TPF awards ceremony - 7th February 2023 - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7IMamF9i1Rw

[akzy]

Voting is closed. Many thanks for those who did.

By popular demand

I feel like every year we should have an award ceremony as part of the TPF. One award should be for the best tasting note.

Am very happy to attend the awards dinner

+1

I suggest we have The Port Forum awards ceremony!
We should have a discussion over suitable categories (see post below). Following this, I suggest we can do an online voting survey to gather votes on who should win what.

Where: Boot and Flogger
When: 7th February 2023
Theme : Bring a bottle suitable for The Port Forum Awards ceremony.
Offline attendees

1. ZDR - reconfirmed - 1970 Smith Woodhouse
2. GEAG - reconfirmed, possibly late - 1970 Delaforce
3. JDAW - reconfirmed - 1970 Noval and 1985 Martinez
4. CPR - reconfirmed - 1966 Warre
5. AHB - reconfirmed - 1963 Fonseca
6. WHW - reconfirmed - 1960 Burmester
7. NAC - reconfirmed - 1960 Graham
8. MPM reconfirmed - 1970 Croft
9. IDJ - reconfirmed - 1970 Rebello Valente

Online attendees

1. JK
2. MC
3. SCD
4. GE

Current draft of the placemats:

[akzy]

Provisional voting categories

1. Best tasting note
2. Best tasting
3. Biggest dissapointment at a tasting Imbiber of the year
4. Most accurate blind taster (this would not be a public vote. Instead I will trawl the data to see highest blind scores. I suspect I know who has it.)
5. Best Port at a tasting
6. Producer of the year

[Doggett]

Yes please… sounds fun.

[DRT]

Provisional voting categories

1. Best tasting note
2. Best tasting
3. Biggest dissapointment at a tasting
4. Most accurate blind taster
5. Outstanding contribution to TPF
6. Best Port at a tasting
7. Best guest at a tasting

Category 4 should be awarded to The Monkey by default each year

[Glenn E.]

A mixture of off and online would probably be best unless I can convince my wife that a short vacation in London is warranted.

Which, admittedly, probably wouldn't be too difficult.

[jdaw1]

Will we have made little gold statuettes of a shipper’s pipe?

Yes please.

[CPR 1]

Sounds fun, count me in

[Doggett]

Will we have made little gold statuettes of a shipper’s pipe?

Yes please.

Best physical award award?

[akzy]

Will we have made little gold statuettes of a shipper’s pipe?

Yes please.

Might see what I can do on my mates 3D printer.

[Alex Bridgeman]

Yes please, put me down for a place.

How about a category of “most prolific organiser”?

Or “best venue used by TPF”? It would be nice to invite Gary and / or James Davy to a tasting to accept their award.

[Will W.]

I would anticipate considerable irreverence and uproarious laughter; please count me in.

As to the categories, we might consider adding Best Review of a TFP Tasting; I have long reckoned that there is considerable potential with these reviews for something along the lines of the parliamentary sketches popular with the London broadsheets. Another possibility is Best Bottle Brought to a TFP Tasting (i.e., a gong to whomever produced for the mob, knowingly or otherwise, a stellar bottle). And perhaps Crappiest Bottle Brought to a TFP Tasting (not corked) - a category at which individuals might nominate themselves and make their case for why their contribution is most deserving of recognition. Granted, one would not wish to set off a frantic search prior to the close of nominations for dusty bottles of Castelinho, Real Vinicola, Newman's Celebrated Port and the like. Finally, another option is Imbiber of the Year - chosen on the basis of (again) self-nomination with a declaration of volume consumed.

A mix of in-person and online participation is an excellent idea. And we'll need a Master of Ceremonies. I propose JDAW.

[nac]

Yup.

[M.Charlton]

Sounds fun - yes please!

[flash_uk]

Yes please!

[akzy]

I would anticipate considerable irreverence and uproarious laughter; please count me in.

