Croft vertical, Tue 07 Nov 2023

[mcoulson]

Date is still fine for me and my list of bottles remains the same .... other than the 77 that I've recently aquired

[akzy]

Date is fine. Still happy to bring Cr94.

[hadge]

all good for this. I will double check what i have.

[Alex Bridgeman]

I’m happy to provide Cr45 so Ian can open his another time.

[winesecretary]

Still happy to bring 1991 and 2011

[PhilW]

Confirming. Wines and costs as previously advised.

[jdaw1]

I now have a scheduling clash and may not be able to attend. If my place is required please make use of it.

First post updated. That seat will be offered to a guest.

Can potentially still provide some bottles if needed.

Thank you.

[jdaw1]

Please can people bring:
AHB: Cr45;
NAC: Cr47;
PW: Cr55;
CPR: Cr50, Cr60, Cr70, Cr75, Cr03;
MC: Cr63;
MPM: Cr82;
GEAG: Cr91, Cr00, Cr11;
ZDR: Cr94;
IDJ or MPM: Cr66, Cr77.

That’s sixteen bottles, between likely, thirteen of us.

Alex: you sent me a message about the ’45, which I have lost. Ian, Mike, George, Neil: please send a message about prices.

[jdaw1]

Pictures of the current draft of the placemats have been added to the first post.

[PhilW]

Please can people bring:
AHB: Cr45;
NAC: Cr47;
PW: Cr55;
CPR: Cr50, Cr60, Cr70, Cr75, Cr03;
MC: Cr63;
MPM: Cr82;
GEAG: Cr91, Cr00, Cr11;
ZDR: Cr94;
IDJ or MPM: Cr66, Cr77.

That’s sixteen bottles, between likely, thirteen of us.

Alex: you sent me a message about the ’45, which I have lost. Ian, Mike, George, Neil: please send a message about prices.

Am noting your Cr line-up does not include the offered Cr35 from Tony - is this is a deliberate choice?

[idj123]

Please can people bring:
AHB: Cr45;
NAC: Cr47;
PW: Cr55;
CPR: Cr50, Cr60, Cr70, Cr75, Cr03;
MC: Cr63;
MPM: Cr82;
GEAG: Cr91, Cr00, Cr11;
ZDR: Cr94;
IDJ or MPM: Cr66, Cr77.

That’s sixteen bottles, between likely, thirteen of us.

Alex: you sent me a message about the ’45, which I have lost. Ian, Mike, George, Neil: please send a message about prices.

Am noting your Cr line-up does not include the offered Cr35 from Tony - is this is a deliberate choice?

I’d be in favour of dropping the 11 for the 35

[PhilW]

I’d be in favour of dropping the 11 for the 35

Separate the decisions. Should we include the 35? of course (unless JDAW has already excluded for good reason). Do we need to trim the line-up? maybe, maybe not.

[hadge]

i will most likely be bring a 27, otherwise have others but most are in mags

[jdaw1]

I’d be in favour of dropping the 11 for the 35

Separate the decisions. Should we include the 35? of course (unless JDAW has already excluded for good reason). Do we need to trim the line-up? maybe, maybe not.

Dropped in error: ’35 in.

[PhilW]

i will most likely be bring a 27, otherwise have others but most are in mags

Wonderful
This is now shaping up exceedingly well.

[idj123]

Unless my eyes mistake me I notice that the Cr85 is absent from the line up? It appears to be available on the retail market for £55. Should I group purchase?

[PhilW]

Unless my eyes mistake me I notice that the Cr85 is absent from the line up? It appears to be available on the retail market for £55. Should I group purchase?

JDAW's call re: vintages/numbers, but I'd say yes. Julian?

[nac]

Please can people bring:
AHB: Cr45;
NAC: Cr47;
PW: Cr55;
CPR: Cr50, Cr60, Cr70, Cr75, Cr03;
MC: Cr63;
MPM: Cr82;
GEAG: Cr91, Cr00, Cr11;
ZDR: Cr94;
IDJ or MPM: Cr66, Cr77.

That’s sixteen bottles, between likely, thirteen of us.

Alex: you sent me a message about the ’45, which I have lost. Ian, Mike, George, Neil: please send a message about prices.

Not attending, so probably unlikely to be bringing the 47.

[nac]

Sorry, should have confirmed that scheduling clash is unresolvable, so definitely not attending.

[winesecretary]

I confirm attendance with 1991, 2000, 2011.

[jdaw1]

Unless my eyes mistake me I notice that the Cr85 is absent from the line up? It appears to be available on the retail market for £55. Should I group purchase?

JDAW's call re: vintages/numbers, but I'd say yes. Julian?

It’s reliably awful.

[Will W.]

I shall be in London on the night, which is to note that if a pair of seats become available do put me down +1. The +1 would be a convivial colleague with an appropriate interest in port.

[Glenn E.]

Unless my eyes mistake me I notice that the Cr85 is absent from the line up? It appears to be available on the retail market for £55. Should I group purchase?

JDAW's call re: vintages/numbers, but I'd say yes. Julian?

It’s reliably awful.

That seems rather harsh. I have had it many times, and while it has probably never been described as fantastic or delightful, it has also never been described as awful.

Using my various scales:

First descriptive word? It's good, even very good. But usually not excellent on first impression. (Sometimes, but not usually.) This implies 87-89.

Do I want to finish the glass? Yes, of course, and if the bottle is to hand/it is the only Port open I will happily pour another glass of my own volition. This implies 90-93.

More formal perspective? It's not usually particularly complex, but is pretty well balanced and pleasant to drink. Lots of bottle variation lately. This implies anywhere from 87 to 93 depending on the bottle.

I have rated good bottles as high as 93, but am more usually in the 90-91 range. I've been as low as 87 that I can quickly find in my notebooks.

Is it worth £55? That's the gamble. Given prices you lot normally see in the UK I'd probably say no, but that's a decent price over here in the US. I would probably happily restock my supply for $60/bottle.

[akzy]

I am unfortunately unable to attend this anymore.

My official stance is "absolutely gutted".

If anyone is able to supply the 94 in my absence that would be ideal. Otherwise, I'll find a way to get it to the event.

[Alex Bridgeman]

I am in favour of not including the 1985. It’s truly horrible, so full of VA that it remains the only wine I have sent back 3 consecutive times at a restaurant.

I rejoice at Glenn’s different experience and vote against including it in the line-up.

It’s not difficult to find so anyone interested in trying it should be able to do so fairly easily.