‟Daily Drinker”, 2 Dec (was "are we wasting our money?")

[Alex Bridgeman]

When you attempted to make the booking, who did you talk to? If not Andrew, I would suggest that you call back and insist on talking to Andrew. He will probably be happy to keep the normal rate of corkage, although we will probably have to swallow the higher menu cost and deposit. Do you want me to call them and try?

How many people do we have lined up? We could try for the tasting room at Big Yellow, which would probably be free - but we would have to get food from the nearest Pizza restaurant (or similar).

[jdaw1]

Testing new places is a good idea. If eating in Fulham the best pizza used to be, by a country mile, Pappa Ciccia, the website of which has problems. Nonetheless, 105 Munster Road SW6 5RQ, +44 20 7384 1884.

[DRT]

Big Yellow would be interesting to see. It would also give us an almost limitless supply of VP to call upon if we get thirsty or decide we aren't wasting our money

I don't like pizza (apart from at the times of the evening that everyone likes pizza).

[JacobH]

When you attempted to make the booking, who did you talk to? If not Andrew, I would suggest that you call back and insist on talking to Andrew. He will probably be happy to keep the normal rate of corkage, although we will probably have to swallow the higher menu cost and deposit. Do you want me to call them and try?

I only spoke to Patricia at the Crusting Pipe on Monday; so it may be that if you can speak to someone higher up then that would help (if you don't mind). The Christmas menu is quite expensive though: two courses for £24.95 or three courses at £28.95 (the steak is described as "8 oz Sirloin steak, aged for 21 days" which, of course, means nothing to me ) so the key thing would be to see if he would be happy to serve us the normal menu. I think they have been flexible about menus in the past and I can't see that they would be packed out with Christmas parties on the 2nd December...

[DRT]

I don't like pizza.

the steak is described as "8 oz Sirloin steak, aged for 21 days"

If you can get three of those on a pizza I am willing to give it a go.

[Alex Bridgeman]

When you attempted to make the booking, who did you talk to? If not Andrew, I would suggest that you call back and insist on talking to Andrew. He will probably be happy to keep the normal rate of corkage, although we will probably have to swallow the higher menu cost and deposit. Do you want me to call them and try?

I only spoke to Patricia at the Crusting Pipe on Monday; so it may be that if you can speak to someone higher up then that would help (if you don't mind). The Christmas menu is quite expensive though: two courses for £24.95 or three courses at £28.95 (the steak is described as "8 oz Sirloin steak, aged for 21 days" which, of course, means nothing to me ) so the key thing would be to see if he would be happy to serve us the normal menu. I think they have been flexible about menus in the past and I can't see that they would be packed out with Christmas parties on the 2nd December...

TCP have offered to meet us half-way. While they are unable to offer us our normal menu in December, they are happy to waive the deposit and retain the normal corkage charge of £10 per bottle and, as usual, provide glasses and water within that corkage fee. Our normal menu will be back in January, but on December 2 we will have a choice of eating from the Christmas menu (described by Jacob above) or from the full price A La Carte menu. This would make the overall cost per person something in the region of £50 + cost of port rather than our normal £35-40+.

I have provisionally booked a table in the tunnel for 8 people for December 2, and have until next Wednesday to cancel. No deposit is required given our regularity of visits.

Is anyone unhappy with these arrangements? If so, please say now.

Alex

[JacobH]

I have provisionally booked a table in the tunnel for 8 people for December 2, and have until next Wednesday to cancel. No deposit is required given our regularity of visits.

That sounds great; thanks.

A friend of mine, Chris (CJJ, r/h) has also said that he will try to join us (though he may have to pull out at the last moment).

[jdaw1]

Updated draft of the placemats.

• +CJJ;
• Still sixteen Greeks (α β γ δ ε ζ η θ ι κ λ μ ν ξ ο Ï€), and S82.

[Alex Bridgeman]

When will we be instructed what port we should be supplying to the tasting?

