Life on the Douro screening and tasting, London, 12 June 2017

[Zev Robinson]

Hi,

My 90 minute documentary Life on the Douro, about 300 years of history, will show at the Roxy Bar and Screen, 128-132 Borough High Street, London SE1 1LB, on April 23, and will be followed by tastings from at least five wineries, provided by Symington Family Estates, Niepoort, Taylor Fladgate, Quinta do Vale D. Maria, and Quevedo. More wines may join the fun. I'll be on hand to answer questions about the film and my experiences in making it, and winery and importer reps will be on hand to talk about the wine. More details here - http://lifeonthedouro.com/?p=56 and tickets can be purchased here -
http://www.tickettailor.com/checkout/vi ... 9/chk/6849

Life on the Douro was filmed during 45 days over five trips in an 18 month period, and I'm going back to film once again in order to expand it into a 6 part series for television. So far, I have interviewed about 28 people, should be close to 40 by the time it shows in London. It will also be screening in NYC on May 17, more on that later.

Hope to see you there.

[DRT]

Thanks for posting this here, Zev.

If I am in London that day I will certainly be there

[Alex Bridgeman]

I've just organised my diary so that I will be there. I'm very much looking forward to seeing the film and hearing about the potential television series.

Alex

[Alex Bridgeman]

Just bought my ticket for the London showing - I'll be there and I'm really looking forward to seeing the film.

Tickets are only £9.50; the cinema has a capacity of 100; doors open at 6pm; film starts at 7:30pm and the cinema bar also serves meals with a short but well thought out menu that is reasonably priced with mains running from £8.50-£10.00.

Who else will be there?

[jdaw1]

My ticket bought.

Please, nearer the time, somebody remind me to bring my spectacles.

[jdaw1]

Rule 17b now comes into play. When n TPF people gather together, n ≥ 3, at least n+1 bottles of port must be opened and consumed.

[RAYC]

Thanks for alerting us to this - I am a definite and I thought it would be a nice event to bring a guest along to, so bought a second ticket too (though not a holding hands-type of guest).

[Deleted_User_1]

Just booked my ticket

[Alex Bridgeman]

I shall probably not be in London much before 6pm on Monday. I plan to head straight for the Roxy and eat there before the film starts at 7:30pm. Anyone care to join me? (If so, bring your own port glass...but I'm not bringing anything special)

[Deleted_User_1]

I shall be there for dinner before the film...what wines are we bringing?

[Alex Bridgeman]

I shall be there for dinner before the film...what wines are we bringing?

I was intending to bring something I suspect to be at the weaker end of my 2012 drinking list so I won't mind too much if I have to share it with people I don't really know but also not be embarrased if I share it with fellow port lovers - it won't be the 40 year old Cockburn Special Reserve that I plan to drink at some point

[RAYC]

My guest has just pulled out. Please post here if you would like a free ticket! (which will need to be subject to confirmation, as I have just sent an email to some other friends offering it)

[DRT]

I shall probably not be in London much before 6pm on Monday. I plan to head straight for the Roxy and eat there before the film starts at 7:30pm. Anyone care to join me? (If so, bring your own port glass...but I'm not bringing anything special)

Do we know whether or not we are permitted to open our own bottles in the cinema? I once tried to consume a McDonalds in a cinema and was asked to leave the premises

[jdaw1]

Lowered the tone. That cinema didn’t want that type of customer.

It will be different with vintage port, surely.

[DRT]

Lowered the tone. That cinema didn’t want that type of customer.

Is it possible to get any lower than the typical British cinema hot dog?

Regardless, the fact remains we will be in a place that serves its own food and drink. We should not assume we can simply do as we wish.

[JacobH]

I hope to be there, with CHR, but probably will only be able to make it for about 7. Very much looking forward to it!

[Alex Bridgeman]

I shall probably not be in London much before 6pm on Monday. I plan to head straight for the Roxy and eat there before the film starts at 7:30pm. Anyone care to join me? (If so, bring your own port glass...but I'm not bringing anything special)

Do we know whether or not we are permitted to open our own bottles in the cinema? I once tried to consume a McDonalds in a cinema and was asked to leave the premises

Given that a number of producers are going to be opening bottles and pouring their own wines after (and perhaps before) the film, I am assuming that the venue has accepted that on this occasion there may be bottles consumed that were not purchased from their wine list.

However, the menu at the Roxy does seem to be a cut above that I experienced last night at my local Showcase cinema. I am looking forward to a decent meal, an interesting film and some enjoyable ports amidst the company of like-minded wine-lovers. I'm hoping that Zev has a good crowd - I'd feel really sorry for him if the only people who turn up are the dozen or so from this forum.

[DRT]

I'm hoping that Zev has a good crowd - I'd feel really sorry for him if the only people who turn up are the dozen or so from this forum.

I hope so too, but I suppose it will all come down to how well the event has been advertised in places where non-forumites might see it.

[benread]

Having lived for about 2 years within about 200 yards of this venue, it always seemed to have a good crowd so I would expect some of those to have been made aware and interested. Unless it has changed, it has a slight 'rough and ready' feel, but a nice idea.

