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Afternoon all, I'm currently laid up with a lower leg injury that means getting out and about is not really much of an option. I'm in a medical boot through to early Sept and so Alex messaged me and suggested adding a virtual tasting to the calendar. I'm aware of September's but figured folks here might have their arms twisted for another...

July isn't really an option as I'm unable to actually get down to the cellar so early August looks like a good option. With September's tasting already having the crusted theme, I thought in honour of the current heatwave that we could go with "a port you enjoy drinking when it's supposedly too hot for port".

Attendees:

- rich_n
- mcoulson
- AHB
- PhilW
- winesecretary
- Mike J.W.
- Glenn E.
- Justin K
- azky
- uncle tom
-

Phil to provide Zoom details closer to the time.

I can do either date .. it would also be fun ...

I can do either date - and love the theme. Currently I’m sipping on a glass of Graham 1970 from the fridge.

Alex Bridgeman wrote: ↑17:39 Sat 12 Jul 2025 I can do either date - and love the theme. Currently I’m sipping on a glass of Graham 1970 from the fridge.

For the pedants amongst us, I just want to be clear that the Graham 1970 is being kept in the fridge, not me.

Alex Bridgeman wrote: ↑17:40 Sat 12 Jul 2025

Alex Bridgeman wrote: ↑17:39 Sat 12 Jul 2025 I can do either date - and love the theme. Currently I’m sipping on a glass of Graham 1970 from the fridge.

For the pedants amongst us, I just want to be clear that the Graham 1970 is being kept in the fridge, not me.

Nobody around here would be that picky ....

Could be up for Aug 6th zoom, definitely not avail 7th (anniv).

Also up for 6 Aug zoom, from recently re-roofed and re-wi-fied country manor.

I'm retired, so I think I can squeeze it in. My preference would be the 7th, but I can probably make the 6th if that works for the majority.

Alex? You must have a really big, walk-in fridge at your house.

I can make either date, but Thursday the 7th would be better as I have regular M-W-F work meeting at 11:30 am that interrupts these proceedings.

Yes but the 7th would be better for me.

Mine will probably be 40 YO tawny. Have lots of them, don’t drink them enough.

Can anyone definitely not make the 6th? At the moment it looks like Phil definitely cannot make the 7th so if we can all make some or all of the 6th it looks like that may be the preference.

winesecretary wrote: ↑20:22 Sun 13 Jul 2025 Mine will probably be 40 YO tawny. Have lots of them, don’t drink them enough.

That sounds like a real problem, George. I think you better ship them to me over in the States and I'll try to resolve that for you.

Yes please.

No objections so we'll aim for the 6th.

I've realised I don't personally have group video chat (aka Zoom) so I was wondering if any of the attendees can offer this option for the group?

rich_n wrote:I've realised I don't personally have group video chat (aka Zoom) so I was wondering if any of the attendees can offer this option for the group?

I can sort zoom for us.

PhilW wrote: ↑11:34 Sat 19 Jul 2025

rich_n wrote:I've realised I don't personally have group video chat (aka Zoom) so I was wondering if any of the attendees can offer this option for the group?

I can sort zoom for us.

Thanks Phil, much appreciated.

Add me in please..

Zoom invite sent by PM to attendees per first post list.

Ah, thought I'd signed up - could you forward to me too...thx!

What time are we aiming to start tonight? My tasks for today are to paint the en suite, change a solenoid on a remote valve and to catch up on yesterday’s cricket.

I need to ensure all tasks are completed by the time we start!

Alex Bridgeman wrote: ↑08:40 Wed 06 Aug 2025 What time are we aiming to start tonight? My tasks for today are to paint the en suite, change a solenoid on a remote valve and to catch up on yesterday’s cricket.

I need to ensure all tasks are completed by the time we start!

That's a good question! Shall we aim for 7.30, but with no pressure to be there on time?

Alex Bridgeman wrote: ↑08:40 Wed 06 Aug 2025 ...and to catch up on yesterday’s cricket.

Oval Invincibles smashed London Spirit.

rich_n wrote: ↑09:10 Wed 06 Aug 2025

Alex Bridgeman wrote: ↑08:40 Wed 06 Aug 2025 What time are we aiming to start tonight? My tasks for today are to paint the en suite, change a solenoid on a remote valve and to catch up on yesterday’s cricket.

I need to ensure all tasks are completed by the time we start!

That's a good question! Shall we aim for 7.30, but with no pressure to be there on time?

In lieu of any time mentioned in the first post, I set up the Zoom invite to nominally start at 20:00 being the same time as the last one, though I think you may be able to join anytime.

flash_uk wrote: ↑09:34 Wed 06 Aug 2025

Alex Bridgeman wrote: ↑08:40 Wed 06 Aug 2025 ...and to catch up on yesterday’s cricket.

