Monday 8th November

[Alex Bridgeman]

Oscar Quevedo, a good friend of the forum, will be London on the evening of Monday 8th November. Is any interested and available for an offline at The Crusting Pipe to make sure Oscar feels welcome?

[Deleted_User_1]

Count me in...any particular theme?

[RAYC]

I will certainly be around - I actually tried to visit Oscar's winery when I cycled through S. Jaoa da Pesquiera over the summer - unfortunately my investigations were cut short and i was chased off by a pack of rather unruly dogs who did not like the look of my bike!

[Deleted_User_1]

I will certainly be around - I actually tried to visit Oscar's winery when I cycled through S. Jaoa da Pesquiera over the summer - unfortunately my investigations were cut short and i was chased off by a pack of rather unruly dogs who did not like the look of my bike!

You found the right place then!!

[benread]

I would love to but my attendance will be very much a last minute affair, dependent on child number 2! I shall put in my diary just in case!

[JacobH]

I’d certainly be keen, as would Caroline. Since Oscar, very generously, gave us a completely blind tasting at his winery where I managed to get everything horribly wrong (down to the 1992 colheita being a 1970 vintage port), I think it would only be fair to return the favour and have a ‟bring a bottle wrapped in tin-foil” theme

[Chris Doty]

In!

[KillerB]

I'll go down as a maybe

[Alex Bridgeman]

Unfortunately, I have a prior family commitment that means that I will not be able to make it along on the 8th. Is anyone else who is able to definitely be there able to take over the organising of Oscar's evening?

[Chris Doty]

I'm afraid I am also no longer able to make this event.

[RAYC]

I will certainly be around and can take care of the admin side (though JDAW may receive a panicked email the preceding weekend if his software turns out to be more complicated than he intimated at the 55 tasting).

Current attendees:

Oscar
Cookie
Jacob H + Caroline
RAYC
Ben Read (possibly)
KillerB (maybe)
angeleyes (potentially)
WS1 (perchance)

Theme:

We'll go with Jacob's "bring a bottle of something suitable wrapped in tin foil", giving UK participants a 1-point head start on Oscar in the blind tasting.

**Location**

Crusting Pipe

As this ties in nicely with my birthday, I will open a second bottle of something nice (which I had been looking for an excuse to open) to cover Oscar (this also gives me a much-needed two-point head start, assuming i can distinguish between the two). Scoring t.b.c., but I'd imagine points for house/vintage with a deduction if you are more than a decade out on the guess.

[angeleyes]

Another maybe from me.

[jdaw1]

Rob: if you’re making the placemats (starting from the box Making Your First Placemat: Advice for Beginners), don’t save the task until the last moment.

And if you want me to make, also, please, don’t save the request until the last moment.

[WS1]

please also put me down as a maybe

regards

WS1

[RAYC]

first draft of placemats http://www.keepandshare.com/doc/2335284 ... 3-meg?da=y

Much though i like flowers and stars, I'm happy to admit these are a slight assualt to the eyes so constructive criticism is welcomed.

More importantly: do we want to reserve a particular area at the Crusted Pipe? (as i recall, I asked for a tunnel on reservation)

Cheers

Rob

[jdaw1: a list of minor questions might come your way over the weekend...]

[JacobH]

If the "possibles" remain only "possible", we are only 5 so could probably ask for the Board Room rather than a tunnel...

[jdaw1]

Questions answered by email, with no shortage of constructive criticism.

[benread]

Wifely permission has been obtained. I will be there if 'baby brother' doesn't come first!

[RAYC]

Questions answered by email, with no shortage of constructive criticism.

I am reminded of that memorable scene in True Blue, where amidst the thunder and lashing rain and with scant regard to the obvious distress of his struggling rowers, Dan Toplski issues his spirit-crushing verdict: "back to the start, do it again".

[jdaw1]

Not fair. You get to modify the file you have made, not to start again.

[WS1]

Questions answered by email, with no shortage of constructive criticism.

I am reminded of that memorable scene in True Blue, where amidst the thunder and lashing rain and with scant regard to the obvious distress of his struggling rowers, Dan Toplski issues his spirit-crushing verdict: "back to the start, do it again".

As a Chelsea fan I do not see anything wrong here; keep the blue flag flying high!

regards
WS1

[benread]

Wifely permission has been obtained. I will be there if 'baby brother' doesn't come first!

"Baby brother" is now booked in for a 14th November arrival....

[Axel P]

How about the theme "young german rieslings in magnum bottles". I am sure that Oscar has some in his cellar

Axel

[uncle tom]

Just realised I havn't signed up..

..count me in!

Tom

[Deleted_User_1]

Wifely permission has been obtained. I will be there if 'baby brother' doesn't come first!

"Baby brother" is now booked in for a 14th November arrival....

In which case he will share a birthday with Prince Charles...and an old wedding anniversary of Princess Ann and Mark Phillips...full of useless information like that

[JacobH]

Do we need to switch to a tunnel if there are 7 of us?

[Alex Bridgeman]

7 is too many for the Board Room - a tunnel would be better.

[WS1]

Hi there,

after checking my diary I think I should be able to make it. (so maybe becomes definte )

regards

WS1

[RAYC]

This is good news - tunnel is confirmed and we now have:

7 confirmations
-Oscar (I am assuming Oscar has confirmed to AHB, but if you are reading...please confirm!)
-Cookie
-Jacob H
-Caroline
-RAYC
-Uncle Tom
-WS1

1 probable (subject to delivery)
-Ben Read

2 possibles (Crusting Pipe were relatively relaxed about numbers, but would be good to get them a "best indication" on Friday)
-KillerB
-angeleyes

For the purposes of the placemats, please may I confirm surname initials for Caroline ("R"?) and Mark (a.k.a. angeleyes).

I will aim to be there from 6.00 on Monday

Cheers

Rob

[jdaw1]

Rob: you are making the placemats. Will you also be printing them?

[RAYC]

Yes - I had proposed to.

If someone was planning to arrive earlier than 6.00 and has a printer that will do the job, though, it may make sense for them to print (and get started with the set-up). If that is the case, let me know and I will email the .pdf over the weekend.

[JacobH]

For the purposes of the placemats, please may I confirm surname initials for Caroline ("R"?) and Chris (a.k.a. angeleyes).

CHR (for Caroline).

[oscar quevedo]

See you all on Monday! Everything blind tasting, right?

Are 2010 Ports allowed?

Oscar

[benread]

See you all on Monday! Everything blind tasting, right?

Are 2010 Ports allowed?

Oscar

Oscar,

The only rule that has been introduced over and above the obvious (this is The Port Forum) is:

• "bring a bottle of something suitable wrapped in tin foil"

Provided the 2010 is sufficiently far advanced to be recognisable as Port, and wrapped in tin foil (which The Crusting Pipe can always provide) I would suggest it is allowed!

It would of course also be analysed with much interest by the bunch of geeks we are!

Look forward to seeing you tomorrow. (Assuming I remain able to get there!)

[RAYC]

Updated draft of the placemats http://bit.ly/aatAZh

[Deleted_User_1]

Very sorry gentlemen but I will not be attending this evening due to illness.

[WS1]

Hi Cookie,

this is sad news. Wish you a speedy recovery! Maybe you did not drink not enough Port and became sick due to that

regards

WS1