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rich_n wrote: ↑23:19 Mon 17 Mar 2025 @Mike, I'm unable to confirm for this date at the moment, and probably won't be able to for at least a couple of months so please drop me back to the reserves and give my spot to Alex H.

Noted and done.

Time for an update I think. We're pretty much there with attendees, and ports on offer. Still need to get:

• confirmation and bottles from Zak
• confirmation and bottles from Alex H
• confirmation and bottles from Dia
• bottles from Wolfgang G

The current lineup for flights 1-4 looks like this:



Ports that are known but missing are:
Amandiao (Real Vinicola)
Dow Bomfim
Flagman
Marks & Spencer own selection
Messias
Quinta de la Rosa
Rocha
Quinta do Roriz
Viera de Souza

As noted previously, I'm leaving out Noval Nacional as it is too expensive.

Ideally we'll find some of the missing ones. Otherwise, I will also likely promote a port from the flight 0 tasting if we can find one where we have two bottles.

Next step: I'll drop everyone an email outlining which bottles I hope they can offer.

Just over 6 months away. Getting excited already!

The draft of the placemats has been updated. It is believed that the Ports are correct, thought I might later re-order the bottles within each flight. It might well be that the names are not correct.

May I suggest that the Gould Campbell Vintage be in the same flight as the Gould Campbell LBV?

jdaw1 wrote: ↑23:57 Mon 24 Mar 2025 The draft of the placemats has been updated.

From the attendees listed on the first post, both Zak R. and Alex H. are missing from the placements (though neither have reconfirmed nor advised on Ports).

Daniel VDSS is listed on the placemats, despite:

flash_uk wrote: ↑15:52 Tue 11 Feb 2025
No response received:

1. Daniel (VDSS) (deemed unavailable given no response to comms)

jdaw1 wrote: ↑23:57 Mon 24 Mar 2025 May I suggest that the Gould Campbell Vintage be in the same flight as the Gould Campbell LBV?

I believe only a single bottle is available, in which case, no.

flash_uk wrote: ↑06:56 Tue 25 Mar 2025

jdaw1 wrote: ↑23:57 Mon 24 Mar 2025 May I suggest that the Gould Campbell Vintage be in the same flight as the Gould Campbell LBV?

I believe only a single bottle is available, in which case, no.

And I was wrong - we have 2+ bottles and so we can add the GC70LBV into flight 1. Seeing as Cockburn and Martinez were not owned by the Syms in 1970, suggest move these to flight 3, and bring Ramos Pinto into flight one. And Noval to flight 4. Then we are back to 4 flights each of 9 ports.

Flight 1 - SFE + RP
Flight 2 - TFP & Sogrape & Avery (believed blend of T, S and maybe others)
Flight 3 - Sogevinus + others
Flight 4 - Others

The draft of the placemats has been updated, likely, not for the last time.

Should there people name tents, for people to find where they are sitting? If the seating plan is known, the names can be in the same order.

Before bottles are to be shipped to a central location, people should photograph them. Therefore there should be TN threads before then, within which these photographs can be posted. So I will make TN threads, but after Mike is confident that there won’t be further changes to the list of bottles nor to the assignment to flights.

flash_uk wrote: ↑15:45 Tue 25 Mar 2025Seeing as Cockburn and Martinez were not owned by the Syms in 1970,

You have Croft with team Fladgate, but not Krohn.

Perhaps make flight 3 hold Sogrape + Sogenvinus, with singles scattered to fill spaces.

Very excited to added to the tasting! . Can't wait!

Eight bottles, the first eight of many, have been delivered. They were photographed. It would be unhelpful to clutter this thread which such photos. What should be done?
• Nothing?
• make a single separate thread to which only I have write access?
• Soon make the many TN threads, and post in there? (Perhaps doing something semi-magical to simplify subscribing to those threads.)

jdaw1 wrote: ↑21:00 Fri 04 Apr 2025 Eight bottles, the first eight of many, have been delivered. They were photographed. It would be unhelpful to clutter this thread which such photos. What should be done?
• Nothing?
• make a single separate thread to which only I have write access?
• Soon make the many TN threads, and post in there? (Perhaps doing something semi-magical to simplify subscribing to those threads.)