Have fun - I wish I were allowed out more frequently!

[Zev Robinson]

Thanks for all your posts. I'm just back from 10 more days of filming in Portugal in order to expand Life on the Douro into a six part series for television, and hadn't had time to check the responses. I hadn't thought about people bringing their own Ports, I will try to confirm a bit later today if that would be possible, though I don't see why not. The meals at the Roxy are tasty, freshly made by a chef, certainly not typical cinema fare.

I will give a brief presentation, then have a QandA session (about the making of the film, not about Port, I'll leave that to others ) so bring your questions as well. Tickets still available, and just the wines alone are worth more than the price, so if you know anyone else in London, please spread the word. Looking forward to meeting you all there.

[jdaw1]

1. Don’t forget to print your ticket. (DRT: I have yours and mine.)

2. I failed to remember to bring a glass. (Doh!) If anybody is able to cope for you, I’d be most grateful.

[JacobH]

2. I failed to remember to bring a glass. (Doh!) If anybody is able to cope for you, I’d be most grateful.

Presumably glasswear shouldn’t be too much of a problem if they are advertising a tasting after the screening?

[RAYC]

2. I failed to remember to bring a glass. (Doh!) If anybody is able to cope for you, I’d be most grateful.

Presumably glasswear shouldn’t be too much of a problem if they are advertising a tasting after the screening?

I will bring my 6-pack of worldofport.de Schott Zwiesel glasses just in case.

[Zev Robinson]

i checked, it is fine to bring Port to the tasting _after_ the film is shown, not before.

[Zev Robinson]

And, yes, there will be glasses, but I'm not sure how many, so if you want to do detailed comparisons with more than one glass on hand, having a few extra glasses can't hurt.

[g-man]

Hye Zev,

what are the details for the NY showing?

[RAYC]

I now have two guests, one of whom will be there for dinner.

Alex - if you are getting a table, two of us will be there at approx. 6.15-6.20.

Cheers

Rob

[DRT]

Julian is printing my ticket so I need to meet him before entering the venue. I am hoping we will be meeting sometime between 18:00 and 18:30 but have not heard from him today.

[jdaw1]

I am alive. Where are we meeting?

[DRT]

I am alive. Where are we meeting?

Outside The Roxy at 18:00?

[g-man]

How I picture TPF members heading to Life on the Douro screening.

Link

[Deleted_User_1]

How I picture TPF members heading to Life on the Douro screening.

Link

Close but definitely no cigar

[Alex Bridgeman]

How I picture TPF members heading to Life on the Douro screening.

Link

You should have seen them when they were heading away from the screening!

[Alex Bridgeman]

After the film, a handful of producers showed some of their ports. Niepoort showed Tweedle Dee and Tweedle Dum (ruby and tawny); the Symingtons showed a range of reserve, aged tawnies, the Graham '06 LBV and the Malvedos '99. Taylor Fladgate had Chip Dry, Croft Pink and the '05 LBV on show (the first two for use in cocktails and long drinks) and Quevedo had a range up to and including the '06 LBV.

We also brought a handful of ports, having with us bottles of Malvedos '99, Morgan 1991 and Fonseca 1975.

[JacobH]

This was the first time I’ve tried the Ruby Dum and Tawny Dee; I think the latter is considerably better (though not very ‟tawny”) and might get a bottle in the future to try at leisure.

I wasn’t terribly impressed by either the Graham’s 10 or 20 Year Olds which I haven’t tried for a few years. I wonder if the blend has changed with the new bottling? The Graham’s LBV, Crusted and Malvedos were all very good, solid wines (as they had been a week ago at the Davy’s tasting).

Of the Quevedo, I only tried the 1996 Colheita which was remarkably ruby but very nice and quaffable.

The Taylor’s Chip Dry made an entirely acceptable Port tonic (the one I tried the previous week with Dow’s Dry White and Fever Tree Tonic was considerably better but, at £2, who would complain?); the Croft pink mixed with some soda and ice was also quite nice, too.

[Zev Robinson]

I'm back in Spain now, very happy with the Life on the Douro screening, and meeting several delightful Port Forum members, even after (or is that because of) several glasses of Port. Thanks for coming and your support. I now have to get the pilot episode of the six part series ready by the end of May, and, although these things take time, I'll let you know if and when it gets shown on television.

[Alex Bridgeman]

On 12 June 2017, there will be a screening of Zev Robinson's film Life on the Douro in cooperation with Quevedo Wines and Rococo Chocolates. The screening is to be held at Gallery Different (14 Percy Street, W1T 1DR) with the film being broken into four parts, with a glass of port and sample of chocolate between each part.

Sadly I will be out of the UK on 12 June or I would be there. If you've not seen the film and you're a port lover, it's worth seeing at least once and this sounds like a good way to see it. A bunch of us saw the film when it was first shown in London in 2012 and we made a bit of an offline out of it, taking our own port to share with each other.

Tickets are £15 each and available from Eventbrite. The venue and organisers are new to me so if anyone goes, please let me know what you think of both the venue and the organisation of the event.