Thu 17th January - The Dow Magnumonicon

Post by **Alex Bridgeman** » 14:25 Mon 17 Sep 2012

This tasting will be at the Davy Bar & Grill, High Holborn, WC1V 6DT starting as close to 18:30 as we are able to manage. The large private room has been booked for the tasting with discussions continuing whether we will also eat in the room or whether there will be space in the main part of the restaurant for us to move to a seperate table for our dinner.

A rather wonderful opportunity has arisen, where Symington Family Estates have offered us the opportunity to have an ex-cellars magnum vertical of Dow vintage ports - a case of magnums of Dow port from the vintages of 1994, 1985, 1980, 1977, 1970 and 1963 - a "tasting in a box".

The cost of these ports is a shade under £1,000. I have purchased the case will use it as the theme for this tasting. We'll split the cost of the port between the people who attend.

Attending
1/ AHB (confirmed)
2/ CMAG (confirmed)
3/ JDAW (confirmed)
4/ Cynthia Jenson (confirmed)
5/ Nicola Thomson (confirmed)
6/ WS1 (confirmed)
7/ ADV (confirmed)
8/ Nicos Neocleus (confirmed)
9/ Magnus (confirmed)
10/ DRT (confirmed)
11/ BMHR (confirmed)
12/
13/
14/

Waiting List
1/ RAYC (attendance subject to work commitments)

RAYC · Post by **RAYC** » 14:32 Mon 17 Sep 2012

Very exciting.

When were these shipped?

For something like this, i would suggest we play it very safe and get these to the location that they will be decanted and allow at least a good 3 months of rest before opening.

Which suggests to me that beginning of 2013 is the earliest date...

12 bottle equivalent = 12 person limit? (including a Symington rep?) Or full 14?

Post by **Alex Bridgeman** » 14:33 Mon 17 Sep 2012

CMAG has indicated that he would like to attend.

Post by **Alex Bridgeman** » 14:38 Mon 17 Sep 2012

RAYC wrote:Very exciting.

When were these shipped?

For something like this, i would suggest we play it very safe and get these to the location that they will be decanted and allow at least a good 3 months of rest before opening.

Which suggests to me that beginning of 2013 is the earliest date...

12 bottle equivalent = 12 person limit? (including a Symington rep?)

These have not yet been shipped, but expect to be shipped in a month or so.

I quite like the idea of having something to look forward to in the cold winter months. Maybe a February date would be a good one.

I'm always happy to accommodate 14 people at a tasting. With 14 people you get a reasonable pour and when it's 14 people sharing a magnum then you get a generous pour. If we fear a port shortage then we can always do what we have done in the past - have the main event and then have port dessert.

Good suggestion to consider a Symington rep. I'll give that some thought...

RAYC · Post by **RAYC** » 14:44 Mon 17 Sep 2012

AHB wrote:I'm always happy to accommodate 14 people at a tasting. With 14 people you get a reasonable pour and when it's 14 people sharing a magnum then you get a generous pour. If we fear a port shortage then we can always do what we have done in the past - have the main event and then have port dessert.

Very good points - agree completely.

Post by **jdaw1** » 15:50 Mon 17 Sep 2012

Yes please.

I have W85 and T85 in magnum. Would it be worthwhile to compare them to the D85?

WS1 · Post by **WS1** » 16:33 Mon 17 Sep 2012

would also be interested. Please put me down.

regards

WS1

Andy Velebil · Post by **Andy Velebil** » 17:31 Mon 17 Sep 2012

Don't know travel and work issues quite yet but save me a seat.

griff · Post by **griff** » 17:32 Mon 17 Sep 2012

Yes please! All dates possible at this stage.

Andy Velebil · Post by **Andy Velebil** » 23:37 Mon 17 Sep 2012

I neglected to add available date preferences, my apologies. February works best, but late January would also generally work. The closer to a weekend the better due to flying, time change, and work schedule issues.

PopulusTremula · Post by **PopulusTremula** » 08:23 Tue 18 Sep 2012

Sounds really interesting, please count me in.

/Magnus

Post by **DRT** » 10:21 Tue 18 Sep 2012

Yes please!

benread · Post by **benread** » 18:07 Thu 20 Sep 2012

I would love to attend if dates work out. Mondays are generally easiest but with enough notice another date is possible. As some of you know, Dow was the port I was gifted at borth, so of great interest!

RAYC · Post by **RAYC** » 16:05 Fri 21 Sep 2012

Might be a controversial suggestion (particularly when other mags are being offered), but one potentially interesting option (if we are looking to add a few bottles) is to do a mini Senhora de Ribeira vertical to the end.