Plenty of time. Sit on the photos.

flash_uk wrote: ↑22:37 Sat 05 Apr 2025Plenty of time. Sit on the photos.

They are in your WhatsApp. You sit on them. You keep them flat.

Unfortunately, I won’t be able to make it. I hope you have a great time!

/2alph wrote: ↑06:46 Tue 22 Apr 2025 Unfortunately, I won’t be able to make it. I hope you have a great time!

OK Ralph, thx for the early heads up!

Post #2 transferred to here on Wednesday 30 April 2025
----------------------------------------------------------------------

Picking up from where things were, some updates:

• I know of a few people originally able to attend, who are now unable to attend
• discussion with the B&F has determined that they are able to cater for 30 in The Ovens room, meaning two additional seats are available
• in the intervening 5 years, a number of people have been very generous towards me, sharing some excellent port and wine. I am reserving 4 seats for these people and will extend an invite to them. Should any of these folks prove to be unable to attend, the seat(s) will be released for reserves

The net result of all of this is reflected in the revised list of attendees and reserves.

Could I ask that everyone in attendees and reserves reconfirm their availability for the new date.

Some further details for the event.

Payment will be in advance for lunch/dinner/tips/corkage etc of £200 per person.

Lunch and dinner will be from a set menu with 4 or 5 options for each of starter, main and dessert.

Bottles will be "priced" at £100 each, so if you are attending but not supplying any bottles, you'll need to pay a further £240. Attending and supplying two bottles and you'll be paying £40 extra. Once who's bringing what is finalised, some folks will likely get some cash repaid, where they have supplied >2 bottles.

Each flight will have two bottles per shipper, 15 pours from each bottle. Bottles offered by attendees should come from a known-to-be-excellent case, although for some shippers we may not have that luxury.

Any bottles supplied must be supplied in advance - further details to come.

Advance payment will be requested at the beginning of September. Any advance payments not received, or bottles not received, by end of 15 September results in seat being forfeited and a reserve being offered the seat.

Something will need to be determined for dealing with faulty bottles. Further detail to be provided in due course. [edited 12 Feb]

Flights 1-4 are as follows:


Edit on 12 Feb to include this.

OK time for a quick update.

Everyone who could offer bottles should now have received an email outlining what I hope you will be able to supply. I expect it will take a few weeks to verify that we can collectively cover the shippers we are hoping to have.

I'll be in communication with everyone about arrangements to get bottles delivered in advance.

Following on from the poll here, to inquire about appetite to include Noval Nacional, this is going to proceed with currently 15 people signed up. I am going to cap this at one bottle with 15 pours, and given that a fair number have already declined the option I do not forsee a situation where a second bottle will be included, so there is now no further space to take up the NN option.

For attendee numbers, we are currently 27 confirmed, two tentatives and two industry guest with invites pending, so I expect we'll end up between 27 and 30 attendees.

All shaping up nicely! Many thanks to everyone for sticking with it, and for the various forms of support and assistance received thus far.

Should any attendees be wondering about their ability to, or the merits of, working their way through 2.3 bottles of port = 1,728ml [36 x 48ml] in a 10 hour period, then my recent post about glass sample bottles may be of interest. Having perhaps 14 x 30ml glass sample bottles by your side on the day, could be just the thing you need to avoid the temptation to clear every glass. And in the process, drastically improve your chances of seeing the end of the evening

flash_uk wrote: ↑18:58 Sun 04 May 20252.3 bottles of port = 1,728ml [36 x 48ml]

Mike, It’s OK. That will be enough, or at least most of enough, for most attendees.

Decanting will be an industrial operation of which Henry Ford would have been proud. In advance of this, screw-cap bottles are being gathered, partly through a plea to my neighbourhood WhatsApp group.

