11 October 2011 - Dow, Fonseca, Graham and Taylor

[DRT]

I can arrange to be available from mid-afternoon and I suspect that ADV will be in London before then. We now have a decanting team

The challenge now is for those with bottles to let us know if they can get them to the venue by 2pm on the 11th. Within reason, I am willing to be helpful with the logistics.

[jdaw1]

I'm happy to arrange to have the day off on the 11th, and could then be available as early in the day as would be useful to assist with decanting etc

Thank you.

I can arrange to be available from mid-afternoon

Thank you.

The challenge now is for those with bottles to let us know if they can get them to the venue by 2pm on the 11th. Within reason, I am willing to be helpful with the logistics.

Most convenient for me would be to drop them at the venue the previous evening, if that is permitted.

Does the presence of the decanting team mean that we are back to the current plan wrt experiment design, and hence with the placemats? (Subject to α→a, β→b, γ→c, δ→d, ε→d, ζ→f, η→g, θ→h, ι→i, κ→j, λ→k, μ→l, ν→m, ξ→n, ο→o, Ï€→p.) Please could both AHB and DRT respond to this question.

[Andy Velebil]

I can arrange to be available from mid-afternoon and I suspect that ADV will be in London before then. We now have a decanting team

The challenge now is for those with bottles to let us know if they can get them to the venue by 2pm on the 11th. Within reason, I am willing to be helpful with the logistics.

I should be there by 1400 hrs at the latest, most likely by 1300 to help with decanting.

[Andy Velebil]

If we cannot (a) get the bottles to the venue at or before 2pm on the day and (b)find two or three to form a decanting team then I suggest we do not attempt to do this blind as it will be a disaster.

The evening before, or perhaps even the week before, I could deliver bottles, presumably undecanted, to a London location. However, there is much validity to DRT’s comments about a too-small too-late decanting team.

non-OCD world

Presumably one orbited by a moon made of cheese.

Agree, it seems trying to do this blind probably won't work. Shall we keep this non-blind then?

[jdaw1]

I should be there by 1400 hrs at the latest, most likely by 1300 to help with decanting.

And thank you too.

[DRT]

non-OCD world

Presumably one orbited by a moon made of cheese.

I just noticed this.

Are you seriously suggesting that the moon is not made of cheese?

What next? Are you going to have us believe that cows can’t jump over it?!?!

[jdaw1]

Didn’t you pay any attention in science classes?

The moon used to have a cheese crust. Cows jumped onto (not over) the moon, to eat that crust. Alas, in one of the earliest examples of bovine environmental damage, they ate it all. Which is why the moon is no longer made of cheese; and cows no longer waste time and energy jumping over, onto, or anywhere near the moon.

That’s proper science, that is.

[DRT]

Noted. All of that seems logical. But please don’t tell me Brussels Sprouts are real, I can only sleep at night because I know they are just spoken of in fairy stories.

[DRT]

Does the presence of the decanting team mean that we are back to the current plan wrt experiment design, and hence with the placemats? (Subject to α→a, β→b, γ→c, δ→d, ε→d, ζ→f, η→g, θ→h, ι→i, κ→j, λ→k, μ→l, ν→m, ξ→n, ο→o, Ï€→p.) Please could both AHB and DRT respond to this question.

I say yes.

[Alex Bridgeman]

I would prefer to do the tasting with each flight being blind, and will happily and gratefully accept the help of those who are able to make it to the RAF club in time to decant. While I would prefer to have only the letters a-d used as handles to aid discussion, I can live with a-p - the price I pay for not yet having learned how to use the place mat post script.

Let's give the process a trial.

[jdaw1]

Updated draft of placemats.

Blinding: The Plan

1. Four decanters are wrapped in tin foil, so that fewer of those involved in decanting see the colour, and those that do see it less clearly.

2. They are labelled with preprepared decanter labels on strings:
”‚ ”‚ ”‚
(In case needed for bottles, these are also available as sticky labels.)

