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Henry Shotton (winemaker at Malvedos) will be in London and with some time to spare to join us for an offline.

If you'd like to participate, please say so here:

Venue: The Boot & Flogger, 10-20 Redcross Way, London SE1 1TA, tel +44 20 7407 1184 (streetmap.co.uk, maps.google.co.uk, bing).

Date: now confirmed as Monday 2nd March

Theme: Bring a blind bottle of mature port to share with Henry that is not from the current portfolio of either TFP or SFE

Participants:

1. AHB (c)
2. Henry Shotton (c)
3. Flash_uk (c)
4. JDAW1 (c)
5. CPR_1 (c)
6. IDJ123 (c)
7. djewesbury (c)
9. Ben Read (c)
10. DRT (c)
11. Forest26
12. JWEW (c)

Current draft of the food order.

Current draft of the placemats (and parameters by which made).

Yes please, I would like to come along. I like the three fives idea...could be fun picking shippers that show well on each of the 3 vintages. I seem to recall Cockburn 85 is not a champion...

Subject to date, yes please.

Yes please

Sounds good-put me down (so to speak)!

Yes, lovely.

Yes please!

Alex. Very interested as Malvedos is one of my favourite SQVP. As an alternative idea (and I think you know why I suggest this!) how about 1986 v 1987?[SMILING FACE WITH HEART-SHAPED EYES]

benread wrote:Alex. Very interested as Malvedos is one of my favourite SQVP. As an alternative idea (and I think you know why I suggest this!) how about 1986 v 1987?[SMILING FACE WITH HEART-SHAPED EYES]

Now that is quite an interesting idea. We have the Malvedos and Vargellas - what other pairs could we put together?

I wonder if we could find any crusted or LBV pairings. Or are there any pairings that arise because of subsequent corporate mergers?

I like Henry and I like the idea of the tasting. Depending on the date, yes please.

Axel

Looks interesting..... Can I book a berth please

Tony

same for me, depending on date yes please.

Could I also book a place please, also depending on the date.

Yes please.

How is that tasting developing, Alex as I would be needing to buy flight tickets soon?


Best

Axel

Axel P wrote:How is that tasting developing, Alex as I would be needing to buy flight tickets soon?


Best

Axel

+1

Thank you for reminding me. I'll put some time into organising things.

Henry is currently trying to finalise his arrangements for his visit in March and has promised to confirm the date as soon as he can.

Alex - please add me as a reserve; I know I will be very busy in March, but it would be good to meet up with Henry again if a spot were to become available and the date turns out to be possible.

Henry has now confirmed that he will be in London on the evening of Monday 2nd March.

I have amended the initial post. Now that we have confirmed the date please would you post to confirm that you are still able (and wish) to attend.

Thanks.

AHB wrote:Henry has now confirmed that he will be in London on the evening of Monday 2nd March.

I have amended the initial post. Now that we have confirmed the date please would you post to confirm that you are still able (and wish) to attend.

Thanks.

Great. Yes, please confirm me. If anything comes up I'll let you know straight away but for now this is a priority for me!
Are we still thinking of the Bung Hole? Or will that be revised?

Yes please.

Flight booked.

Yes, still in.

Yes still OK for me. Thx.

Monday 2^nd March 2015 still works for me.

What is the theme?

Just saw Phil being on the reserve list; since he was not at the big Malvedos tasting I give up my seat for him. Put me instead on the reserve list if anyone else is dropping out. I would like to come but would also want not to block a seat for other people who had not had the opportunity to try a lot of Malvedos. I assume the theme will be related to Grahams/Malvedos.

regards

WS1

WS1 wrote:Just saw Phil being on the reserve list; since he was not at the big Malvedos tasting I give up my seat for him. Put me instead on the reserve list if anyone else is dropping out. I would like to come but would also want not to block a seat for other people who had not had the opportunity to try a lot of Malvedos. I assume the theme will be related to Grahams/Malvedos.

Appreciate the offer, but you should definitely keep your seat; my availability is very difficult at the moment (hence my dropping from Feb 9 despite having proposed it ) and is likely to continue in this way until end of Mar due to work.
Hence my request to be added as reserve (even if there is a place available) at this time - so you should definitely keep your spot. I'm keen to join if able, but should definitely only be potential reserve for now.

WS1 wrote:I assume the theme will be related to Grahams/Malvedos.

jdaw1 wrote:What is the theme?

I've asked Henry if there is a particular shipper or vintage that he would like to have as the theme. I will post what theme we choose once Henry has replied.

