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After our fantastic Vesuvio tasting I thought it also would be a good idea to have again a "true" offline. Not sure if this is gonna fly especially since the Malvedos tasting is coming up soon but please let me know if you are interested to join in at the Crusting Pipe in Covent Garden on the evening of Tuesday 9th March 2010 enjoying some Port.

When: Tuesday, 9th March 2010, 18:30pm.

Where: Crusting Pipe, Covent Garden, London.

Theme: Bring a bottle of Port to share.

I might be able to make this but it depends where I need to be on the 10th. Please put me down as a possible

Is it OK if I bring along a complete horizontal of 1945s, three special guests from the port trade and 6 people we have never met before?

Excellent idea, Wolfgang! Way to show leadership.

Count me in (subject to the discretion of my boss).

Hi Woolfgang

I would love to attend this true offline....or 1945 horizontal and meet new people as well as folks in the trade...I will bring a bottle anyway just in case DRT has to retract his very kind offer

Cookie

If it's OK with you guys could I be added to the numbers for this one.
I'll bring a port decanted and blind, ready for consumption for all. (I take it we are discussing Vintage port here).
If we go with a horizontal 45 then great but if not I'll bring a Vintage that is hopefully up to the task.
Hope to see you there, cheers chaps.

I'm now confirmed for this one.

The 1945 thing was a joke

Bring a bottle of VP wrapped in tinfoil sounds like a good theme to me

Hi there,

fantastic news. So we have so far the following attendees:

DRT
Chris Doty (subject to discretion of his boss)
DJP
Cookie
WS1
AHB
Christopher
angeleyes

Of course it is sad with the 1945 hoicontal being a joke , but there is always hope

Slight update on the theme: Bring a bottle of VP wrapped in tinfoil as suggested by Derek

Looking fwd to meet DJP for the first time.

Looking forward to Tuesday and regards

WS1

WS1 wrote:Looking fwd to meet DJP for the first time.

DJP = Daren Potts

My apologies, it looks my memory gets worse with age

On the other hand I may have another sip of Port in an attempt to speed it up again

Looking fwd to see Darren again!

regards

WS1

I'm a possible, just need to check my diary when I get to the office tomorrow.

I'm in for the Random Tasting. Any guidance or is it literally just bring a bottle of vintage port?

Hi Alex,

must say have not decided what I will bring, but it will be highly likely one of the bts I want to try or a bt where the levels indicate/tell me "I want to be drunk". Since tinfoil is involved we should also leave the excitement in.

It will be vintage Port

Good news is I booked the boardroom in the crusting pipe for Tuesday for us today.

regards

WS1

Hi
Please can you put me down as well, likely to be a bit late - apologies in advance, please just start and I will catch up!

Hi Christopher,

will do. Great news! looking fwd seeing you in the Crusting Pipe. Since we are now already 7 people I will try to get one of the tunnels in the Crusting pipe. Also i will contact Julian about placemats.

regards

WS1

Current draft of the placemats.

Hi Julian,

super, thanks a lot!

regards

WS1

Is there a space for another? If so, I'd like to come along.

Current draft of the placemats.

angeleyes wrote:Is there a space for another? If so, I'd like to come along.

Mark,

You are very welcome to join us and it will be great to meet another regular

Derek

Excellent. Apologies for the tardiness in replying! Just to check, do I need to bring anything other than myself and a bottle of port?

angeleyes wrote:Excellent. Apologies for the tardiness in replying! Just to check, do I need to bring anything other than myself and a bottle of port?

A pen and about £30 to pay for corkage and dinner. Also worth warning you that TCP do not have the best glassware in the world so if you like drinking from proper port tasting glasses bring some along.

See you there!

Derek

Mark,

as already Derek said you are very welcome. Will update the attendee list. Looking fwd to see you on Tuesday.

regards

WS1

Yes, looking forward to it too.

I have printed the tasting mats

Hi Alex,

thank you very much for your help. Have also told the people in the Crusting pipe that we will be 8 people and need one of the tunnels

regards and cu tomorrow

WS1

Wolfgang

With apologies, due to a communication error with the boss I am going to have to drop out.

Have a great evening!

Christopher,

not a problem, but still very sad. In case it would help I can talk to the boss to reiterate the importance of our offline.

Otherwise hoping for a change in your schedule.

regards

WS1

Boss is in the dark.....port is decanting in a cupboard....currently scheduled for an on-time departure (::fingers crossed::)

Likewise. Under my desk in a brown paper bag

Think I'll be a touch early (6.15ish). I'll be the lost one in the red and white chequered shirt.

It might be too late to do this, but, can I please warn all attendees that it would be unadvisable to pour your bottle of VP all over your right leg before attending this tasting.

Yeah -- a bit too late for that tip, but thanks anyway, jack@$$.

My drycleaning bill aside -- a lovely and casual night of port consumption. Thank you Wolfgang for the leadership here.

My wines of the night were the 1983 Warre and the 1986 Taylor, with the 1980 Taylor also putting in a good show. The 2003 Niepoort (or what was left of it), showed very strong potential, but is still quite tannic and a bit closed up. Not a duffer in the bunch (pardoning the two 1985 Crofts we ordered from TCP), and nice to meet Mark.

Ouch. Forgotten what a port hangover feels like

Excellent ports, great and informative company, and the food was very good as well. I left all my notes behind, but I believe the wines were

Warre 70, Warre 77, Croft 82, Warre 83, Taylor TF 86, Croft 00 and Niepoort 03. Preferred the 80s (with a preference for the Croft 82), followed by the 70s. The 00s were lovely big youngsters if too young for my liking, but ought to be excellent in years to come.

Thank you.

angeleyes wrote:Ouch. Forgotten what a port hangover feels like

Mark,

You were a very welcome addition to the group and I hope you'll join us again in the future.

I must apologise as we all forgot to tell you about the most vital component of the port tasting mats - the check boxes on the bottom right hand corner of the tasting mat with the glass circles on it. You are meant to tick one of these for every glass of water that you drink. Drink 1 full 33cl glass of water for every 5cl glass of port you consume and you will wake up the next morning bright and breezy - you effectively drink alcohol at around 2.5% concentration and can probably cope fairly easily with that.

My guess is that most of the rest of us woke up the next morning with not too much by way of hangovers.

Now you know for next time.

I use the rule of 4%: don’t drink stronger than 4%. So each bottle of port requires four bottles of water. Use the check-boxes to keep track of water consumption.