The Port Forum Christmas Offline

Post by **DRT** » 23:44 Wed 26 Sep 2007

We can now add Chris G + Guest to the list of attendees.

Hopefully we can also add Chris to our list of members sometime very soon

Derek

RonnieRoots · Post by **RonnieRoots** » 23:52 Wed 26 Sep 2007

Very good. This is shaping up to be quite a memorable offline already!

Andy Velebil · Post by **Andy Velebil** » 23:55 Wed 26 Sep 2007

If you havn't met Chris G. yet, he is a great guy and can drink with the best of us.

Post by **DRT** » 00:16 Thu 27 Sep 2007

Updated List:

Uncle Tom
AHB
Conky
KillerB
Ronnie Roots
Lady Roots
Stevie Kooij
Keith Gould
Chris G
Guest of Chris G
Derek T.

Possible attendees:

Simon Lisle
The Yanks (incl. Jdaw1)

Post by **DRT** » 00:30 Thu 27 Sep 2007

This has turned into a major league Offline. 11 confirmed attendees and a lock-in. We now need to turn our attention to what we will be drinking.

The suggested theme is "The Unknown Shipper and his unusual friends". The suggested cost for wine is £50-75 per head. The Unknown Shipper part os self explanatory in that we want some bottles that even the owner does not know what is inside. The unusual friends is intended to draw some wierd and wonderful ports into the line-up. We are not talking traditional VP's here, we are looking for people to throw in some gems that you just can't buy.

Anyone with anything strange that could fit this theme please email or PM Tom. Anyone who would prefer to just contribute cash and let others find the oddities please let Tom know.

Given the number of attendees I think we are looking at a substantial number of bottles here, possibly as many as 20. This just might be the biggest tasting of unusual ports ever assembled

Derek

uncle tom · Post by **uncle tom** » 01:45 Thu 27 Sep 2007

To the attendance list add eternal joker Ray 'cookie' Cook, who was present last year, and badly wants to be here again...!

I'm thinking of a whip of £60 each (for wine - 90% port) for those who have got beyond Cruz Ruby on TPF, and £75 for others - less auction value of accepted contributions. Anyone unhappy with this - please PM me

The Dutch contingent have advised me that their duff '66 at the last Crusting Pipe offline has been replaced by something different, - which will be winging its way to me - I will deduct the postage from their whip, and will also find a modest bottle from my cellar to return to the merchant for his responsible reaction, and personal enjoyment!

At this point I'm thinking of about a bottle and a quarter of port per attendee (roughly - erring on the side of largesse..!)

The line-up (so far..) looks likely to include at least three wines that are pre WWII..

Tom

Post by **jdaw1** » 02:20 Thu 27 Sep 2007

Wednesday 12th December, at The Bell, Royston Road, Wendens Ambo, Saffron Walden, Essex CB11 4JY? Maybe I should find an excuse to cross the water. If I were able to do so, where might accommodation be available?

Post by **Alex Bridgeman** » 09:08 Thu 27 Sep 2007

What's the maximum number of people we can comfortably accommodate at an offline? I have a couple of friends I have been trying to persuade to come to an offline for ages and the Christmas one might appeal to them.

However, we are getting close to numbers which would mean we get a small sample pour of each port rather than a decent glassful to drink and enjoy over the course of the evening.

I think on that basis, I will not invite my two other friends.

Alex

Post by **DRT** » 09:31 Thu 27 Sep 2007

I think we have just about hit the limit for a meaningful port tasting. I would prefer not to reach the stage where we each have a thimble-full of 30 different ports to taste

That said, this was an open invitation and anyone reading this is welcome to join in.

Derek

uncle tom · Post by **uncle tom** » 09:33 Thu 27 Sep 2007

For B & B, the Toll House at Newport will be very convenient

http://www.bedandbreakfast-directory.co ... p?id=33389

The Bell's restaurant can seat 12 comfortably, or 14 at a squeeze, but we do have the option of eating in the bar area, and using the restaurant to sample the wines, so more could be accommodated.

Alex makes a good point about spreading the wines too thinly - we are probably close to capacity now.

