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DRT wrote:

jdaw1 wrote:A venue is also needed. The Bowler?

Works for me.

Happy to try the Bowler. Could you contact them and make the reservation? And post the details?

Rob Wood, manager of The Bowler (32 Bowling Green Lane, Clerkenwell, London EC1R 0BJ, map, +44 20 7837 8340), has accepted our reservation for 14 people, from 18:30, on Wednesday 19th May 2010. He says there will be ≥230 glasses for us.

Updated placemats.

• Location added.

(Edited at request of AHB.)

Ports: we need a policy decision. Is this a near-complete 1960; or is this a one-bottle-each 1960?

This is a school night. We have a reservation from 6½pm. So, unless there is a manifest consensus to the contrary, and that consensus materialises by the end of this week, I declare this to be a one-bottle-each 1960.

In which case, who is bringing what?

JDAW + DBM: Fonseca and Sandeman, DBM adopting the latter.
DRT: Cockburn.
AHB: Ferreira. GustavoD and RaulA: also Ferriera. •••Problem!•••
GustavoD and RaulA: Quinta do Rei.
BMHR: Dow
CSD: Croft
RLC: Martinez
OQ: Quinta do Noval
DMS (in absentia) : Warre.
ARK, THRA, Giles: not yet decided. •••Problem!•••

jdaw1 wrote:AHB: Ferreira. GustavoD and RaulA: also Ferriera. •••Problem!•••
GustavoD and RaulA: Quinta do Rei.

GustavoD and RaulA have adopted the Quinta do Rei and Ferreira from AHB so AHB will be bringing something else. I don't know what.

I'm still looking to adopt. It'd be easier than brining something from San Francisco, but I'm still prepared to do that if necessary.

keytohwy

keytohwy wrote:I'm still looking to adopt. It'd be easier than brining something from San Francisco, but I'm still prepared to do that if necessary.

DBM: you have adopted my Sandeman. Post edited.

jdaw1 wrote:Ports: we need a policy decision. Is this a near-complete 1960; or is this a one-bottle-each 1960?

This is a school night. We have a reservation from 6½pm. So, unless there is a manifest consensus to the contrary, and that consensus materialises by the end of this week, I declare this to be a one-bottle-each 1960.

In which case, who is bringing what?

JDAW + DBM: Fonseca and Sandeman, DBM adopting the latter.
DRT: Cockburn.
AHB: Ferreira. GustavoD and RaulA: also Ferriera. •••Problem!•••
GustavoD and RaulA: Quinta do Rei.
BMHR: Dow
CSD: Croft
RLC: Martinez
OQ: Quinta do Noval
DMS (in absentia) : Warre.
ARK, THRA, Giles: not yet decided. •••Problem!•••

The majority of these problems have been solved in the background. Any remaining outstanding problems will also be solved in the background. Those of you on the list in pencil or looking to adopt and who have not yet been allocated a bottle should expect an email from me shortly. At Tom's request - whose birthday we are celebrating - this is an informal offline and not a formal and "as complete as possible" tasting.

The post following this one will give details of the costs you should anticipate for the event, and how the event will be run including a request for the way in which you should prepare your bottle.

I defer to AHB’s planning, some of which I was previously unaware.

The previous post’s reference to ‟The post following this one” means one after this one, not necessarily immediately after.

Latest update on arrangements:

Attending:
1) THRA - the demi-centenarian
2) AHB
3) Oscar Quevedo
4) DRT
5) Chris Doty
6) RLC
7) KillerB
8) Keytohiway (DBM)
9) JDAW
10) Giles Wigoder
11) * spare seat
12) Gustavo Devesas
13) Raul Alex
14) * spare seat

* - due to a withdrawl, there is a vacancy should anyone want to attend or bring a guest.

The Wines:
THRA offering for adoption Gonzalez Byass or Sibio
Dow
Taylor
Noval
Cockburn
Croft
Delaforce
Martinez
Sandeman
Fonseca
Ferreira
Quinta do Rei
Warre (courtesy of Dominic Symington)
Graham

More details on timings and venue will follow tomorrow.