3. Yummy juice goes into the decanters via the usual means.

4. Alone, nobody else watching, somebody who didn’t do the decanting then shuffles the decanters, and staples over these labels four further labels:
”‚ ”‚ ”‚

5. Again alone, another somebody, different to all the previous somebodies, then re-shuffles, and staples over these four further labels:
”‚ ”‚ ”‚

6. The tin foil is removed, and prepouring done with the help of the sheets for this task, such as:


7. Likewise for the 1970s, 1966s, and 1963s.

8. The stapled decanter labels are put away for later.

9. When all are tasted, we have mis-guessed shippers and voted for WOTN, the stapled labels can be pulled apart to reveal what is what.

[jdaw1]

Attendees - the first 14 are confirmed, the second 14 are reserves
1 Industry Guest 1
2 Industry Guest 2
3 Alex Bridgeman
4 Axel Probst
5 ** vacancy
6 ** vacancy
7 CMA Gee
8 Derek Turnbull
9 Rob Coombes
10 Julian Wiseman
11 Andy Velebil
12 Tom Archer
13 Phil W
14 Killer B

Are #1 and #2 secret, or may we be told their identities?

[Alex Bridgeman]

Are #1 and #2 secret, or may we be told their identities?

Discussions are still ongoing, but once confirmed I will post here.

[Alex Bridgeman]

I'm delighted to announce that Cynthia Jenson - of the Graham and Malvedos blog fame - will be joining us at the Matrix Tasting on October 11th. Since agreeing to join us, Cynthia has been working hard to ferret out the stories and background to each of the Symington vintages we will be drinking. You might also be caught on camera if Cynthia decides to write up the tasting as a blog entry!

I had also hoped to be able to have a respresentative from Taylor Fladgate join us on the 11th. Sadly, it seems that even the most junior members of their marketing and PR teams and of their UK distributors are all far too busy to spend time with the end consumers of their products so, instead, we have an extra place at the table for a participating guest - if you know of anyone who would like to join us, then please say.

The first post at the top of this thread has been updated to show who will be attending. Thank you to those I have contacted and asked for payment for the prompt responses that I have received. Those of you who have not heard from me will be contacted shortly.

Decanting and pouring volunteers are Derek, Axel and Phil. Thank you gentlemen.

Next action is to book the glasses we are hiring.

Alex

[Axel P]

Alex, thanks a lot for the organisation of all. I am sure it will be a huge tasting and I am very delighted to see Cynthia again.

Axel

[Christopher]

Hi

If there is still a vacancy can I please take this for a guest of mine. many thanks

[Alex Bridgeman]

Hi

If there is still a vacancy can I please take this for a guest of mine. many thanks

The last space at the table is yours, reserved for your guest. Please let Julian know the details he will need for the tasting mats in due course. I will update the first post on this thread tomorrow.

[Alex Bridgeman]

The first post in the thread has now been updated to reflect the fact that all 14 seats at the table have now been taken.

The menu is about to be confirmed. Following requests from the last event we held at the RAF Club, I will be selecting a non-Steak & Kidney Pudding choice.

The main menu will be:
Smoked salmon
Roast Rib of beef with Yorkshire Pudding, roast potatoes and seasonal vegetables
Chocolate Gateau
Coffee & Petit Four.

Anyone preferring the vegetarian option, please let me know as soon as possible:
MILLE FUEILLE WITH WILD MUSHROOMS in a cognac cream sauce (starter)
SPINACH & RICCOTA TORTELLINI with sherry cream sauce (main course)

I will send out emails to all in due course to confirm the final arrangements for the night.

[jdaw1]

5 Guest of Rob Coombes

More clues please.

[jdaw1]

Updated draft of placemats.

• Added brand-specific external links.
• +Tom F.
• ‘Guest of Rob C.’ could perhaps be re-named.

[jdaw1]

Updated draft of placemats.

• +Nicola T., replacing ‘Guest of Rob C.’