Tom

Conky · Post by **Conky** » 09:48 Thu 27 Sep 2007

So it sounds like we are reaching a natural limit of 12? Is that too many? I hadn't thought about how that will translate into a glass. I also wanted a decent glass from any bottle, so you could revisit it through the evening.
There may be the odd withdrawal. I, for instance, expect to be there, but I have to go into work in a few weeks, and see what shifts they have lined up for me. If it's not already day off, I'll try and take one, but if a few have beaten me to it, I'll struggle. The odds are with me though, so fingers crossed.

Alan

RonnieRoots · Post by **RonnieRoots** » 10:24 Thu 27 Sep 2007

LadyR and I will be chipping in money, the £60 whip looks fair to me. A group of 12 seems like a fair size to be able to have a wide variety of ports and still fill decent glasses of each one.

Post by **jdaw1** » 13:48 Thu 27 Sep 2007

Derek T. wrote:I think we have just about hit the limit for a meaningful port tasting.

Include me out.

KillerB · Post by **KillerB** » 14:12 Thu 27 Sep 2007

RonnieRoots wrote:LadyR and I will be chipping in money, the £60 whip looks fair to me. A group of 12 seems like a fair size to be able to have a wide variety of ports and still fill decent glasses of each one.

Lady Roots needa nother post to be able to qualify (She's still Cruz Ruby). Send her back in here to do some of her Tasting Notes, they always add a little something.

RonnieRoots · Post by **RonnieRoots** » 15:43 Thu 27 Sep 2007

I already notified her. I'm Dutch remember...

Lady Roots · Post by **Lady Roots** » 16:56 Thu 27 Sep 2007

Would this one do it????

OK OK, I'll dive into my archive to see if I have a nice tasting note somewhere lying around.

Looking forward to this OL. Hope this time I can remember what we've drunk.... Can't really recall the previous London OL...

KillerB: WE ARE OUT OF STILTON

KillerB · Post by **KillerB** » 20:06 Thu 27 Sep 2007

KillerB: WE ARE OUT OF STILTON

Crikey. I still have some of the Gouda-esque stuf. It's great but I can only eat so much at a time.

I had remembered that you were Dutch which is why I thought that it was so important.

RonnieRoots · Post by **RonnieRoots** » 10:08 Fri 28 Sep 2007

Don't worry, we didn't eat that whole chunk all by ourselves. We made a lot of people happy with it. And indeed, for the time the cheese lasted, almost everything we ate had something with stilton in it.

Simon Lisle · Post by **Simon Lisle** » 19:54 Tue 02 Oct 2007

I'm sorry but I'll have to miss this one.I really wanted go if it had been a Thursday or Friday I would have gone.I'll send Tom something through the post to at least be there in spirit.(brandy that is).

Conky · Post by **Conky** » 22:29 Tue 02 Oct 2007

Simon Lisle wrote:I'm sorry but I'll have to miss this one.I really wanted go if it had been a Thursday or Friday I would have gone.I'll send Tom something through the post to at least be there in spirit.(brandy that is).

What a shame. We'll squeeze you in, so if anything changes...

uncle tom · Post by **uncle tom** » 22:53 Tue 02 Oct 2007

Unfortunately, with dates, we can't please everyone - I look forward to meeting you another time Simon - your modesty speaks volumes..!

Tom

Simon Lisle · Post by **Simon Lisle** » 22:31 Sat 06 Oct 2007

Thank you Tom for your kind words We will meet hopefully quite soon.

Post by **Alex Bridgeman** » 17:19 Wed 07 Nov 2007

What does the current guest list for the Xmas offline look like? I've just booked my overnight stay in a splendid little hostelry a couple of miles from the Bell (almost within walking distance!) and I'm now all set for the event.

Alex

Post by **DRT** » 18:33 Wed 07 Nov 2007

Updated List:

Uncle Tom
AHB
Conky
KillerB
Ronnie Roots
Lady Roots
Stevie Kooij
Keith Gould
Chris G
Guest of Chris G
Derek T.

Possible attendees:

Members who have joined since 27 Sep 07

Confirmed Non-attendees:

Simon Lisle
Jdaw

StevieCage · Post by **StevieCage** » 22:24 Wed 07 Nov 2007

Looking forward to it...I will miss the (pre-)Christmas dinner of the company I work for because of this offline, but if I have to choose between a party with or without Port: easy! See you all soon!

ThePortForum.com

The Port Forum Christmas Offline

Wednesday 12th December, at The Bell?

Include me out.