Wednesday 26 May 2021 – A Virtual Blind Tasting

[hadge]

I have had a crazy idea over the weekend and I know this is very short notice! I’m on my own and completely free on Wednesday night. I’m aware that there was a tasting planned for Thursday night but I sadly can’t make it. This was talked about in one of the tastings, here we go.

I have a 9 sample boxes which hold 6 bottles from virtual tastings over the last year. I have 6 bottles of VP ready for decanting into the bottles. As I only have 9 places, with 3 gone, leaving 6 places currently please can people when confirming say whether they would like for me to post or organise drop off/collection.

I am hoping to post the samples out tomorrow morning and then if need be a second round on Tuesday morning, I will be sending these next day delivery to get them out in time. If you are in north Hampshire or west Berkshire tomorrow (Monday) and if around in London on Tuesday (between 10am and 4pm), I would be happy to meet and drop of samples if that works. Sorry but this has to be UK only.

Costs: none currently, I might ask for the empty sample bottles and box to be sent back.

If people think that this is to short notice and that I’m completely crazy please let me know and I will cancel it. I’m open to ideas and I will need some help with placemats.

I’m thinking 7:30pm start time on Wednesday 26th May.

1, HTWH
2, HTWH Guest = MK
3, MPM (the king of zoom)
4, SCD
5, RichN
6, PW
7, CPR
8, JDAW
9,


Reserve (Just in case Mike or Guest can’t make it).
1,
2,


Current draft of the placemats.

[hadge]

I hope that no one is upset that I have reserved Mike a place because of Zoom.

[Doggett]

Sounds like fun Harry. Please count me in if it all works. Will send a PM

[winesecretary]

I would love to join you, but just two hours ago I agreed to a dinner on Wed that I now can't back out of. I'm very sorry, and hope you have fun.

[rich_n]

I would very much be interested in joining!

[PhilW]

Crazy? Possibly, but only in a very good way.
Port drinking involved? Check.
Possibility to drink something delicious? Check.
Opportunity to embarrass myself with wildly inaccurate guessing? Check.
Would I like to be involved? Absolutely!
(Will PM my address for posting please)

[CPR 1]

Sounds great, yes please

Sent from my SM-G960F using Tapatalk

[flash_uk]

I’m a possible - am in town on Wednesday, then need to get home to collect son from his cricket match which would mean joining at 8.30 at the earliest. Zoom is no problem though - can set that up regardless. Will explore further options now and report back ASAP.

[flash_uk]

Oh, and the tasting on Thursday 27th - it’s in the planner but not sure much has been done about it yet?

[Alex Bridgeman]

What a fabulous idea! Normally I would love to attend but I have to give a eulogy at a funeral on Thursday morning so had better decline the invitation.

I might drop in to say hello though, if I’m allowed to.

[hadge]

I might drop in to say hello though, if I’m allowed to.

Unless others object, I’m very happy for others to drop in and say hello, but we might have to keep the numbers down at the start to make it work, maybe you will have to join a little later? open to views on this.

[Alex Bridgeman]

I’m happy to fit in around whatever the group prefers.

[jdaw1]

Crazy? Possibly, but only in a very good way.
Port drinking involved? Check.
Possibility to drink something delicious? Check.
Opportunity to embarrass myself with wildly inaccurate guessing? Check.
Would I like to be involved? Absolutely!
(Will PM my address for posting please)

Ditto. Yes please. Will PM or WhatsApp re placemats.

[idj123]

I would have liked to join but Badminton is back and boy, do I need the exercise!

[hadge]

First round of samples sent today. should be with you tomorrow by Parcelforce. if there is anyone else please can they let me know first thing in the morning tomorrow. thanks

[nac]

Great idea and would have loved to do this but unfortunately already committed to a quiz league match on Wednesday.

[hadge]

last lot of samples about to go, therefore places are full for wanting samples. thanks

Decanted Monday, so store in fridge.

[CPR 1]

All received - looking forward to this

[Doggett]

All received - looking forward to this

Likewise… they look yummy!

