Thu 15 December 2022 - The Port Forum's 15th Xmas Tasting

[Alex Bridgeman]

The Unknown Shipper & His Peculiar Friends

Tom has offered to once again host us at the White Horse Inn for the evening on Thursday 15th December.

As usual, the people attending and waitlisted for the last Christmas tasting will be offered first refusal (this year that's subject to a slight modification using organiser's privileges). If you are offered first refusal, please respond by the end of September. If you don't want your spot (or if you don't reply by the end of September) I'll offer your seat to the next person on the waiting list.

Tom will arrange for steak and chips for everyone attending unless you request otherwise when confirming your seat (but alternatives are very limited so keep things simple!)

First refusal seats are offered to:

1. THRA (confirmed)
2. OJMQ (confirmed)
3. AHB (confirmed)
4. AJM (confirmed)
5. GEAG (confirmed)
6. IDJ (confirmed)
7. MPM (confirmed)
8. WS1 (confirmed)
9. CPR (confirmed)
10. PW (confirmed)

RESERVES

• Ralph (confirmed)
• NAC (confirmed)
• Alex M (confirmed)

Draft of the sticky labels and TN sheets. Two pages of 2×4 stickies; three pages of 5×13.

[PhilW]

Confirming; and was very happy with last year's food, as well as the ports and the company ofc

[jdaw1]

Yes please.

[Christopher]

Reserve list please
Thanks

[winesecretary]

Yes please.

[CPR 1]

Confirming, looking forward to this as usual

Sent from my SM-G960F using Tapatalk

[idj123]

Yes please sir!

[flash_uk]

Confirming, many thanks for getting organisation underway Alex.

[nac]

Yes please.

[Alex Bridgeman]

WS1 has confirmed by WhatsApp.

[uncle tom]

By pure coincidence, the date coincides with what would have been my late father's 100th birthday.

With that in mind, I shall be providing a 1922.

My father's preferred tipples were beer, and in restaurants 'a good fruity Hock'

My knowledge of German wines is very limited - if anyone has a suitable candidate they would like to share, do please bring along.

[/2alph]

Yes please

[MigSU]

hás

You're becoming more and more Portuguese by the second

[Alex Bridgeman]

hás

You're becoming more and more Portuguese by the second

Autocorrect on my iPhone seems to assume my native language is Portuguese!

[Alex Bridgeman]

Just a nudge to keep this near the top of the forum. Don't forget to book your accommodation sooner rather than later...

[flash_uk]

Just a nudge to keep this near the top of the forum. Don't forget to book your accommodation sooner rather than later...

Thx for prompt Alex. Booked into the Cricketers Arms @ Rickling Green.

[Alex Bridgeman]

Mike - I've just switched my room booking to be at the Cricketer's. I'll book a taxi to the White Horse to leave the Cricketer's at 17.30 and to come back from the White Horse at 23.59.

Let me know if you want to share both or just the return.

[idj123]

Am also now booked into the Cricketers and so that’s three of us for a taxi.

[Alex Bridgeman]

Four - Oscar is also booked in at the Cricketer's.

[Alex Bridgeman]

I've just seen the announcement of the new rail strikes planned for 13-14 and 16-17 December.

For the moment I am assuming that this tasting will still go ahead since many of us drive to Newport and so will not need to rely on the trains on 16 December.

However, if anyone would need to drop out if the rail strike goes ahead, please let me know.

I'll be driving round the north side of the M25, so if anyone wants a lift to a tube station somewhere in the north of London (like Rickmansworth) I'll have 3 spare seats in the car.

[PhilW]

However, if anyone would need to drop out if the rail strike goes ahead, please let me know.

On the assumption that the strike will go ahead, I've now also booked into the Cricketers on the assumption I'll be travelling by car; I would therefore also now be looking to share taxis if possible. Is Oscar still likely to attend if the trains are out that week?

[Alex Bridgeman]

Oscar is planning to attend even if there is a rail strike.

On the 15th, I have a taxi booked for 17.30 pick up from the Cricketer's and to return from the White Horse at 23.59.

The taxi is a standard size taxi so can only take 4 passengers - me, Oscar, Ian and Mike. Apologies.

It's probably worth booking a second cab since I suspect that you won't be the only one changing plans and there may be more of us booking in to the Cricketer's!

[jdaw1]

I was coming by rail, and am willing to make way for one of the many reserves.

[winesecretary]

I was also coming by rail, and can only come by rail as I have to be somewhere else early the following morning. I shall have a last despairing check of timetables over the weekend before resigning my place.

[Alex Bridgeman]

Getting to the tasting by rail should not be an issue.

Having to be somewhere else early on the 16th will be a challenge, although the northern end of the central line is only a 30 minute taxi ride away or Cheshunt Overground station and its link to Liverpool Street is 40 minutes away.

For anyone who needs to be elsewhere in London by about lunchtime, I am happy to give a lift from Rickling Green to Epping Station once breakfast has been consumed.