ‟bottled in 1995”. So colheita, not vintage port. Which rather throws a spanner in the works. What to do?
1. Nice port we can drink ’em.
2. I adopt extra bottles from somebody else?
3. Panic.
Preferences?

[g-man]

4. save the two barros for the nov 22nd colheita tasting? =P

at least we know for sure that 2 bottles will be drinking well.

[jdaw1]

Then we are short-bottled on Friday. Do you have adoptables?

[g-man]

Then we are short-bottled on Friday. Do you have adoptables?

unfortunately no ... I do not have any bottles available.

I do vote for the barros as old colheitas are both interesting and enjoyable to me.

[jfacciol]

I have nothing on hand that would qualify other than a 1952 Graham Malvedos crusted port.

[jdaw1]

Jay: do you object to including the two Barrii?

[Glenn E.]

Yum! Include the Colheitas!!!

Or let me adopt them and give them a good home here in Seattle!

[jfacciol]

Julian, I have no objection to incorporating the two Barros bottles if we can't find any more old and odd vintage ports.

[g-man]

New page, so a reminder of the state of play won’t hurt.

19:00 Friday 7th November 2008, Nick + Stef’s, 9 Penn Plaza at Madison Square Garden, 33rd Street and Eighth Avenue, NY 10121-0111.

By bottle:

1. 1873 Schofield (FF);
2. 1896 ‘Refreshed’ Garcia (AHB);
3. 1932 Butler Nephew (ED);
4. 1938 Hooper (JDAW, adopted by GEE);
5. 1942 Hooper (JDAW);
6. 1944 Hooper (JHG);
7. 1947 Barros (JDAW);
8. 1952 Barros (JDAW);
9. Vintage Character, Quinta do Infantado, bottled October 1996 (JDAW).

By person:

1. FF (1873 Schofield);
2. AHB (1896 ‘Refreshed’ Garcia);
3. ED (1932 Butler Nephew);
4. GEE (1938 Hooper);
5. JHG (1944 Hooper);
6. JDAW (1942 Hooper; 1947 Barros; also 1952 Barros; also Vintage Character, Quinta do Infantado, bottled October 1996);
7. DCP, guest of JDAW;
8. BS, guest of JDAW.

(And if needed I have another O&O to hand.)

Placemats, featuring a first use of very pointy stars.

Decanting:

• Vintage Character, Quinta do Infantado: 4 hours;
• Post-1900s: last moment at home;
• 1873 Schofield and 1896 ‘Refreshed’ Garcia: pop-and-pour in the restaurant.

Dress code: cufflinks, of course.

I look forward to seeing everyone on friday.

[jdaw1]

Same decanting time? Surely not.

[Glenn E.]

The Colheitas should not need any real amount of decanting. Pop-n-pour at the restaurant, or decanting at home/hotel right before going to the restaurant should be fine IMHO.

[JohninNYC]

Sorry I have to pass on Nov 7. By the time I can get there after teaching my class (10PM ish) it would make more sense for me to come to the next one that is going on Sat Nov 22.

Cheers!

[g-man]

The reservations will be under Jeff for 8 at 7:00pm.

I'll be there around 6:30-6:45.

See you all tonight.

The hooper 44 is also a colheita bottled in 88.

[jdaw1]

And the label of the Garcia 1896 says ‟Choice Tawny Wine”.

Placemats printed yesterday, so won’t change them.

[jdaw1]

Links:

• Review of the evening as a whole;
• Planning and arrangements;
• Placemats;
• Tasting notes:
  • 1873 Schofield;
  • 1896 Elviro Garcia ‘Refreshed’ tawny;
  • 1932 Butler Nephew;
  • 1938 Hooper;
  • 1942 Hooper;
  • 1944 Hooper colheita;
  • 1947 Barros colheita;
  • 1952 Barros colheita;
  • Infantado Vintage Character, bottled October 1996.