[jdaw1]

When will we be instructed what port we should be supplying to the tasting?

I have lists from JNO, DRT, BMHR, THRA, RAYC, and AHB. That’s seven.

CHR, EE, CJJ are presumably contributing towards food. JGH: are you food or port?

[JacobH]

I note that THRA has declared a list in flagrant violation of the rules; equally CHR has gone further by buying and earmarking a bottle for this occasion...

We could treat CHR's bottle as a wild-card (as in no-one would know if it was the same as another or not) and I could bring cash, making 15 bottles. Or we could do the same and I could bring Port, making 17. What would the consensus be?

[jdaw1]

Fifteen is plenty. I say bring cash.

Once this is decided I will send PMs with assignments.

[Alex Bridgeman]

Fifteen is plenty. I say bring cash.

Agreed

[jdaw1]

I have lists from JNO, DRT, BMHR, THRA, RAYC, and AHB. That’s seven.

I can’t count.

For this and another reason, a change of mind: JGH to bring bottles.

[benread]

Gents,

For this reason, I am no longer in a position to justify this night out to wife and two children. The caesarean has left her somewhat incapacitated.

Please excuse my late-ish change of status.

[jdaw1]

and another reason

For this reason

JGH: where are you?

[JacobH]

I've sent the list to jdaw1, apologies for being last. I'll remove (with regrets) BenR from the list.

and another reason

For this reason

JGH: where are you?

The City of London, probably in the parish of St Dunstan in the West?

[jdaw1]

Instructions have been sent by email to JNO, and by PM to THRA, DRT, AHB, JGH, RAYC, and, probably redundantly, BMHR.

[jdaw1]

Forgot to say: when purchasing your bottles keep and bring the receipt.

Everything stays wrapped until after the WOTN vote.

[JacobH]

Are we going to attempt to ensure that each person does not know which bottle is the one he brought? Or be more relaxed?

Also, what views do people have about decanting? Is the night before going to be sufficient for these wines or should we think about giving them a bit more time?

[jdaw1]

Are we going to attempt to ensure that each person does not know which bottle is the one he brought? Or be more relaxed?

Please bring bottles wrapped in foil. Arbitrarily, perhaps done by a non-participant, labels (last four pages of placemats to be printed onto Ryman 0220013460) are stuck to the foil. All taste all. Vote on WOTN, the winner being known only as a Greek letter. In turn, bottles are unwrapped. There is a delay whilst the person whose bottle this is remembers ‟that’s mine!”, and then fumbles for the receipt to announce cost.

Decanting? Before arrival people must remove capsules and wrap in foil. If there is sediment, double-decant. Timing thereof to be determined by person bringing bottles.

[JacobH]

Decanting? Before arrival people must remove capsules and wrap in foil. If there is sediment, double-decant. Timing thereof to be determined by person bringing bottles.

I was simply wondering, from the oenological point-of-view, what sort of decanting was best for these sorts of wines, and hoping for some discussion as to the optimal timing...

[Alex Bridgeman]

Most of the wines in the price bracket that we are talkinga bout will respond well to 24-72 hours of decanting. I certainly found that last time I drank a bottle of Bin 27, I enjoyed it more on the third day than I did on the first or second.

Perhaps we should aim to ensure that each bottle has between 24 and 48 hours of decanting time before being double decanted back into the original (or not, as the mischevious nature of the provider may dictate) bottle?

[Alex Bridgeman]

I'm at home on my own for much of today. Is it too soon to decant my contribution for this tasting?

[DRT]

Fellow Attendees,

My house in Derbyshire currently looks like this...



The weather forecast for the remaider of this week does not look promising and it is possible that I will be unable to attend this event as I either won't be able to travel to London or my business meetings on Thursday and Friday might be cancelled

As a contingency, could I have a volunteer who has a better chance of attending than I have who could purchase two bottles locally on my behalf so that the line-up can remain intact if I cannot get there. The volunteer will become the owner of the two bottles I intended to bring along the next time I see him.

Derek