My understanding is that the placemats are now complete. Please could somebody check.

[RAYC]

My understanding is that the placemats are now complete. Please could somebody check.

What is the plan for tasting?

Are we voting for "wine of the vintage" blind at the end of each flight and then guessing identity with an immediate reveal (this would mean we are voting for "wine of the night" un-blind at the end and so it might be preferable for the WOTN vote recorder to have F63, G63 etc. instead of the a63, b63 etc.)

Or are we voting for "wine of the vintage", "wine of the night" and recording all guesses together in one big go at the end of the night?

I have a marginal preference for the former.

[jdaw1]

Updated draft of placemats.

• Are we voting for "wine of the vintage" blind at the end of each flight and then guessing identity with an immediate reveal (this would mean we are voting for "wine of the night" un-blind at the end and so it might be preferable for the WOTN vote recorder to have F63, G63 etc. instead of the a63, b63 etc.)
  
  Or are we voting for "wine of the vintage", "wine of the night" and recording all guesses together in one big go at the end of the night?

  This is a decision for the day, as our honoured guests might have an opinion. So now there are vote-recorder pages of both types.

[RAYC]

For avoidance of doubt, I am currently tasked with printing placemats and the constructing four original decanter labels (although i am by no means possessive of this in the event that anyone else would like to instead!).

Unless anyone else had planned to, I will also bring a stapler and foil.

Any other sundries required?

[jdaw1]

I am currently tasked with printing placemats and the constructing four original decanter labels

I am now making the required forty-eight decanter labels. (Four?!)

[RAYC]

I am currently tasked with printing placemats and the constructing four original decanter labels

I am now making the required forty-eight decanter labels. (Four?!)

Obviously(...) i meant four for each flight!

I had proposed to print the 2 rounds of "masking" decanter labels on paper/card thick enough to disguise what was underneath, but had thought business cards might be overkill...(though the stapler would cope). If you are taking this task on, I will not be complaining!

[jdaw1]

Most recent draft of placemats.

Blinding: The Plan

1. Four decanters are wrapped in tin foil, so that fewer of those involved in decanting see the colour, and those that do see it less clearly.

2. They are labelled with preprepared decanter labels on strings:
”‚ ”‚ ”‚
(In case needed for bottles, these are also available as sticky labels.)

3. Yummy juice goes into the decanters via the usual means.

4. Alone, nobody else watching, somebody who didn’t do the decanting then shuffles the decanters, and staples over these labels four further labels:
”‚ ”‚ ”‚

5. Again alone, another somebody, different to all the previous somebodies, then re-shuffles, and staples over these four further labels:
”‚ ”‚ ”‚

Decant the four 1977s into decanters labeled 77 Shipper. Somebody overstaples with the 77s. Somebody else overstaples with m77, n77, o77, p77. Twelve labels for each of four vintages is forty-eight total: made, sorted, boxed.

[jdaw1]

One quarter of the set:

[RAYC]

One quarter of the set:

An admirably selfless use of your last weekend prior to recommencing the grind.

[jdaw1]

Somebody visited his cellar:

A selection of these will be delivered to the RAF club on Monday evening. Please remind me: into whose care should they be placed?

[jdaw1]

For those not involved in set-up, at what time will drinking start? Rephrased, when do I need to be there?

[Alex Bridgeman]

Now that's a photo from a man who looks to have returned from a port desert - the comfort blanket is back!

Festivities start at 7pm sharp, try to be there after 6:30pm and before 7pm.

PM sent on what to do with your bottles.

[jdaw1]

Apparently a recent posting was ambiguous. I visited Sussex and retrieved six bottles. Four of these are for Tuesday. Two are for subsequent use, chez moi, on a day on which I deserve them. They will not be brought as extras to Tuesday’s event.

[RAYC]

Placemats printed.

Last opportunity for further changes (if i am to print) will be tomorrow by 9.00 pm.