[hadge]

thanks for let me know they have arrived

[M.Charlton]

I wish I checked TPF more frequently! Enjoy, folks.

[jdaw1]

Am I the only one in the zoom?

[hadge]

Tasted Mz94, G75, T85, Ts03, W75, SW97
Wine of the night 1st T85, 2nd W75 3rd SW97

Tasting winner CPR

[winesecretary]

... he usually is!

Sounds like it was great fun. Sorry once again not to have been there, happy that there was an enthusiastic audience.

[Alex Bridgeman]

I'm sorry I wasn't able to join you last night, even if only to drop in and say hello. I've a busy day today and needed last night to get prepared.

[CPR 1]

A most enjoyable and excellent evening, huge thanks to Harry for making it happen. It was such a treat to have 6 excellent and different ports in front of me again, I have really missed this

[PhilW]

A most enjoyable and excellent evening, huge thanks to Harry for making it happen. It was such a treat to have 6 excellent and different ports in front of me again, I have really missed this

Absolutely; the samples were in excellent condition with only one (G75) showing more acidity than expected based on Harry's experience with previous bottle from the same case, and we had an interesting variety of ports - showing us exactly what we miss by not having the informals together. Charles gets a special mention not just for scoring highest on guesses, but also for precisely guessing the T85 blind - whereas I was as rubbish as anticipated, scoring only twice as much as the UK at Eurovision. Many thanks to Harry for the ports, the organisation, and an excellent evening.

[rich_n]

A most enjoyable and excellent evening, huge thanks to Harry for making it happen. It was such a treat to have 6 excellent and different ports in front of me again, I have really missed this

Absolutely; the samples were in excellent condition with only one (G75) showing more acidity than expected based on Harry's experience with previous bottle from the same case, and we had an interesting variety of ports - showing us exactly what we miss by not having the informals together. Charles gets a special mention not just for scoring highest on guesses, but also for precisely guessing the T85 blind - whereas I was as rubbish as anticipated, scoring only twice as much as the UK at Eurovision. Many thanks to Harry for the ports, the organisation, and an excellent evening.

To echo Phil's thoughts, I very enjoyed trying some excellent port, none of which I had previously had the pleasure of tasting. Thanks so much to Harry for organising and generously sharing some delicious wines!

[flash_uk]

Many thanks to Harry for generously sharing 6 bottles with us, and superb organisation! Agree with Charles, great to have a range of lovely ports to taste.

[Doggett]

Many thanks to Harry for generously sharing 6 bottles with us, and superb organisation! Agree with Charles, great to have a range of lovely ports to taste.

I agree with all the positive comments that have followed this tasting. Wonderful company, wonderful port, wonderful to have a mix of VPs…and some mature VP too. Huge thanks to Harry for his kind generosity and fantastic organisation. It was probably our first ‘virtual emergency’ and it was very good fun with some lovely juice.

[rich_n]

We also learned that the Tesco TTD '03 is a decent port at £20 a bottle!

[hadge]

I'm really pleased with how the tasting went and how the samples held up in a 2 day decant plus being shipped around the country!

thank you all to for your kind words and great fun was had by all

please hold on to the sample bottles and boxes, as i think that i will want them back but in no rush, as we might do another one of these in the future, even with us soon being able to get together in London.

[MigSU]

We also learned that the Tesco TTD '03 is a decent port at £20 a bottle!

SFE?

[Doggett]

I am just trying to catch up with my notes on tastings and for this one I have scores/notes and wine number but apart from 3 not the what the bottles were. Harry - are you or any of the other attendees able to confirm the bottles we were lucky enough to taste. many thanks in advance.

[hadge]

The line up was,

Grahams 1975 - B2
Warre's 1975 - B5
Taylor 1985 - B3
Martinez 1994 - B1
Smith Woodhouse 1997 - B6
Tesco Vintage Port 2003 - B4

I will try and dig out the score card.

[hadge]

I'm looking at holding another one of these in the new year.

[rich_n]

I'm looking at holding another one of these in the new year.

I would love to be involved again, the last one was a lot of fun!