I have always been rather impressed when i have tasted Ribeira - i have a feeling that it is rather overlooked in terms of its future potential...

RonnieRoots · Post by **RonnieRoots** » 09:28 Sat 22 Sep 2012

Very much interested! But I can't possibly say when I will make it over to the UK at this stage, so don't hold a seat for me, but if you are going to make a waiting list, please put me on it.

Post by **Alex Bridgeman** » 18:58 Sun 23 Sep 2012

RonnieRoots wrote:Very much interested! But I can't possibly say when I will make it over to the UK at this stage, so don't hold a seat for me, but if you are going to make a waiting list, please put me on it.

Noted.

Post by **Alex Bridgeman** » 19:01 Sun 23 Sep 2012

RAYC wrote:Might be a controversial suggestion (particularly when other mags are being offered), but one potentially interesting option (if we are looking to add a few bottles) is to do a mini Senhora de Ribeira vertical to the end.

I have always been rather impressed when i have tasted Ribeira - i have a feeling that it is rather overlooked in terms of its future potential...

I'm not hugely keen on the idea of a Senhora da Ribeira vertical. In my experience, too many of the vintages are currently going through their awkward phase. I'd prefer just to have a "bring and drink" course after the Dow magnums of part ready to drink.

Happy to have a Senhora da Ribeira tasting at another time though.

Post by **DRT** » 19:20 Sun 23 Sep 2012

At this point we have 12 x 75cl of Port and 11 people.

If I wasn't me I might be tempted to ask why we need a second tasting. Luckily, I am me, and wouldn't dream of asking such a ridiculously stupid question.

Obvious candidates to add would be single bottles (or magnums if we have to

) of Dow 1955, 1960, 1966, 1983 and 1991.

Cynthia J · Post by **Cynthia J** » 20:35 Sun 23 Sep 2012

If I can possibly get there, I would love to sit in on this one... and you know how little I drink, so I won't upset your calculations at all! At this stage, any date is do-able.

Post by **Alex Bridgeman** » 20:42 Sun 23 Sep 2012

DRT wrote:At this point we have 12 x 75cl of Port and 11 people.

If I wasn't me I might be tempted to ask why we need a second tasting. Luckily, I am me, and wouldn't dream of asking such a ridiculously stupid question.

Obvious candidates to add would be single bottles (or magnums if we have to ) of Dow 1955, 1960, 1966, 1983 and 1991.

Happy to add to the line-up - but only if the wines are from Dow and in magnum.

Post by **DRT** » 20:47 Sun 23 Sep 2012

AHB wrote:
DRT wrote:Dow 1955, 1960, 1966, 1983 and 1991.
Happy to add to the line-up - but only if the wines are from Dow

I can confirm that Dow 1955, 1960, 1966, 1983 and 1991 are all "from Dow".

Post by **Alex Bridgeman** » 20:56 Sun 23 Sep 2012

DRT wrote:
AHB wrote:
DRT wrote:Dow 1955, 1960, 1966, 1983 and 1991.
Happy to add to the line-up - but only if the wines are from Dow
I can confirm that Dow 1955, 1960, 1966, 1983 and 1991 are all "from Dow".

So now you just have to have the shoe elves deliver them to you in magnum!

Post by **DRT** » 20:57 Sun 23 Sep 2012

AHB wrote:
DRT wrote:
AHB wrote:
DRT wrote:Dow 1955, 1960, 1966, 1983 and 1991.
Happy to add to the line-up - but only if the wines are from Dow
I can confirm that Dow 1955, 1960, 1966, 1983 and 1991 are all "from Dow".
So now you just have to have the shoe elves deliver them to you in magnum!

Does anyone have the phone number of Magelvium?

Axel P · Post by **Axel P** » 07:38 Thu 04 Oct 2012

Alex,

please put me down if the date works for me. When do you think you will finally decide to put down a date? Shall I book the club for this? Shall we invite people to bring regular bottles along for comparison reasons? I guess this would make most of the fun.

Axel

Post by **Alex Bridgeman** » 13:17 Mon 08 Oct 2012

A date of Thursday 17th January is now proposed for this tasting.

Please could those who have previously indicated that they would be interested in attending now confirm that they are still interested given the date has now been fixed.

The plan is still to have only the 6 magnums at the tasting, splitting their £1,000 cost between the people attending. I also intend to have the tasting at The Bung Hole (aka Davy's Holborn Bar and Grill) and eat off the standard menu which will cost around £35 per head. As a guide, please budget £135 for your costs if you plan to attend. I will probably collect the cost of the port from people who confirm their attendance before the end of October as I will need to pay for these bottles shortly.