Oval Invincibles smashed London Spirit.

That’s not helpful. Talk about spoilers!

Alex Bridgeman wrote: ↑09:58 Wed 06 Aug 2025

flash_uk wrote: ↑09:34 Wed 06 Aug 2025

Alex Bridgeman wrote: ↑08:40 Wed 06 Aug 2025 ...and to catch up on yesterday’s cricket.

Oval Invincibles smashed London Spirit.

That’s not helpful. Talk about spoilers!

PhilW wrote: ↑09:39 Wed 06 Aug 2025

rich_n wrote: ↑09:10 Wed 06 Aug 2025

Alex Bridgeman wrote: ↑08:40 Wed 06 Aug 2025 What time are we aiming to start tonight? My tasks for today are to paint the en suite, change a solenoid on a remote valve and to catch up on yesterday’s cricket.

I need to ensure all tasks are completed by the time we start!

That's a good question! Shall we aim for 7.30, but with no pressure to be there on time?

In lieu of any time mentioned in the first post, I set up the Zoom invite to nominally start at 20:00 being the same time as the last one, though I think you may be able to join anytime.

It'll depend on the specific meeting set up - most will just start when the first person arrives but I think there's an option that the meeting owner has to allow people to join.

Alex Bridgeman wrote: ↑09:58 Wed 06 Aug 2025

flash_uk wrote: ↑09:34 Wed 06 Aug 2025

Alex Bridgeman wrote: ↑08:40 Wed 06 Aug 2025 ...and to catch up on yesterday’s cricket.

Oval Invincibles smashed London Spirit.

That’s not helpful. Talk about spoilers!

TBF the "Hundred" barely counts as real cricket...

I might be online at 8pm rather 7.30, apologies.

rich_n wrote: ↑17:17 Wed 06 Aug 2025 I might be online at 8pm rather 7.30, apologies.

I also need to apologise. Mrs B decided that she needed to try the wine I was (am?) going to drink for our offline. 40 minutes before the official start time we have only 1/3rd of the bottle left…

Alex Bridgeman wrote: ↑17:49 Wed 06 Aug 2025

rich_n wrote: ↑17:17 Wed 06 Aug 2025 I might be online at 8pm rather 7.30, apologies.

I also need to apologise. Mrs B decided that she needed to try the wine I was (am?) going to drink for our offline. 40 minutes before the official start time we have only 1/3rd of the bottle left…

I'm sure you'll find an alternative!

I will drop in to the proceedings (I have the details from Phil)

Not looking good, still working
Would have been drinking my summer Churchill’s white Port, tonic, mint and orange. Might end up as a night cap

Am struggling to get in here - what am I doing wrong..?

Rich, thanks for organising last night's catch up. It was nice to see everyone even if the bottle we randomly chose for Tom to open blew everyone else's choices away.

I hope the Achilles heals soon.

Alex Bridgeman wrote: ↑14:59 Thu 07 Aug 2025 Rich, thanks for organising last night's catch up. It was nice to see everyone even if the bottle we randomly chose for Tom to open blew everyone else's choices away.

I hope the Achilles heals soon.

That just might be the perfect pun even though you were still wishing him a rapid recovery.

Tom's random pick of a Port for the night was one for the ages.

Alex Bridgeman wrote: ↑14:59 Thu 07 Aug 2025 Rich, thanks for organising last night's catch up. It was nice to see everyone even if the bottle we randomly chose for Tom to open blew everyone else's choices away.

I hope the Achilles heals soon.

Thanks Alex, I hope so too! And cheers to a lovely group for some excellent conversation last night, I very much enjoyed it (and particularly Tom's random choice being the most spectacular option available in his parameters).

Thanks for putting this together, even if my work interfered more than usual! It was still great seeing everyone.

Mike - I put out a call for August Port Club, and very quickly got 10 responses (out of 11) saying that they couldn't make it. So we've cancelled.

Which means I'm free on Saturday night if you'd still like to get together, but it needn't be way out here in Sammamish!

I thought that was a lovely evening - the fact that quite a lot of the discussion is not about port but about the things from which we find refuge in this hobby is an interesting feature. Kudos to rich_n for organising.

I've been angling for an excuse to pop a Croft 45 for years..
..still amazed that your random shout outs of tag numbers not only landed on Cr45 but landed on my most ullaged bottle, thereby upholding my 'survival of the fittest policy'

Glad we could all be of assistance !

uncle tom wrote: ↑16:30 Mon 11 Aug 2025 I've been angling for an excuse to pop a Croft 45 for years..
..still amazed that your random shout outs of tag numbers not only landed on Cr45 but landed on my most ullaged bottle, thereby upholding my 'survival of the fittest policy'

Perfect! It sounded like it was a delicious bottle too, from your description.