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Glenn E. wrote:On the plus side, you do have all three of the Ports that tied for 4th.

But equally I thinks it's highly unlikely that the Seattle tasting will have included our wine of the night from our offline. That's likely to come from the second half of the evening!

AHB wrote:But equally I thinks it's highly unlikely that the Seattle tasting will have included our wine of the night from our offline. That's likely to come from the second half of the evening!

Is Graham’s Finest Reserve eligible for this tasting?

jdaw1 wrote:Both colour and taste show some wood ageing, which isn’t my taste. But it is well-made port that is a pleasure to drink. I’m impressed.

€12ish from Monoprix.

jdaw1 wrote:Is Graham’s Finest Reserve eligible for this tasting?

Yes.

AHB wrote:But equally I thinks it's highly unlikely that the Seattle tasting will have included our wine of the night from our offline. That's likely to come from the second half of the evening!

Well yes, as our tasting was exclusively for ruby reserves.

Our POTN would have been the Romaneira 40-yr old that I opened for "dessert" except that it wasn't eligible because it wasn't a ruby reserve!

Sent from my Galaxy Nexus using Tapatalk

jdaw1 wrote:Placemats, or first drafts thereof, will be made Sunday evening. Is the first post sufficiently up to date that it can be used for this purpose?

¿?

jdaw1 wrote:

jdaw1 wrote:Placemats, or first drafts thereof, will be made Sunday evening. Is the first post sufficiently up to date that it can be used for this purpose?

¿?

Yes, sorry, I missed your question.

First draft of the placemats.

• Please look and check.
• Who is ‟CSD’s +1”?

In the first post please repair name of Fonseca’s product.

jdaw1 wrote:First draft of the placemats.

• Please look and check.
• Who is ‟CSD’s +1”?

In the first post please repair name of Fonseca’s product.

I haven't had confirmation that CSD is coming, and strongly suspect not.

Is Axel coming?

My problems with reaching my port continue. Please may I adopt from somebody with a spare bottle?

In the first post DRT wrote:

• Fonseca Tera Prima

Please fix.

Axel has not confirmed one way or the other.

Sorry, my port not in the right place for adoption.

Fixed.

I’m sorry about this, but a work thing an actually important work thing has invaded the evening of 29th March. Damn! Double-damn!

If my no-show leaves the team out of pocket, please let me know and I will make you whole. The Graham’s Finest Reserve will be at TBH.

Triple-damn.

Also, by PM, neither CSD nor CSD’s +1. So three down in one post.

DRT wrote: Date: Thursday 29th March 2012
Venue: The Bung Hole, London
Theme!

• Amuse-bouche: The Great International Ruby Reserve Taste-off, comprising!
  • Cockburn Special Reserve (RLC)
  • Fonseca Terra Prima (RAYC)
  • Graham's Six Grapes (DRT)
  • Noval Black (RAYC)
  • Ramos-Pinto Collector (RLC)
  • Quinta de la Rosa Reserve (RAYC)
  • The Port Society Ruby Reserve (RLC)
• Entrée: Beer break.
• Plat principal: Bring a Port to Drink on Your Birthday.

Attendees:

1. AHB;
2. BMHR;
3. CMAG;
4. RAYC;
5. RLC;
6. THRA;
7. DRT (t.b.c);
8. AP (t.b.c).

So is my amended list based on the first post correct? There are now 6-8 of us attending with 6-8 Reserve Rubies to sample and then a bottle of port each for the birthday bash element of the evening?

How much should the non-contributors to the Ruby Reserve part of the evening be budgeting to cover the costs incurred by those buying these ports?

Axel P wrote:Unfortunately I am out, since on this date is my daughters birthday.

Axel

As I wrote on Dec 19 I am not coming. I wish you excellent bottles and much joy.

Best

Axel

Mine is a low-cost apology for non-attendance.

I reckon that you are seven: BMHR, CMAG, RAYC, THRA, AHB, DRT, RLC.

Updated draft of the placemats.

• ”“JDAW; ”“CSD; ”“Terry D.
• Formatting improvements, and slightly varying headers.

Place mats look good to me.

Axel P wrote:As I wrote on Dec 19 I am not coming. I wish you excellent bottles and much joy.

Apologies, Axel, I thought that post was in relation to the suggested move to 11th March.

jdaw1 wrote:I reckon that you are seven: BMHR, CMAG, RAYC, THRA, AHB, DRT, RLC.

First post updated.

AHB wrote:
How much should the non-contributors to the Ruby Reserve part of the evening be budgeting to cover the costs incurred by those buying these ports?

Don't have exact details to hand but my three were about £14 - £15 per bottle. Was unimpressed by selections at Tesco/Waitrose on weekend so did not buy extra.