And today’s anonymous delivery included an empty screw-cap magnum (of Aix). This gives us a choice. Possibility 1: this magnum has no purpose, there is no meaning to its life, it is to be rudely discarded, inhumanely cast aside, ignored as if worthless, indeed as if it should never have been born. Or, possibility 2: ….

Also need to buy many funnels for the decanting process. Have any readers tested the PATIKIL 3.5 Inch Clear Plastic Funnel, 8 Pcs Wide Mouth Multipurpose Transfer Funnel with Long Spout?

jdaw1 wrote: ↑21:48 Sun 04 May 2025PATIKIL 3.5 Inch Clear Plastic Funnel, 8 Pcs Wide Mouth Multipurpose Transfer Funnel with Long Spout

Test pack ordered.

jdaw1 wrote: ↑20:01 Sun 04 May 2025 ...screw-cap bottles are being gathered...

Am also collecting such bottles for you. Should I continue or are you likely to acquire enough locally?

nac wrote: ↑08:49 Tue 06 May 2025

jdaw1 wrote: ↑20:01 Sun 04 May 2025...screw-cap bottles are being gathered...

Am also collecting such bottles for you. Should I continue or are you likely to acquire enough locally?

There aren’t enough until there are enough: yes please, continue.

Bottle delivery status: (green=delivered, mustard=partially delivered, blue=none for delivery)

1. Alex B (AHB)
2. Mike M (MPM)
3. Tom A (THRA)
4. Ben R (BMHR)
5. Simon D (SCD)
6. Phil W (PW)
7. Charles R (CPR)
8. Ian J (IDJ)
9. Julian W (JDAW)
10. Justin K (JK)
11. Axel P (AP)
12. Jörgen B (JB)
13. Sten I (SAI)
14. Stefan S (SS)
15. Tony C (TC)
16. Neil C (NAC)
17. George G (GEAG)
18. Wolfgang S (WPS)
19. Christopher G (CMAG)
20. Michael C (MC)
21. Harry H (HTWH)
22. Will W (WHW)
23. Martin C (MSC)
24. Cliff M (CEM)
25. Wolfgang G (WG)
26. Adam O(AO)

You emailed me about the shippers I was providing and I responded with a query. Let me have an answer when you can as it affects what I will deliver and when.

Sadly I can no longer make those dates.
I wish you all a fantastic tasting!

Alex Bridgeman wrote: ↑15:14 Sun 11 May 2025 You emailed me about the shippers I was providing and I responded with a query. Let me have an answer when you can as it affects what I will deliver and when.

Hi Alex - I sent a reply the same day. Shout if you can't find it. In fact, never mind - resent!

Constandia wrote: ↑12:18 Wed 25 Jun 2025 Sadly I can no longer make those dates.
I wish you all a fantastic tasting!

OK that's a shame Dia. Thx for letting me know well in advance.

A quick update on all things 1970 horizontal:

- the B&F have confirmed availability of sufficent glasses to see us through the tasting
- the menu will change between now and the date of our tasting
- request made: can "special" steaks with associated price premium be included on the menu. Awaiting confirmation

Bottle delivery

Latest situation can be found here. We are almost exactly one third of the way there. I've had confirmation from everyone yet to deliver bottles, that they understand requirement and have thus either got a plan or are working on one. I will begin chasing folks more frequently from here onwards. A reminder - we need all bottles to be sitting in the cellarmaster's (JDAW) cellar by early September at the latest...which is roughly 5 weeks away.

If you haven't got this in hand, please get on it! Any issues, ping me a message.

flash_uk wrote: ↑16:27 Sat 26 Jul 2025by early September at the latest

August heat means that, excepting in-person deliveries, the first week of September would be much safer. As appropriate PM Mike or me (or both, but I can’t get that in a single link).

But do get this going. Don’t be that person at whom everybody shakes their head and says “My fault for inviting him — won’t make that mistake again”.

Mine are delivered, and on the onlyfans link.

jdaw1 wrote: ↑23:57 Mon 24 Mar 2025 The draft of the placemats has been updated. It is believed that the Ports are correct, thought I might later re-order the bottles within each flight. It might well be that the names are not correct.

