2007 Cask Sample Tasting - London - ?? May 2009

[DRT]

As many of you will know I have been able to secure a reasonable number (15 to 20) of promises of Cask Samples of 2007 VP from various major shippers with the reciprocal promise to them that I will organise an event where a small group of ers will attempt a serious tasting and review of their new wines. On the advice of many of the shippers I have contacted the event needs to take place within 2 to 4 weeks of the bottling of the samples. With the expectation of some of these not being available until after 23rd April this means the event has to take place around mid May.

Firstly: Who is interested in doing this?

Secondly: Does anyone have any suggestions on how it should be organised? I am working on the basis that this is not our normal event were we eat steak and drink our way steadily through 1 to 2 bottles of VP each over the course of an evening. Do we need to limit numbers so that the wines can be evaluated over a few days from opening? Should we have food before, after or during the tasting? How many of these wines is it practical to open at one event and still get a proper view of each wine? These and other questions like this need to be asked and answered.

Thirdly: Where should we do this? The relaxed atmosphere or The Crusting Pipe or somewhere that could provide a more clinical environment such as the RAF Club?

Fourthly: Does anyone know of anyone who has tasted lots of cask samples who could advise the above and might be interested in attending?

Derek

[benread]

Firstly: Who is interested in doing this?

Me!

Secondly: Does anyone have any suggestions on how it should be organised? I am working on the basis that this is not our normal event were we eat steak and drink our way steadily through 1 to 2 bottles of VP each over the course of an evening. Do we need to limit numbers so that the wines can be evaluated over a few days from opening? Should we have food before, after or during the tasting? How many of these wines is it practical to open at one event and still get a proper view of each wine? These and other questions like this need to be asked and answered.

I suspect that absent a weekend or a half day we are talking realistcially about this being a weekday evening. That means either starting tasting early and then eating late (say 9pm) or vice versa.

Thirdly: Where should we do this? The relaxed atmosphere or The Crusting Pipe or somewhere that could provide a more clinical environment such as the RAF Club?

TCP is always very relaxed and welcoming. And no cost!

Fourthly: Does anyone know of anyone who has tasted lots of cask samples who could advise the above and might be interested in attending?

Derek

no. sorry

[RonnieRoots]

I've tasted quite a few caks samples, and I can tell you it can be tiresome work. Lots of flavours, and lots of tannins. I would advise to have plenty of water and bread (plain white) at hand for palate cleansing. If you have to chance to taste the ports over an extended period of time, that would be ideal.

Afterwards, you'll be very, very thirsty for a refreshing beer.

Unfortunately, I can't be there in May.

[RonnieRoots]

Oh, and one other thing. Although it may be against your nature: spit, don't swallow.

[JacobH]

I'd certainly be interested in attending such an event (which I hope is described as the largest ever 2007 horizontal ). Considering the cost, I think the service we get from the Crusting Pipe is excellent; especially if this is broken over two days. The whole spitting thing might be an issue though and I am somewhat worried that I'd be able to get through 15-20 cask samples before my palate complete collapsed...

[DRT]

Just a little reminder in connection to the references to cost: all of the port is free[/b]

Thanks for the advice Ronnie.

Attendees:

• DRT
• Benread
• JacobH

[JacobH]

Just a little reminder in connection to the references to cost: all of the port is free

Might as well upgrade to the Ritz or Waldorf

Thanks for the advice Ronnie.

Attendees:

• DRT
• Benread
• JacobH

You're bringing 8 people? Or intending drinking 8 times as much Port as the rest of us?


DRT Admin note: Have corrected my BBcode mess in this and my original post

[jdaw1]

Being the father of 2009-type child, it is very possible that I will be buying a case or two of 2007. Please could I be sent samples of those deemed the best few? (Where 2 ≤ few ≤ 5.)

[DRT]

Being the father of 2009-type child, it is very possible that I will be buying a case or two of 2007. Please could I be sent samples of those deemed the best few? (Where 2 ≤ few ≤ 5.)

OK.

[Andy Velebil]

Derek,

Here is my $ 0.02,

- Do it over two days in a row, minimum.
- only a enough of a pour to taste (remember each person will need at least 4 pours each over two days)
- I'd do two tastings each day, total of four.
- taste once in the late morning (or very early afternoon) and once in the late evening
- no food at all while tasting
- spit everything, no matter how bad you want to drink it....you need to keep a clear head the whole time
- serve double blind...that is the only truly fair way to do it. If it is in a unique bottle (ala Taylors) but it into a more normal shaped bottle and have someone else not tasting bag them all up and put numbers on the bags. That way no one knows what each bagged bottle is, except by a number.
- do it in a quite place that is well lit (a person house is probably best for this..or a large hotel room)
- No discussing the Ports until ALL tasting notes are done on day 2...you don't want people influencing others for this type event. It is ment so each person gives THEIR OWN opinion on the Port and not something influenced by others.

[DRT]

Some one else just gave me very similar advice to that provided by Andy. I will contemplate and post some thoughts later.

[jdaw1]

As TNs have been promised to the trade, exchanging some sociability for greater independence is probably appropriate.

[Glenn E.]

As many of you will know I have been able to secure a reasonable number (15 to 20) of promises of Cask Samples of 2007 VP from various major shippers with the reciprocal promise to them that I will organise an event where a small group of ers will attempt a serious tasting and review of their new wines. On the advice of many of the shippers I have contacted the event needs to take place within 2 to 4 weeks of the bottling of the samples. With the expectation of some of these not being available until after 23rd April this means the event has to take place around mid May.

Wow! How very cool!

Firstly: Who is interested in doing this?

Me! Seriously. I have some work to do to get it arranged, but this is too cool to pass up. With a month and a half to go, I think it should be possible. The only potential obstacle will be the cost of the airfare... even in this dismal climate the airlines still seem to be charging an arm and a leg for air travel.