Obviously, though, i don't have the .ps file so couldn't amend myself.

[jdaw1]

Placemats printed.

Which has given rise to a question in the software thread.

Obviously, though, i don't have the .ps file so couldn't amend myself.

I do, and can amend now, and will be able to amend again just shy of the deadline. Requesting soon would help.

[Andy Velebil]

Placemats printed.

Last opportunity for further changes (if i am to print) will be tomorrow by 9.00 pm.

Obviously, though, i don't have the .ps file so couldn't amend myself.

If you could add one more blank sheet of all, it would be appreciated. There may be a very special guest joining us. AHB has been consulted already, but we prefer not to announce who in case it doesn't happen.

[Alex Bridgeman]

Placemats printed.

Last opportunity for further changes (if i am to print) will be tomorrow by 9.00 pm.

Obviously, though, i don't have the .ps file so couldn't amend myself.

If you could add one more blank sheet of all, it would be appreciated. There may be a very special guest joining us. AHB has been consulted already, but we prefer not to announce who in case it doesn't happen.

Actually, it wouldn't be a guest as Cynthia is our guest and will be there to tell us all about the wines and the harvests. However, there was a last minute enquiry from a fellow port lover who pleaded that he had been rather busy over the last few weeks and hadn't noticed that there was a spare place until a few days ago and asked whether it might be possible to squeeze an extra seat around the table. Normally I would politely decline, but on this occasion I decided to make an exception if the late addition is able to make it.

More will be confirmed on the night, if necessary.

[jdaw1]

Most recent draft of placemats.

• There was (there always is) a blank name, but, as requested, now there are two.

(Andy knows about this plot. So it isn’t the Prime Minister, nor the entertaining Boris Johnson. A mystery!)

[DRT]

Most recent draft of placemats.

• There was (there always is) a blank name, but, as requested, now there are two.

(Andy knows about this plot. So it isn’t the Prime Minister, nor the entertaining Boris Johnson. A mystery!)

Does this mean there are 16 mouths to feed?

[RAYC]

Might we need another tray of glasses as well if there are 1 (or 2?) extra attendees?

[PhilW]

What time would it be useful for me to be at the venue to help with preparations? At the moment I'm assuming to be there by 2pm but can adjust as needed. Also if there is anything it would be helpful for me to bring, please let me know. Looking forward to it.

Phil.

[Alex Bridgeman]

Most recent draft of placemats.

• There was (there always is) a blank name, but, as requested, now there are two.

(Andy knows about this plot. So it isn’t the Prime Minister, nor the entertaining Boris Johnson. A mystery!)

Does this mean there are 16 mouths to feed?

No, it doesn't. Julian is simply pointing out that there is always a spare set of placemats included as standard in a placemat pack.

Since there has been a spare requested and added to the pack, there is now a spare spare placesetting. We will only need to use one spare place setting if our last minute addition is able to join us.

[Alex Bridgeman]

Might we need another tray of glasses as well if there are 1 (or 2?) extra attendees?

No - if there is one extra attendee we will still have enough glasses as glasses had to be ordered in trays of 36.

[Alex Bridgeman]

What time would it be useful for me to be at the venue to help with preparations? At the moment I'm assuming to be there by 2pm but can adjust as needed. Also if there is anything it would be helpful for me to bring, please let me know. Looking forward to it.

Phil.

I'll send you an email.

[jdaw1]

My Graham’s bottle bag is now on Sue’s desk. It contains the four bottles promised by me, and a plastic box over-filled with decanter labels.

Please return to me the Graham’s bottle bag and the plastic box.

[jdaw1]

Links:

• Review of the evening as a whole;
• 1963: Graham, Dow, Fonseca, Taylor;
• 1966: Graham, Dow, Fonseca, Taylor;
• 1970: Graham, Dow, Fonseca, Taylor;
• 1977: Graham, Dow, Fonseca, Taylor;
• Planning and arrangements;
• Placemats;
• Software changes requested.