As to the categories, we might consider adding Best Review of a TFP Tasting; I have long reckoned that there is considerable potential with these reviews for something along the lines of the parliamentary sketches popular with the London broadsheets. Another possibility is Best Bottle Brought to a TFP Tasting (i.e., a gong to whomever produced for the mob, knowingly or otherwise, a stellar bottle). And perhaps Crappiest Bottle Brought to a TFP Tasting (not corked) - a category at which individuals might nominate themselves and make their case for why their contribution is most deserving of recognition. Granted, one would not wish to set off a frantic search prior to the close of nominations for dusty bottles of Castelinho, Real Vinicola, Newman's Celebrated Port and the like. Finally, another option is Imbiber of the Year - chosen on the basis of (again) self-nomination with a declaration of volume consumed.

A mix of in-person and online participation is an excellent idea. And we'll need a Master of Ceremonies. I propose JDAW.

Suggestions added. Happy to have a MC and I think JDAW would be an excellent choice if he is happy to accept. I will be running the logistics (envelopes, voting, etc.).

[jdaw1]

Dates permitting, I am willing to be MC. Please, no slapping.

Presumably The Academy of ThePortForum will Embrace Wood-Neutral Categories, as not doing so would be unfair to Garrafeiras.

[Justin K]

Virtually willing

[uncle tom]

Count me in

[forest26]

yes please

[akzy]

I realise I haven't done much yet. I will give the B&F a call to try confirm a time early December (seems a good times for awards). Let's try confirm some more categories and then I'll setup a voting survey.

[Mike J. W.]

Provisional voting categories

1. Best tasting note
2. Best tasting
3. Biggest dissapointment at a tasting
4. Most accurate blind taster
5. Outstanding contribution to TPF
6. Best Port at a tasting
7. Best guest at a tasting
8. Best venue used by TPF
9. Most prolific organiser
10. Imbiber of the year

Here are a few thoughts for categories

Biggest surprise at a tasting (i.e. a bottle or producer generally considered mediocre, but the bottle shines at the tasting)

Best longtime contributor, (say 5 years or longer)

Best newcomer to the Forum (say in the last 3 years or so)

Best organizer for a single event

Person who traveled the furthest for a tasting

Best Port producer (the parameters for this would need to be defined)

Best newcomer blender or Port house

[jdaw1]

If we have too many awards, it would become boring. Let’s not do that.

[akzy]

Here are a few thoughts for categories

Biggest surprise at a tasting (i.e. a bottle or producer generally considered mediocre, but the bottle shines at the tasting)

Best longtime contributor, (say 5 years or longer)

Best newcomer to the Forum (say in the last 3 years or so)

Best organizer for a single event

Person who traveled the furthest for a tasting

Best Port producer (the parameters for this would need to be defined)

Best newcomer blender or Port house

Greatly appreciated.

If we have too many awards, it would become boring. Let’s not do that.

Agreed. I wanted more suggestions to weed out poor categories. Fixed limit of 10?

[akzy]

I realise two tastings have already been arranged for December. I have soft booked this in for Tuesday 6th December at the B&F.

Does this work?

[M.Charlton]

Online for me, please.

[CPR 1]

6th December is good for me - thanks for organising

[winesecretary]

I am a 'no' for 6th December, alas, either in person or online.

[flash_uk]

Works for me. Thx.

[Alex Bridgeman]

I could probably do online, but think I'd struggle to get a pass to be there in person.

[Glenn E.]

I could probably do online, but think I'd struggle to get a pass to be there in person.

Likewise.

[akzy]

Given the poor hit rate, I'm postponing to the new year. Perhaps to coincide with the Oscar season?

6th of December is still booked at the B&F. Let me know if we should keep for something else.

[akzy]

6th of December is still booked at the B&F. Let me know if we should keep for something else.

The booking has been cancelled.

[akzy]

Following discussions with the team, the following has been decided.
1. All voting relates to the previous calendar year. In this case it will be January 1st 2022 - 31st December 2022 (inclusive).
2. The categories will be narrowed down to 6-8.
3. Voting will occur in January the following year. For us, January 2023. This is for the aim to have the tasting in February.
4. Some voting categories will be open (I e. Open suggestion to vote) and/or limited options and/or calculated from tastings.
5. Judge's decision is final. In this case, myself.