RAYC wrote:

AHB wrote:
How much should the non-contributors to the Ruby Reserve part of the evening be budgeting to cover the costs incurred by those buying these ports?

Don't have exact details to hand but my three were about £14 - £15 per bottle. Was unimpressed by selections at Tesco/Waitrose on weekend so did not buy extra.

The GSG was £12.50.

Am i decanting these Ruby Reserves? Or just opening them in advance? If so, when?

Or is this a true "carry, pop and pour" test?

I hope that this evening both the Graham’s Finest Reserve and the placemats can be delivered. Should the GFR be opened before delivery?

In my (limited) experience all the ruby reserves that I have drunk have improved with 24 hours in the decanter. My suggestion would be that where opportunity permits, these should be opened and sloshed from one bottle to another as soon as possible.

GSR sloshed into a decanter and back into the bottle (at about 22:15 this evening), then, with the placemats, delivered to TBH.

My attendance has been doubtful for the past few weeks but now looks certain. Decanting will begin before bed tonight and bottles will be deposited at TBH at lunchtime tomorrow in case of unavoidable lateness.

DRT wrote:My attendance has been doubtful for the past few weeks but now looks certain. Decanting will begin before bed tonight and bottles will be deposited at TBH at lunchtime tomorrow in case of unavoidable lateness.

Good stuff.

My Ruby Reserves are now being decanted to Europe's "Superstitious".

RAYC wrote:My Ruby Reserves are now being decanted to Europe's "Superstitious".

My Graham's Six Grapes has now been decanted to Monty Python's The Meaning of Life.

What surprises me most about this bottle is the very low fill. I know that others have commented on this phenomenon in relation to some relatively young VPs but this is the first time I have encountered it with a Ruby Reserve. When I opened the bottle I could have sworn it was well into the neck. However, after decanting it off no crust and then pouring it back into the bottle it now seems to be very low shoulder. Very strange.

I have decanted 'BMHR'. Is it being served blind?

The used parameters for the placemat software are in the thread entitled Parameters for the placemat software.

benread wrote:I have decanted 'BMHR'. Is it being served blind?

Ruby Reserve yes, Birthday bottle can be blind or not.

DRT wrote:

benread wrote:I have decanted 'BMHR'. Is it being served blind?

Ruby Reserve yes

The placemats have the rubies sighted and the birthday bottles blind.

jdaw1 wrote:

DRT wrote:

benread wrote:I have decanted 'BMHR'. Is it being served blind?

Ruby Reserve yes

The placemats have the rubies sighted and the birthday bottles blind.

Never mind - I can print anonymised 1-8 placemats and labels.

RAYC wrote:

jdaw1 wrote:

DRT wrote:

benread wrote:I have decanted 'BMHR'. Is it being served blind?

Ruby Reserve yes

The placemats have the rubies sighted and the birthday bottles blind.

Never mind - I can print anonymised 1-8 placemats and labels.

Now done

AHB wrote:Place mats look good to me.

Other folks didn’t look for themselves, it seems.

Other folks didn’t look for themselves, it seems

- Wanna bet?

It's so rare that we find fault with them, multiple endorsements aren't really necessary..

My bottles are now at The Bung Hole.

As my birthday was yesterday and I have not yet had my annual dose of 1965 VP I am now clinging on to life by a thread. If I am late, or very late, please factor my health and wellbeing into the pouring descisions otherwise this could be my very last port tasting

DRT wrote:If I am late, or very late

Please tell us your route, so that if you are absent a search party bearing an emergency sample bottle can be sent to revive you.

uncle tom wrote:

Other folks didn’t look for themselves, it seems

- Wanna bet?

It's so rare that we find fault with them, multiple endorsements aren't really necessary..

I wish to associate myself with these comments

My after-dinner contribution was decanted at 1645. A decanter sample was found to be a little spirity, but otherwise quite attractive.

Enjoy.

If my work thing ends before too late, I might make an appearance. If not, not.

Links:

• Review of the evening of 29th March 2012 (The Birthday Boys' Tasting) as a whole;
• Cockburn Special Reserve;
• Fonseca Terra Prima;
• Graham's Finest Reserve;
• Graham's Six Grapes;
• Noval Black;
• Port Society Finest Reserve;
• Ramos Pinto Collector's Reserve;
• Quinta de la Rosa Reserve Ruby;
• 1966 Croft;
• 1977 Fonseca;
• 1970 Graham;
• 1965 Malvedos;
• 1959 Niepoort colheita;
• 1963 Rebello Valente;
• 1955 Warre;
• Placemats;
• Planning and arrangements.