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Future virtual dates are now here - Planner

Thought it might be useful to have a separate thread with dates and potential themes for our virtual tastings.

Currently runs up to mid June.

#1 - Thurs 14th Jan - LBVs
#2 - Weds 27th Jan - Tawnies (especially 10YOs)
#3 - Thurs 11th Feb - SQVPs (focus on Taylor and Fonseca)
#4 - Weds 24th Feb - Drink some Port...
#5 - Thurs 11th Mar - Crusted
#6 - Thurs 18th Mar - Drink some Port...
#7 - Weds 31st Mar - Colheitas
#8 - Thurs 15th Apr - Graham’s themed (following VWP Graham’s Single Harvest Tasting)
#9 - Weds 28th Apr - Churchill, with the Churchills
#10 - Thurs 13th May - Quevedo themed (following VWP Quevedo 20YO DIY Tawny Blending)
#11 - Thurs 27th May - Theme tba - Didn't happen...
#11 - Weds 9nd June - Theme tba
#12 - Thurs 17th June - Quevedo or other Colheita themed (following VWP Quevedo Colheita Tasting)

Are we all happy with the alternating Thursdays and Wednesday? Do we want different weekdays?

Suggestions for other themes or should it just be anything goes?

I like George’s suggestion that themes should be mindful of potential cellar access problems and what’s readily available in supermarkets/online.

Excellent work! Love this idea and thanks for organising. Can I suggest "Crusted" for one of the themes?

@ rich_n - I like "Crusted" as a theme, good thinking.
@ nac - perhaps a "Colheita" theme for one of them?

winesecretary wrote: ↑13:13 Tue 19 Jan 2021 @ rich_n - I like "Crusted" as a theme, good thinking.
@ nac - perhaps a "Colheita" theme for one of them?

Sounds like a plan. I’ll update the list.

Any more?

Port from the...
then choose a decade?

Alex Bridgeman wrote:Port from the...
then choose a decade?

Or sub-region of the Douro (Cima Corgo would probably be too easy: Baixo Corgo or DS would be much more interesting!).

Planner updated to include post-tasting Graham’s tasting on 11th March. Have pushed back the Crusted and Colheita events to accommodate this.

I'm not entirely certain who recommended this on the most recent virtual tasting session (possible Neil or Simon), but it's £5.50 for a Rioja Riserva from Lidl so the least I can do is give it a try! Thanks for the suggestion.

rich_n wrote: ↑22:48 Mon 15 Feb 2021 I'm not entirely certain who recommended this on the most recent virtual tasting session (possible Neil or Simon), but it's £5.50 for a Rioja Riserva from Lidl so the least I can do is give it a try! Thanks for the suggestion.

Think it was Justin.

Yes it was I.

Justin K wrote:Yes it was I.

Well my apologies for my memory - thanks for the recommendation!

Have updated planner and adjusted dates to take account of the VWP tastings.

Do we want sessions on both 11th (as planned) and 18th (the new date for the Graham Single Harvest event)?

I'll open up threads for both to gauge interest. If 11th doesn't seem to be needed/wanted then we can always cancel it.

Have opened up a thread for 31/3.

Any suggestions for a theme? Was going to be Quevedo, but let's assume we're slipping that one.

Have updated the planner/list to work in the revised dates for the VWP tastings and extended sessions into June.

Noticed that we still haven't done the planned Colheita tasting, so have assumed that for 31/3. Any objections?

Have further updated/adjusted the planner to add in the VWP Quevedo Colheita tasting on 27/5 and pushed the session on 2/6 back one week.

Any theme suggestions for 6/5 and 20/5?

Have updated to incorporate revised date for "Churchill with the Churchills" and adjusted May dates to spread sessions out a bit.

Have updated the list to show Quevedo Tawny Blending + afterparty as postponed.

I haven’t organised a physical tasting for a while (in common with almost everyone else) and was reading George’s suggestions elsewhere on the years which have not recently featured as the theme for one of our tastings.

Would there be interest in a tasting with a theme along the lines of “Vintage Port from the 1980’s but not from 1980, 1983 or 1985”?

A bottle of Churchill 1982 would say yes to that theme.

Alex Bridgeman wrote: ↑13:32 Sun 02 May 2021 I haven’t organised a physical tasting for a while (in common with almost everyone else) and was reading George’s suggestions elsewhere on the years which have not recently featured as the theme for one of our tastings.

Would there be interest in a tasting with a theme along the lines of “Vintage Port from the 1980’s but not from 1980, 1983 or 1985”?

Yes please - an excellent suggestion. Can offer de la Rosa 1988.

Have updated the planner to reflect confirmed dates for Quevedo events.
Will open a list for 13th...

List opened for 9th June.

What's the general mood about continuing these? How about once a month until the end of the year and we'll review then? If there's a month without much else happening we can always add in some extra events.

If we're going to carry on with them then I'll show them in a planner combining physical and virtual.

While virtual tastings are not a wholly satisfactory substitute for convivial in-person gatherings at the B&F, they are (i) acceptable substitutes in the absence thereof (ii) inclusive in the sense of much easier to attend for port forumites not in London. Mainly because of the latter factor, I'd be up for continuing them, say 6 a year going forward.

As someone who isn't London based, I would definitely be keen to continue to have virtual gatherings. Every other month (or when they reasonably coincide with a 3rd party tasting such as the Quevedo/VWP and Churchill events) seems like a reasonable cadence to aim for in my opinion.

nac wrote: ↑10:44 Mon 07 Jun 2021 What's the general mood about continuing these? How about once a month until the end of the year and we'll review then? If there's a month without much else happening we can always add in some extra events.

I would love for them to continue as I'm unable to attend in-person events in London from Seattle.