ThePortForum.com

I'd like to propose Thursday 21st of December as the date of our 2017 Port Forum Christmas extravaganza. (This ties in with my Ipswich team Christmas lunch so puts me in the right place at the right time.)

I haven't asked Tom yet, but I am hoping that he will kindly agree to host the Christmas offline again at the White Horse in Newport. The nearest train station to the pub is Newport (Essex), which is a 10 minute walk from the White Horse. Those staying overnight usually stay at the Saffron Hotel in Saffron Walden, a 10 minute car journey from the White Horse, at the Tollhouse B&B in Newport or at the Cricketer's Arms in Rickling Green (a 7 minute drive).

The theme will be the usual, that is The Unknown Shipper and His Peculiar Friends

Space at the White Horse is a little tight so numbers attending have to be limited to 10. Normal practice is to offer those who attended the previous year first refusal. The industry guest will probably be Dirk Niepoort.

Last Year's attendees were as set out below. Last year's attendees have until end of May to confirm their intention to attend in 2017 and to book their place (which can be cancelled later, if required).
1.Uncle Tom (confirmed)
2.CMAG (confirmed)
3.Axel Probst (confirmed)
4.AHB (confirmed)
5.IDJ (confirmed)
6.MPM (confirmed)
7.WS1 (confirmed)
8.PW (confirmed)
9.RLC (confirmed)
10.CPR (confirmed)

RESERVES
1.WG
2.SGD
3.TC
4.JDAW
5.NN


There are usually one or two people who can't make it at the last minute each year so being on the reserve list gives you a decent chance to attend. If you'd like to be on the reserve list, please say so.

Can I be a reserve please

Count me in!

And me please.

Can you add me as a reserve please.

Yes please!

Confirm me please.

Reconfirming attendance- still nine months to secure an unknown!

Confirming also.

Would not miss this for the world....

Please add me to the end of the reserve list.

If anyone else is staying at the Cricketer's Arms in Rickling Green, let me know and we can share a cab again.

I've just booked myself into one of the double rooms, there are plenty left at the moment.

Alex - I have booked in the Cricketer's again. Yes please to the cab share

Booked in as well...

Can I please be added to the reserve list
Thanks

Have finally got my backside in gear and booked the Cricketer's again. And, yes, happy to share a cab.

Christopher wrote: ↑17:58 Mon 25 Sep 2017 Can I please be added to the reserve list
Thanks

You have been added.

Can you please add a friend of mine to the reserve list. His initials are WG.

WS1 wrote: ↑17:40 Wed 15 Nov 2017 Can you please add a friend of mine to the reserve list. His initials are WG.

Done

EDN is no longer able to attend. The first three reserves turned down the offer of a place so CMAG is now attending and WG is top of the reserves list.

For the sticky labels, the pseudo-placemats: are any Ports or wines being revealed?

Not from me at this stage...it may change.

Only to the extent that mine is an unknown bottle, believed vintage port.

Which reminds me, I should get it out and stand it up.

I shall print the pseudo-placemats on Friday 15th so please note no changes will be able to be made to the placemats after 7am on that day.

JDAW — thank you for making the sticky labels.

AHB wrote: ↑19:48 Wed 06 Dec 2017I shall print the pseudo-placemats on Friday 15th so please note no changes will be able to be made to the placemats after 7am on that day.

JDAW — thank you for making the sticky labels.

How many bottles?

And there will be later changes: is there anybody else who has the 5×13 sticky sheets who could print later?

Please assume 14 bottles and 10 people attending.

A car from Elsenham Cabs (01279 815 303) has been booked to pick up from the Cricketer's Arms at 18.00 and to return from the White Horse at 00.15. It will be a standard car and is expected to accommodate AHB, CPR, AP and IDJ.

jdaw1 wrote: ↑23:54 Wed 06 Dec 2017

AHB wrote: ↑19:48 Wed 06 Dec 2017I shall print the pseudo-placemats on Friday 15th so please note no changes will be able to be made to the placemats after 7am on that day.

JDAW — thank you for making the sticky labels.

How many bottles?

And there will be later changes: is there anybody else who has the 5×13 sticky sheets who could print later?

CPR 1 and CPR 2 will both be on parade

Please note I did not print the stickies. If no-one is able to, I will bring plain labels with me on Thursday.

Please assume 14 bottles and 10 people attending.

Will do.

Does anyone NOT want a fillet steak? - please let me know ASAP as the order goes in on Monday.

Will get some British unpasteurised cheese, also planning a repeat of the ice cream with Pedro Ximenez 'gravy' - that worked rather well last year..

Do people want starters? If so, suggestions..?

Definitely steak for me please...not fussed about a starter.

Steak is fine

Yes please to steak - last year the steak was top notch!

Definitely up for steak here, of course Starters would be nice, but only if non-stressful to include; perhaps smoked salmon, welsh rarebit or just some mixed nibbles like salted roasted almonds?

Starters would be nice, but only if non-stressful to include; perhaps smoked salmon, welsh rarebit or just some mixed nibbles like salted roasted almonds?

Easy enough - will arrange a platter of salmon and lemon halves that people can self serve from, plus a couple of dishes of almonds and cashews.

Half a Lemon not required by me but I shall be attending early to help decant if necessary.

Steak and chips would be lovely. No starter or dessert needed for me but please could you have the fire going so I can use port tongs.

I’ll try to get to the White Horse around 5pm to decant and will head off to check in to my hotel about 5.45pm, back to start drinking about 6.30pm.

That food line-up is good by me-thanks Tom, looking forward to it.

CMAG and WS will both be fielding a pair unknowns (but not similar bottles) from the recent Sworders sale

I have finally stood up the bottle that is certainly 1917 and allegedly Fonseca, that JDAW has been badgering me to open for about three years now, to see if the cork reveals all..

Log store at pub has been well stacked - is someone bringing tongs?

Mine will be an unknown 1887; tongs would be useful (assuming AHB bringing from earlier comment).
Food sounds good, thanks Tom.

I have tongs in my suitcase. Hopefully Charles and I will arrive around 17.00-17.15 and can leave the tongs in the fire to heat up while we check into our hotel.

The 1917's cork has been bleached and is now legible - just..!

The first part of the shipper is illegible, but it ends INEZ - so must be Martinez

uncle tom wrote: ↑10:27 Fri 22 Dec 2017 The 1917's cork has been bleached and is now legible - just..!

The first part of the shipper is illegible, but it ends INEZ - so must be Martinez

If that's correct then a certain tome will require a revision as an Mz17 is not listed

Links:

• Review of the evening as a whole;
• 1950 Croft;
• 1887 Unknown;
• 1935 Croft;
• 1942 Graham;
• 1927 Graham;
• ???? Unknown;
• 1917 Martinez;
• 1912 Sandeman;
• 1958 Quinta do Noval;
• 1955 Sandeman;
• 1958 Martinez;
• 1955 Harvey;
• 1940 Souza Guedes colheita;
• Organisation and planning.