[akzy]

After discussions with the team, 6 categories seems plenty. Here are what I am suggesting.

Provisional voting categories

1. Best tasting note
2. Best tasting
3. Biggest dissapointment at a tasting
4. Most accurate blind taster (this would not be a public vote. Instead I will trawl the data to see highest blind scores. I suspect I know who has it.)
5. Best Port at a tasting
6. Imbiber of the year

If we all agree (or more likely, no disagreement), voting will open Jan 1st to close on Jan 31st.

I am aiming to get this tasting booked for either Feb 1st, 6th or 7th 2023. If you can indicate a preference, please do.

I have also been asked if this should have a name such as "the Porties". For now, I suggest not, however should any producers be trawling this thread, I would be open to name that year's award ceremony after your house for a team Port donation.

[akzy]

Team, I have booked this for the 7th February for 14 people. Please can you confirm attendance.

Separately, I have started with some provisional nominations which can be viewed here https://forms.gle/UQP1xhNzVB8B84gJA
If you think things are missing (and I need suggestions for biggest dissapointment) please let me know here or via pm. Voting isn't open yet so don't submit votes!

[idj123]

I’m in (train strikes depending).

[CPR 1]

Trains permitting I am in

[Alex Bridgeman]

I’m in, assuming no train strikes.

[Alex Bridgeman]

I’m in, assuming no train strikes.

And that my last train home leaves after 20.50. It was a bit of a shock a couple of weeks ago at about 20.00 to casually look at my trains home to find nothing running after 20.50. That’s a good 3 hours earlier than the usual last train home!

[Alex Bridgeman]

Gutted to see the one category I might have won has been dropped from the list.

I’m starting a “bring back Imbiber of the Year!” campaign. I’ve had floods of people demanding to join.

[Will W.]

Works for me, thanks.

[akzy]

Gutted to see the one category I might have won has been dropped from the list.

I’m starting a “bring back Imbiber of the Year!” campaign. I’ve had floods of people demanding to join.

Still have time to be brought back however several questions must be satisfactorily answered - namely;
1. How are the nominations produced?
2. What is removed? (I have only prizes for 6 - the prizes also require my crafting ability so let's see how many are actually good)

[akzy]

Still have time to be brought back however several questions must be satisfactorily answered - namely;
1. How are the nominations produced?
2. What is removed? (I have only prizes for 6 - the prizes also require my crafting ability so let's see how many are actually good)

I'd be happy to remove biggest dissapointment given I have no good(bad) suggestions.

[Alex Bridgeman]

No. Stick with your nominations - although you might need to clarify how we decide on “Producer of the Year”.

Of course, you might have to give in and add a seventh category as soon as I get a second person to sign up to my overwhelming tidal wave of a campaign.

[akzy]

No. Stick with your nominations - although you might need to clarify how we decide on “Producer of the Year”.

Of course, you might have to give in and add a seventh category as soon as I get a second person to sign up to my overwhelming tidal wave of a campaign.

This campaign has proven too strong (and the lack of suggestions for biggest dissapointment has been... dissapointing). I will add imbiber of the year back with the suggestions being the current attendees.

[akzy]

...you might need to clarify how we decide on “Producer of the Year”.

Will clarify in voting - I interpret it at what producer have you enjoyed the most in general this year.

In future general declarations, we can do it on the most recent vintage.

[Doggett]

I am hoping to be at this auspicious occasion… is there a theme on the drinking side, or is it just bring a bottle to enjoy?

[akzy]

I am hoping to be at this auspicious occasion… is there a theme on the drinking side, or is it just bring a bottle to enjoy?

Theme : Bring a bottle suitable for The Port Forum Awards ceremony.

[akzy]

Voting is now open! Please get your votes in before 11:59, 31st January 2023.

https://forms.gle/UQP1xhNzVB8B84gJA

[akzy]

(I have only prizes for 6 - the prizes also require my crafting ability so let's see how many are actually good)

Make that 5 now... :/