May I suggest that the Gould Campbell Vintage be in the same flight as the Gould Campbell LBV?

Many thanks for latest placemats update Julian. A few tweaks/questions/thoughts:

People
Flight 0 is only currently 19 people, so can remove Dia, Ben R, Axel, Will, Ralph, Wolfgang S, Wolfgang G, Christopher.
Flights 1 - 4, can remove Dia.

Glasses/bottles
Question: just clarifying - flight 0 placemats are trimmed A2?

Flight 0 glasses are mostly correct, assuming Charles no longer bringing Dalva as we already have C Da Silva from Jörgen. Cliff is also contributing a G70 tregnum.
Some discussions have been had offline about adding the five (?) single harvest tawnies from 1970 into the mix. Thinking being some of the 21 vintage bottles may not be great, and given that pours are ~35ml, there may be some thirst...


Flights 1-4, latest thinking on flighting:

In flight 1, 14 people have elected to have NN: Alex, Mike, Phil, Charles, Ian, Axel, Tony, Neil, George, Michael, Martin, Harry, Will, Cliff.

Flights 1-4 are currently showing on A4 - can this be adjusted to A3 please. Quicker to deploy, and assists with even spacing along the table.

flash_uk wrote: ↑10:26 Mon 04 Aug 2025Flight 0 is only currently 19 people, so can remove Dia, Ben R, Axel, Will, Ralph, Wolfgang S, Wolfgang G, Christopher.
Flights 1 - 4, can remove Dia.

Believed done.

flash_uk wrote: ↑10:26 Mon 04 Aug 2025Question: just clarifying - flight 0 placemats are trimmed A2?

Yes, as /A2 uses less table space than /A3 + /A4. Updated such that flights 1–4 are trimmed /A3.

flash_uk wrote: ↑10:26 Mon 04 Aug 2025Flight 0 glasses are mostly correct, assuming Charles no longer bringing Dalva as we already have C Da Silva from Jörgen.

In the Circlearrays “Dalva” has been renamed to “C. da Silva = Dalva”. If you meant more than this, please explain.

flash_uk wrote: ↑10:26 Mon 04 Aug 2025Cliff is also contributing a G70 tregnum.

Thank you. Added.

flash_uk wrote: ↑10:26 Mon 04 Aug 2025Some discussions have been had offline about adding the five (?) single harvest tawnies from 1970 into the mix. Thinking being some of the 21 vintage bottles may not be great, and given that pours are ~35ml, there may be some thirst...

I say not, but I am not the master. Anyway, as yet no change to placemats.

flash_uk wrote: ↑10:26 Mon 04 Aug 2025In flight 1, 14 people have elected to have NN: Alex, Mike, Phil, Charles, Ian, Axel, Tony, Neil, George, Michael, Martin, Harry, Will, Cliff.

Please inspect relevant pages for somebody yes and somebody no, inspect design, and critique or confirm.

flash_uk wrote: ↑10:26 Mon 04 Aug 2025Flights 1-4 are currently showing on A4 - can this be adjusted to A3 please. Quicker to deploy, and assists with even spacing along the table.

Done — but do inspect: all glasses pages to be trimmed. For printing and trimming, it is easiest if page types are grouped together. Hence pages re-ordered: /A2s, then /A3s, then /A4s. Indeed, these are only the second set of placemats to use three different page sizes (doubtless all of you were going to volunteer ‘Warre in Oct 2021’). After printing, but before Thu 2^nd Oct, the pages should be given a little re‑re‑ordering love.

flash_uk wrote: ↑10:26 Mon 04 Aug 2025Flights 1-4, latest thinking on flighting

Believed done.


Because there are two bottles of each needing pouring, /PrePourNumCopies 2 def (which I have just realised should not be so for flight 0 — another day). PrePourCollate currently true: please confirm or correct.


The FillTexts are ±70° from vertical.


Some of these changes were intricate, and making the length of Names vary by section has revealed some unwanted assumptions in the code, so pls carefully re-check the placemats.

Note for bottle providers.