Cynthia J · Post by **Cynthia J** » 13:31 Mon 08 Oct 2012

Count me in, financial arrangements via pm. thanks!

Post by **DRT** » 15:32 Mon 08 Oct 2012

AHB wrote:A date of Thursday 17th January is now proposed for this tasting.

Please could those who have previously indicated that they would be interested in attending now confirm that they are still interested given the date has now been fixed.

I'm still in.

Presumably this is one of those situations where confirming an intention to attend is confirmation that you agree to pay £100 towards the cost of the Port (now-ish) regardless of whether or not one does actually manage to attend the event?

RAYC · Post by **RAYC** » 16:36 Mon 08 Oct 2012

DRT wrote: Presumably this is one of those situations where confirming an intention to attend is confirmation that you agree to pay £100 towards the cost of the Port (now-ish) regardless of whether or not one does actually manage to attend the event?

....unless (i) someone from the reserve list, having been offered the place, subsequently agrees to attend or (ii) where there is no reserve list or the people on the reserve list decide within a reasonable time limit that they do not want to accept the place, a substitute willing to take the place is privately found

Subject to the above, i am in agreement with your position. If someone has to drop out and no one can be found to replace, i sort of feel that they should at least be offered their share in sample bottles (subject to logistics not being to complicated, of course. Or they ask for it all in a 75cl crusted blend!).

RAYC · Post by **RAYC** » 16:40 Mon 08 Oct 2012

nb: i'm still in.

Andy Velebil · Post by **Andy Velebil** » 17:28 Mon 08 Oct 2012

I am still in.

Post by **DRT** » 20:20 Mon 08 Oct 2012

RAYC wrote:
DRT wrote:i sort of feel that they should at least be offered their share in sample bottles (subject to logistics not being to complicated, of course. Or they ask for it all in a 75cl crusted blend!).

I agree. But only for last-minute drop-outs due to unforseen emergency situations such as loss of wifely permission, loss of a limb or a family crisis. Pulling out in mid December and asking to be sent samples would be taking the liberties and could encourage virtual participation at future events, which isn't the point of our tastings.

Andy Velebil · Post by **Andy Velebil** » 01:25 Tue 09 Oct 2012

I've noticed an issue. We have no 1966 in magnum.

I don't have the pro version of wine-searcher and the non-pro version doesn't show any available world-wide. Can someone who has the pro version check for a lead on one or does someone have one to sell the group?

WS1 · Post by **WS1** » 05:11 Tue 09 Oct 2012

Hi,

17th of January is fine by me. Am against opening a Magnum of Dow 1966 since being completly immature. Let us stuck with this line up and rather go for comparison vs straight bts if some feel the need rather than opening immature wines.

regards

WS1

Post by **jdaw1** » 07:04 Tue 09 Oct 2012

Wine-Searcher Pro wrote:No results for the 1966 vintage.

RAYC · Post by **RAYC** » 07:30 Tue 09 Oct 2012

WS1 wrote:Hi,

17th of January is fine by me. Am against opening a Magnum of Dow 1966 since being completly immature. Let us stuck with this line up and rather go for comparison vs straight bts if some feel the need rather than opening immature wines.

regards

WS1

But this line of reasoning doesn't apply to the Dow 80....?!

An academic point since there are none available, but my experience of the Dow 66 is very different and i think it is in a great place right now (e.g.: here an ex-cellars bottle at the Decanter tasting in November 2010, here at the Dow vertical in September 2010 where the 66 was WOTN, and here at The Matrix Revisited tasting in October 2011 where it did not show immature)

griff · Post by **griff** » 10:02 Tue 09 Oct 2012

I am still in.

Axel P · Post by **Axel P** » 10:02 Tue 09 Oct 2012

Hi Alex,

unfortunately I cannot make it on January 17th, so please do erase my seat.

I wish you a wonderful tasting.

Axel

PopulusTremula · Post by **PopulusTremula** » 12:23 Tue 09 Oct 2012

Date and cost ok with me --> still in.

Thanks
Magnus

Andy Velebil · Post by **Andy Velebil** » 12:32 Tue 09 Oct 2012

RAYC wrote:
WS1 wrote:Hi,

17th of January is fine by me. Am against opening a Magnum of Dow 1966 since being completly immature. Let us stuck with this line up and rather go for comparison vs straight bts if some feel the need rather than opening immature wines.

regards

WS1
But this line of reasoning doesn't apply to the Dow 80....?!