With regret, I'm afraid that I will have to pull out of this tasting.

If there are any excess costs because of this, please let me know.

The venue for the tasting is The Bowler, 32 Bowling Green Lane, Clerkenwell, London EC1R 0BJ, +44 20 7837 8340.

We have a reservation from 18:30. I suggest that we aim to arrive for a 7pm start.

We'll start with dinner and follow that with the offline, no doubt we will drink some of the ports with the food.

Please bring £40-50 in cash with you to settle what is my best estimate of each person's share of the likely food bill, plus service, corkage and the shared cost of the Graham 1960 that we will be drinking. Those of you adopting bottles should also bring additional cash to cover the cost of the bottle you are adopting.

Please bring your bottle of port double decanted (or decanted into a decanter, if you really want to). I will provide labels for any bottles which are brought along without labels so that there is no confusion between unlabelled bottles. If, for any reason you are not able to decant your bottle in advance then please tell me as soon as you can so that we might be able to make alternative arrangements (even if it is only to bring a funnel and filter paper along on the night).

Please post any questions you might have.

Alex

The last two seats at the offline have now been taken, by a London based friend of Gustavo and our occasional port companion Nicos Neocleous.

Getting really nervous about the damned volcano. I'm still in San Francisco, hoping to fly out tomorrow night. Flights tonight are cancelled...

Fingers crossed,
keytohwy

keytohwy wrote:Getting really nervous about the damned volcano. I'm still in San Francisco, hoping to fly out tomorrow night. Flights tonight are cancelled...

Fingers crossed,
keytohwy

The latest forecast says that even tomorrow, Heathrow and Manchester are likely to be operating and certainly by Tuesday the main UK airports will all be fully open again.

Hope to see you Wednesday night.

AHB wrote:

keytohwy wrote:Getting really nervous about the damned volcano. I'm still in San Francisco, hoping to fly out tomorrow night. Flights tonight are cancelled...

Fingers crossed,
keytohwy

The latest forecast says that even tomorrow, Heathrow and Manchester are likely to be operating and certainly by Tuesday the main UK airports will all be fully open again.

Hope to see you Wednesday night.

Good good. You folks make those calls...keep the flights moving

Latest update: Heathrow airspace was closed between 1am and 7am, but is expected to reopen at 7am and is not expected to close again in the near future. Flights in and out of Heathrow may have to follow an unusual routing.

On the positive side, I have to meet a flight from Dallas that left last night and it is in the air, expected to arrive about 2 hours late.

AHB wrote:
On the positive side, I have to meet a flight from Dallas that left last night and it is in the air

Is your new job mid air refueling pilot?

Whew!! I made it!

Looking forward to meeting everyone.

I'm in Woodley/Reading if anyone is coming from out this way, I'd love to meet up on the train, unless there is a better method for getting into town. Email me at keytohwy at gmail.

See you all soon!

Keytohwy

Well done so far.

Unfortunately, we have had a last minute drop out. If anyone can be a last minute attendee, you would be very welcome.

Would someone like to offer a decanting time suggestion for my 1960 Croft?

Also -- I have a colleague who has expressed an interest in the vacant spot, provided he can adopt a bottle.

Is this ok?

It sounds as if I could fill it as well, if Chris cannot. I'll check back here, or someone email me? Keytohwy at gmail.

Links:

• Review of the evening as a whole;
• Placemats;
• 1960 Cockburn;
• 1960 Sandeman;
• 1960 Ferreira;
• 1960 Delaforce;
• 1960 Croft;
• 1960 Fonseca;
• 1960 Taylor;
• 1960 Quinta do Noval;
• 1960 Quinta do Noval Nacional;
• 1960 Quinta do Rei;
• 1960 Dow;
• 1960 Graham;
• 1960 Warre;
• 1960 Martinez;
• Planning and arrangements.

Guys, I want to thank you for one of the most amazing nights and moments I've had in my life! The wine was perfect (i really loved that DOW 60 and the NACIONAL 60) but the company was also great!
Thanks a million for counting me in and I hope that we can repeat this very soon!
Thanks to everyone!

Best regards!

Cheers to you guys!

Raul