Secondly: Does anyone have any suggestions on how it should be organised? I am working on the basis that this is not our normal event were we eat steak and drink our way steadily through 1 to 2 bottles of VP each over the course of an evening. Do we need to limit numbers so that the wines can be evaluated over a few days from opening? Should we have food before, after or during the tasting? How many of these wines is it practical to open at one event and still get a proper view of each wine? These and other questions like this need to be asked and answered.

I'll leave this to those with more practice.

Thirdly: Where should we do this? The relaxed atmosphere or The Crusting Pipe or somewhere that could provide a more clinical environment such as the RAF Club?

Seattle! Either TCP or the RAF Club sounds great to me, as I have seen neither.

Fourthly: Does anyone know of anyone who has tasted lots of cask samples who could advise the above and might be interested in attending?

I'll send you a PM.

[jdaw1]

Derek: the NY crowd have drunk with Glenn. He’s good he’s one of us. Include him in.

[Glenn E.]

Thank you for the fine reference, but unfortunately Derek already knows better.

I met Derek, Tom, and Frederick in Portugal last year - we toured Quinta da Pacheca together and then had lunch at the Douro Inn with my wife and parents. Miraculously, my wife hasn't divorced me nor have my parents disowned me for the experience.

[Glenn E.]

On the advice of many of the shippers I have contacted the event needs to take place within 2 to 4 weeks of the bottling of the samples. With the expectation of some of these not being available until after 23rd April this means the event has to take place around mid May.

After some quick checking, it appears that 3rd or 4th weekend in May would be easiest for me to accomodate. (That's the weekend of the 16th-17th or the 23rd-24th.) May 9th is my wife's birthday (and it would not be advisable for me to be in London without her on her birthday) and May 10th is Mother's Day in the US (and it would not be advisable for me to separate my wife from her Mother on that day). The first weekend (May 2-3) doesn't fit my work schedule.

If circumstances declare that only the weekend of May 9-10 will work, then I'll see if I can find a way to bring my wife with me without causing my Mother-in-law to hate me.

[DRT]

Participants: (updated from expressions of interest recieved here and by email/PM)

1. DRT
2. Beanread
3. JacobH
4. AHB
5. Christopher
6. Uncle Tom
7. JDAW (virtually)
8. Glenn E. (in person or virtually)

From the advice I have had to date it seems the only way to ensure we properly evaluate these wines is to each taste them a number of times over a few days. I am therefore closing the participants list at the 8 named above, at least for now, until we have a definate plan of how we will do this. Please do declare an interest if you wish to join a reserve list should any of the above drop out or we decide to go for an approach that provides enough samples to allow more than 8 participants.

Derek

[jdaw1]

It isn’t right that a partial and absent participant should usurp somebody willing to do the fullness of the event. So I hereby express an availability to stand aside.

[DRT]

It isn’t right that a partial and absent participant should usurp somebody willing to do the fullness of the event. So I hereby express an availability to stand aside.

Extremely honourable. However, one of the options I am considering, having been suggested by one of the participants listed above, is not having a gathering at all and doing this entirely virtually. So, until a decision on format is made you remain "in" if that is OK with you?

Derek

[jdaw1]

If I am in on the fullness of the event, as you imply is possible, then wild horses couldn’t stop me.
If I am in on only a part of the event, it would be unreasonable of me to block somebody who would otherwise be in on the fullness.

[DRT]

If I am in on the fullness of the event, as you imply is possible, then wild horses couldn’t stop me.
If I am in on only a part of the event, it would be unreasonable of me to block somebody who would otherwise be in on the fullness.

A reasonable stance on both counts.

[uncle tom]

Any date in May, other than the first weekend, is good for me.

Tom

[JacobH]

If I am in on the fullness of the event, as you imply is possible, then wild horses couldn’t stop me.
If I am in on only a part of the event, it would be unreasonable of me to block somebody who would otherwise be in on the fullness.

I would respectfully associate myself with those thoughts. It may be that, with multiple-tastings on and over multiple days, it would prove quite difficult for me to do such a tasting justice. Considering that this opportunity is unique (and I don’t think I’ve expressed this in public, but much respect should be given to DRT for making this a possibility!), if necessary, once the final dates are out, I would be happy to pass on (and wait until we do a retrospective in 20-or-so years’ time ).

[Axel P]

Derek,

there should be an official 2007 tasting organised by the IVDP and I will organise an event like this in Germany as well. The cask samples do sometimes not show the full potential of the wine and they can be a little unstable as well. I will contact the IVDP for the date of the event.

I can very much stress Andy's points as they are easily forgotten or done differently. Tasting young Ports in a row is very interesting but tyring as well.

I am trying to get the IVDP to organise a full 2007 Vintage Port tasting in Germany. Same location as the Niepoort tasting I will be doing on Nov 27th. I will post it for sure and keep you guys in the loop.

Axel

[jdaw1]

Andy,

You spoke with seeming authority on tasting cask samples. The authority might just have been that that of a policeman accustomed to being obeyed when in uniform, or it might have come from experience and knowledge. Let’s assume or at least hope for that latter.

Please, how does one interpret what is found?

• In matters of weight, heft, length, stickiness and other mouthfeel-type things, how would these compare with what happens twenty years later? E.g., if it feels light by the standards of a moderate mature port (say, Ramos-Pinto 1985), does that mean it will be light when mature? I.e., are cask samples bigger or smaller than the mature thing?
• Obviously tannins will soften, hopefully lots, but how do the balance of fruits change? If there is a balance between sweet-red fruits (strawberry raspberry), bitter-red fruits (cranberry), black fruits (black currant and blackberry), and yellow fruits (esp. pineapple), then which would predominate when mature?