Some of the three-bottle sets will be completely used — one of the first two will be thought imperfect, so the third opened. But for some, the first two bottles opened will be deemed good and so the third not opened. Those unopened third bottles will then be re-cellared. On the days of this tasting they will not be coming to the B&F — that would be organisational hassle that just isn’t happening, so don’t ask.

Instead over the following year they will be returned to owners, likely by being transferred at a tasting.

But if not collected nor returned within one year, then they become available for team use. That is, after a year of failure of return — whether my fault or that of the theoretical owners — they will then become available for team tastings.

If you object, well, tough.

A similar message has been posted in the flight-0 thread.

jdaw1 wrote: ↑22:54 Mon 04 Aug 2025

flash_uk wrote: ↑10:26 Mon 04 Aug 2025Flight 0 is only currently 19 people, so can remove Dia, Ben R, Axel, Will, Ralph, Wolfgang S, Wolfgang G, Christopher.
Flights 1 - 4, can remove Dia.

Believed done.

flash_uk wrote: ↑10:26 Mon 04 Aug 2025Question: just clarifying - flight 0 placemats are trimmed A2?

Yes, as /A2 uses less table space than /A3 + /A4. Updated such that flights 1–4 are trimmed /A3.

flash_uk wrote: ↑10:26 Mon 04 Aug 2025Flight 0 glasses are mostly correct, assuming Charles no longer bringing Dalva as we already have C Da Silva from Jörgen.

In the Circlearrays “Dalva” has been renamed to “C. da Silva = Dalva”. If you meant more than this, please explain.

flash_uk wrote: ↑10:26 Mon 04 Aug 2025Cliff is also contributing a G70 tregnum.

Thank you. Added.

flash_uk wrote: ↑10:26 Mon 04 Aug 2025Some discussions have been had offline about adding the five (?) single harvest tawnies from 1970 into the mix. Thinking being some of the 21 vintage bottles may not be great, and given that pours are ~35ml, there may be some thirst...

I say not, but I am not the master. Anyway, as yet no change to placemats.

flash_uk wrote: ↑10:26 Mon 04 Aug 2025In flight 1, 14 people have elected to have NN: Alex, Mike, Phil, Charles, Ian, Axel, Tony, Neil, George, Michael, Martin, Harry, Will, Cliff.

Please inspect relevant pages for somebody yes and somebody no, inspect design, and critique or confirm.

flash_uk wrote: ↑10:26 Mon 04 Aug 2025Flights 1-4 are currently showing on A4 - can this be adjusted to A3 please. Quicker to deploy, and assists with even spacing along the table.

Done — but do inspect: all glasses pages to be trimmed. For printing and trimming, it is easiest if page types are grouped together. Hence pages re-ordered: /A2s, then /A3s, then /A4s. Indeed, these are only the second set of placemats to use three different page sizes (doubtless all of you were going to volunteer ‘Warre in Oct 2021’). After printing, but before Thu 2^nd Oct, the pages should be given a little re‑re‑ordering love.

flash_uk wrote: ↑10:26 Mon 04 Aug 2025Flights 1-4, latest thinking on flighting

Believed done.


Because there are two bottles of each needing pouring, /PrePourNumCopies 2 def (which I have just realised should not be so for flight 0 — another day). PrePourCollate currently true: please confirm or correct.


The FillTexts are ±70° from vertical.


Some of these changes were intricate, and making the length of Names vary by section has revealed some unwanted assumptions in the code, so pls carefully re-check the placemats.

Splendid, many thanks Julian. Couple of tweaks:
- circle array for São Luiz is missing the i in “Quinta”
- ⁠Ralph K isn’t coming so can be removed from flights 1-4, but Alex Harrison IS coming for flights 1-4, so can swap his name in

And ref the many changes made above:
- confirming yes/no for NN70 are all correct
- can flights 1-4 trimmed A3 be made regular A3 with glasses centred. The regular A3 width is perfect for edges-touching spacing up the length of the table in The Ovens, which I guess would mean shaded edges would also make sense
- everything else spot on

flash_uk wrote: ↑17:21 Fri 08 Aug 2025- can flights 1-4 trimmed A3 be made regular A3 with glasses centred.