An academic point since there are none available, but my experience of the Dow 66 is very different and i think it is in a great place right now (e.g.: here an ex-cellars bottle at the Decanter tasting in November 2010, here at the Dow vertical in September 2010 where the 66 was WOTN, and here at The Matrix Revisited tasting in October 2011 where it did not show immature)

What he said

Post by **Alex Bridgeman** » 21:25 Wed 10 Oct 2012

I'm playing the organiser's privilege card with this tasting. It is my intention not to allow any ports into this tasting unless they are Dow and were bottled in magnum 2-3 years after the vintage.

People are wlecome to bring along additional bottles to share if they are worried that we may run dry, but these will be for drinking after the Dow Magnumonicon Tasting and not something that I propose to try to organise.

Andy Velebil · Post by **Andy Velebil** » 22:35 Wed 10 Oct 2012

Alex
Totally agree it should be only dow's vp in magnum format.

To clarify...Does that preclude us from adding more vintages of it so long as it's in mag size and everyone (With your approval) agrees?

Post by **jdaw1** » 06:50 Thu 11 Oct 2012

AHB wrote:I'm playing the organiser's privilege card

I respect that card, and defer to it.

RAYC · Post by **RAYC** » 15:49 Thu 11 Oct 2012

Question: What is this Dow 1977 "Millenium Selection" business? Are there two different blends of Dow 1977? Or was this just a marketing thing for bottles released back in 1999/2000?

I remain concerned that - based on the evidence of all recent tastings - we will run out of port with only 6 mags between 14 people. If extras are being suggested, it would be nice if they were Dow-related. Dow 07 might be fun to revisit, for instance...

Andy Velebil · Post by **Andy Velebil** » 18:56 Thu 11 Oct 2012

RAYC wrote:Question: What is this Dow 1977 "Millenium Selection" business? Are there two different blends of Dow 1977? Or was this just a marketing thing for bottles released back in 1999/2000?

I remain concerned that - based on the evidence of all recent tastings - we will run out of port with only 6 mags between 14 people. If extras are being suggested, it would be nice if they were Dow-related. Dow 07 might be fun to revisit, for instance...

One would probably be correct to assume it was for marketing issues given the millenium part.

Yes, if Alex agrees, we should try and get mags of say 1966 and 1983 to fill in some missing vintages.

Post by **Alex Bridgeman** » 22:56 Fri 12 Oct 2012

I would be delighted to add further magnums to the line up, if we can find them. 1966 is the vintage I would really like to add - I don't drink enough Dow '66!

As for wine after the magnum event - I'm relaxed. My general view is that this is probably best not necessarily being Dow related as sometimes it's nice to give the palate some variety, but I'm equally not going to stop someone if they really want to bring a Dow 2007 to the evening. And don't forget that Davy's new over-the-counter Port list now includes the (very tasty) Dow 1994.

Post by **DRT** » 23:48 Fri 12 Oct 2012

Mags of Dow 1975, 1983, 1991, 1997 and 2000 are available on wine searcher if we want them. I am actually quite interested in tasting the 1975 from mag to see if it has survived better than the small bottle.

I have come to the opinion that this tasting should be restricted to Dow magnums only. If we remain thirsty at the end we should drink beer.

RAYC · Post by **RAYC** » 00:44 Sat 13 Oct 2012

DRT wrote: I have come to the opinion that this tasting should be restricted to Dow magnums only. If we remain thirsty at the end we should drink beer.

Sounds unnecessarily prescriptive and dictatorial to me. What if one wants to drink earl grey tea?

Post by **DRT** » 06:50 Sat 13 Oct 2012

RAYC wrote:
DRT wrote: I have come to the opinion that this tasting should be restricted to Dow magnums only. If we remain thirsty at the end we should drink beer.
Sounds unnecessarily prescriptive and dictatorial to me. What if one wants to drink earl grey tea?

Prescriptive and dictatorial would have included the word "must" instead of "should", but I concede the point. We should drink beer or beer substitute rather than non Dow-mag Ports.

Post by **jdaw1** » 10:43 Sat 13 Oct 2012

JDAW: yes please.

First draft of the placemats.

Andy Velebil · Post by **Andy Velebil** » 13:40 Sat 13 Oct 2012

DRT wrote:Mags of Dow 1975, 1983, 1991, 1997 and 2000 are available on wine searcher if we want them. I am actually quite interested in tasting the 1975 from mag to see if it has survived better than the small bottle.

I have come to the opinion that this tasting should be restricted to Dow magnums only. If we remain thirsty at the end we should drink beer.

Yes, 1975 would be fun. I'm in for getting the 1975, 1983, 1991 if they are reasonably priced (i.e. not 4 times normal retail) and the others agree. The 1997, while academic, is probably still in a phase like most other 1997's and may not be at it's best. But I am open to be proven wrong

I prefer coffee in the winter and tea in the summer, I hope that's ok?