OK, then I confirm my seat......

regards

WS1

Henry has observed that most of his opportunities to taste port are to taste ports made either by SFE or by TFP. However, he is happy to leave the choice of theme to us.

A number of themes immediately spring to mind, some of which might be challenging to put together a decent 13 vintage line-up, but I've started a poll to see what might be of interest to us. Please vote if you're attending and please vote having in mind how easily you might be able to contribute towards the line-up.

Where is the poll you've started? Or is this the future past tense?

djewesbury wrote:Where is the poll you've started? Or is this the future past tense?

Patience my young padwan. The poll now there is. Your vote now exercise you can.

Date is good - looking forward to it

Alex, the diary committee has just finished sitting and it is confirmed that I may attend! I did make quite a pitch about Malvedos before I mentioned the date!

Very much looking forward to this one.

Ben

AHB wrote:

djewesbury wrote:Where is the poll you've started? Or is this the future past tense?

Patience my young padwan. The poll now there is. Your vote now exercise you can.

Thank you master. I have voted. Travelling as I am some distance for this event, I wish not for brown stickies to predominate. I will supply bottle(s) of appropriate vintage and provenance as decided by the team.

I have voted.

Returning officer: how many votes are required to be cast before the outcome can be ratified and broadcast? In the old days we would have had Vincent Hanna to announce it.

djewesbury wrote:Returning officer: how many votes are required to be cast before the outcome can be ratified and broadcast? In the old days we would have had Vincent Hanna to announce it.

Voting will continue until the outcome I desire is achieved. I believe that is how elections work in most parts of the world.

Slightly more seriously, I will give it until next weekend. While the outcome of the vote is not binding on me, I will take it into account when deciding on a theme. If voting continues following early indications then expect a post from me next weekend in which I announce that the theme will be "Blind, not from TFP or SFE, 1994 or older, any style permitted, but moderated by me." I will ask people to PM me details of the style they propose to bring (so I can ensure that the majority of bottles are ruby but don't miss the chance to let Henry try something special like a 1952 Dalva Golden White or a 1968 Noval colheita - which is possibly my favourite 20th century colheita) and the decade when the grapes were picked (I'd like to try to get a good spread of age).

AHB wrote:Voting will continue until the outcome I desire is achieved.
…
the outcome of the vote is not binding on me

How very Mugabe-esque. I like it. True democracy at work.

DRT wrote:

AHB wrote:Voting will continue until the outcome I desire is achieved.
…
the outcome of the vote is not binding on me

How very Mugabe-esque. I like it. True democracy at work.

Must remember that next time I give you an Apostrophe Warning.

djewesbury wrote:

DRT wrote:

AHB wrote:Voting will continue until the outcome I desire is achieved.
…
the outcome of the vote is not binding on me

How very Mugabe-esque. I like it. True democracy at work.

Must remember that next time I give you an Apostrophe Warning.

I am a child of Thatcher's Britain. The little blue book I was given at school convinced me that unilateral democracy was the way forward. I have seen nothing since that convinces me the previously popular red version was better, and the yellow version seems to have lost its appeal.

I honestly thought you were a child of Lloyd George's Britain. I may have overestimated your vintage.
And anyway you were a lefty when you were younger (when Thatch was in power). You told me you went on strike.

DRT wrote:

AHB wrote:Voting will continue until the outcome I desire is achieved.
…
the outcome of the vote is not binding on me

How very Mugabe-esque. I like it. True democracy at work.

People have to be protected from the consequences of making the wrong decision. I know what's best for everyone, even those who don't know what's best for themselves yet. Those who vote the wrong way will understand their error in time.

Interestingly, until very recently I did have a copy of Mao's Little Red Book in the study. Did you ever read it? The man was a complete and utter psychopath.

I have two copies if anyone needs one.

djewesbury wrote:I have two copies if anyone needs one.

Yes please. I have never read it.

djewesbury wrote:I honestly thought you were a child of Lloyd George's Britain. I may have overestimated your vintage.
And anyway you were a lefty when you were younger (when Thatch was in power). You told me you went on strike.

Indeed. I was also a football fan, liked The Specials and enjoyed the odd fag. Then I found coffee, and woke up.

DRT wrote:

djewesbury wrote:I have two copies if anyone needs one.

Yes please. I have never read it.

I'll bring it for you on the 2nd!

djewesbury wrote:

DRT wrote:

djewesbury wrote:I have two copies if anyone needs one.

Yes please. I have never read it.

I'll bring it for you on the 2nd!

Thank you. Is it in English or Mandarin?