Full-size nine on A3 would be big circles. It could be a centred 3×3 /SquareGrid pattern; or there could be extras = † ‡ § making it to a more sensible ten circles.

jdaw1 wrote: ↑19:16 Fri 08 Aug 2025

flash_uk wrote: ↑17:21 Fri 08 Aug 2025- can flights 1-4 trimmed A3 be made regular A3 with glasses centred.

Full-size nine on A3 would be big circles. It could be a centred 3×3 /SquareGrid pattern; or there could be extras = † ‡ § making it to a more sensible ten circles.

Yes the 9 in SquareGrid currently look like this:

I was thinking this (with my clumsiness wrt water boxes sorted out):

Circles could even be smaller, top-aligned, leaving some white space at the bottom?

The draft of the placemats has been updated.

flash_uk wrote: ↑17:21 Fri 08 Aug 2025- circle array for São Luiz is missing the i in “Quinta”

Sackcloth and ashes! Believed fixed.

flash_uk wrote: ↑17:21 Fri 08 Aug 2025- ⁠Ralph K isn’t coming so can be removed from flights 1-4, but Alex Harrison IS coming for flights 1-4, so can swap his name in

Believed done.

flash_uk wrote: ↑17:21 Fri 08 Aug 2025- can flights 1-4 trimmed A3 be made regular A3 with glasses centred. The regular A3 width is perfect for edges-touching spacing up the length of the table in The Ovens, which I guess would mean shaded edges would also make sense

Believed done.

flash_uk wrote: ↑17:21 Fri 08 Aug 2025- everything else spot on

Happiness.

flash_uk wrote: ↑09:33 Sat 09 Aug 2025Circles could even be smaller, top-aligned, leaving some white space at the bottom?

No. The circles are precisely the same size as six on /A4, which is not too large. E.g., 20250414_Emergency.pdf: “Radii = 131.315, all of them => diameters ~= 92.7mm~=3.65", all of them.”


Edit, to add image, in which flights indicated by background colour.

Hello everyone, a quick update. Bottle delivery progressing nicely - we now have 66% of bottles delivered and plans agreed for the remaining bottles.

Next major update will be early September, when I hope to have the menu available for pre-ordering.

I believe I have 3 bottles of Taylor 1970 to deliver.

Plus one bottle of Avery, which is the reserve bottle in case either of the first two are imperfect, on behalf of Justin.

Hi, I would like to join this tasting on the 3rd October if one of the reserve places are available. This will be my first gig with TPF, so please let me know what is expected. Many thanks, Adam

My Ports should arrive with Julian tomorrow.

Much looking forward to seeing all of you there.

Should you be in Lisbon on Saturday, please join me on my O-PORT-UNIDADE presentation at: https://grandesescolhas.com/nobre-gosto/programa/

Adam Odor wrote: ↑14:57 Mon 15 Sep 2025 Hi, I would like to join this tasting on the 3rd October if one of the reserve places are available. This will be my first gig with TPF, so please let me know what is expected. Many thanks, Adam

Hi Adam

You're very welcome to join! I'll drop you an email with more details.

I am truly sorry, but I am now not going to be able to attend on Friday 3rd October.

I can still make Flight 0 on Thursday 2nd October if that is acceptable.

winesecretary wrote: ↑05:46 Tue 16 Sep 2025 I am truly sorry, but I am now not going to be able to attend on Friday 3rd October.

I can still make Flight 0 on Thursday 2nd October if that is acceptable.

Oh no, terrible news! Yes no problem to still be at Thursday flight 0.

Absolutely gutted, I have work commitment which is taking me overseas so I cant attend....

pommy42 wrote: ↑19:17 Fri 19 Sep 2025 Absolutely gutted, I have work commitment which is taking me overseas so I cant attend....

Oh no! Gutted for you Alex. If things change between now and then, no problem to pitch up!

Nigel M added to attendees.

I am very pleased still to be at Flight 0. Hurrah for substantial mercies.