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Many of us have been dabbling in the 2011 VP market, presumably with thoughts of our own consumption, or the consumption of those born in 2011, but perhaps we should be planning ahead for this landmark vintage to ensure we have sufficient supplies to put on a proper horizontal tasting.

The proposed date is St George's Day 2051, being the 40th anniversary of the declaration of the vintage.

jdaw1 wrote: ↑20:33 Fri 27 Aug 2021The Rules

• The possible attendees have been combined into a single list.
• Nearer the time, the organiser (originally Derek, now JDAW, but not necessarily remaining JDAW) will select the fourteen attendees. In making that selection, the organiser will have regard to the following.
  • First: bottles that person would bring.
  • Second: enthusiasm for Port, at least partly measured by scale and quality of role and presence, both offline and online.
  • Third: pleasurability of company.
  • Distant fourth: timeliness of requesting a place. (This isn’t quite the same as ordering by date of first request: somebody now young who becomes a Port enthusiast might be very timely even if making the request a decade from now.)

People hoping to attend.

• DRT;
• DJ;
• JDAW;
• CaliforniaBrad;
• ADV;
• AHB;
• JHG;
• THRA;
• RAYC;
• PW;
• WPS;
• BMHR;
• TLW;
• PEM;
• GEE;
• SCD;
• MPM;
• IDJ
• GD;
• RK;
• Caparica;
• Justin K;
• /2alph;
• Jasper May;
• differentdave + son;
• RON;
• ZDR.

Bottles:

1. Barão de Vilar (PEM);
2. Cockburn (BPB);
3. Croft (JHG);
4. Dow (DRT, JDAW);
5. Ferreira (AHB);
6. Fonseca (DJ, SCD {Magnum}, PEM);
7. Graham (AHB, JHG);
8. Graham Stone Terraces (AHB—"hopefully", SCD);
9. Niepoort (DRT, PEM);
10. Niepoort Bioma (DJ);
11. Niepoort Morgadio da Calçada (PEM);
12. Offley Boa Vista (DRT, AHB);
13. Pintas (AHB);
14. Quinta do Noval (DRT, BPB, PEM);
15. Quinta do Noval Nacional (ADV {Magnum});
16. Quinta da Romaneira (AHB);
17. Quinta de Vale da Dona Maria (AHB, PEM);
18. Quinta do Vesuvio (JHG);
19. Quinta do Vesuvio Capela (DJ, PEM);
20. Quevedo (DRT, JDAW, JHG {Imperial}, PEM);
21. Sandeman (AHB);
22. Skeffington (AHB);
23. Smith Woodhouse (BPB, PEM);
24. Taylor (DJ, PEM);
25. Vieira de Sousa (PEM);
26. Waitrose Symington (SCD);
27. Warre (DRT).

Location: TBD.

Current draft of the placemats. (Do not print from this link. A few days before the tasting there will temporarily be a different link, to counteract problems with the caching of old drafts.)

These files will be updated from time to time. Indeed, to facilitate updates if I should become ‘indisposed’ before the event, the PostScript file has also been uploaded: change the “.pdf” to “.ps” in the obvious way.

Can we amend the title of this thread, so it's in the future rather than the past?

I'm in. I'll bring the Bioma, Taylor and Fonseca. Oh and the Quinta do Crasto. And I'll keep a bottle of Capela.

Should we include an indication of who should drink our share should we, er, fail to attend..?

djewesbury wrote:Can we amend the title of this thread, so it's in the future rather than the past?

But 23 April 2051 is a Sunday, and AHB can't do weekends.

I have Dow and Quevedo.

djewesbury wrote:Can we amend the title of this thread, so it's in the future rather than the past?

I have no idea what you are talking about

djewesbury wrote:I'm in. I'll bring the Bioma, Taylor and Fonseca. Oh and the Quinta do Crasto. And I'll keep a bottle of Capela.

Thank you. I will update the arrangements.

djewesbury wrote:Should we include an indication of who should drink our share should we, er, fail to attend..?

I have no idea what you mean. Gentlemen of our temperate disposition will have no issue reaching 2051, although we might require the attendance of a few nurses to ensure our evening is comfortable.

DRT wrote:

djewesbury wrote:Should we include an indication of who should drink our share should we, er, fail to attend..?

I have no idea what you mean. Gentlemen of our temperate disposition will have no issue reaching 2051, although we might require the attendance of a few nurses to ensure our evening is comfortable.

Sorry, the healthgiving properties of our product: I forgot. I could bring a couple of pork pies too, provided I have sufficient notice..?

I'd be happy to contribute, I'll assume I'm happily retired by then with plenty of time to travel! Cockburn, Noval and SmithWoodhouse should all go the distance nicely.

Magnum of 2011 Noval Nacional

DRT wrote:Many of us have been dabbling in the 2011 VP market, presumably with thoughts of our own consumption, or the consumption of those born in 2011, but perhaps we should be planning ahead for this landmark vintage to ensure we have sufficient supplies to put on a proper horizontal tasting.

The proposed date is St George's Day 2051, being the 40th anniversary of the declaration of the vintage.

I am in and the following have been offered for inclusion in the line-up!

1. Dow (DRT & JDAW)
2. Fonseca (djewesbury)
3. Niepoort (DRT)
4. Niepoort Bioma(djewesbury)
5. Offley Boa Vista (DRT)
6. Quinta do Noval (DRT)
7. Quinta do Vale Meao (DRT)
8. Quinta do Vesuvio Capela (djewesbury)
9. Quevedo (DRT & JDAW)
10. Taylor (djewesbury)
11. Warre (DRT)

Who is in, and what can you offer for inclusion in the line-up?

sign me up!

i can bring a 6L of the Quevedo!

also have the regular vesuvio

jdaw1 wrote:

djewesbury wrote:Can we amend the title of this thread, so it's in the future rather than the past?

But 23 April 2051 is a Sunday, and AHB can't do weekends.

I have managed to negotiate a once-in-a-lifetime pass for a port tasting on a Sunday, so I am in.

But where should we meet? I believe that the Bung Hole is closed on Sundays. Any suggested venue options?

Of the shippers not already on the list or thread, I can bring:
Ferreira
Graham
Graham Stone Terraces (I hope, if I actually get some)
Offley
Pintas
Romaneira
Sandeman
Skeffington
Quinta de Vale da Dona Maria

And the top post needs updating with Brad's ports and Andy's magnum of Nacional 2011.

Also have the croft and the grahams

DRT wrote:The proposed date is St George's Day 2051, being the 40th anniversary of the declaration of the vintage.

You sure?

jdaw1 wrote:

DRT wrote:The proposed date is St George's Day 2051, being the 40th anniversary of the declaration of the vintage.

You sure?

Ah, the tricks alcohol intake plays with basic mensuration! You launched this enterprise after drinking the kinds of alcohol that the government warns us are dangerous (unlike port, which as AHB pointed out is entirely safe).

AHB wrote:But where should we meet? I believe that the Bung Hole is closed on Sundays. Any suggested venue options?

I’ve spoken to Helen and she says that the Bung Hole can open for us on Sunday 23rd April 2051. Indeed, on any Sunday that year the diary is currently empty.

This post was about the placemats, and has been moved into the first post.

AHB wrote:And the top post needs updating with Brad's ports and Andy's magnum of Nacional 2011.

Perhaps, to avoid duplication of effort over such a long period of time, the first post should be where we ("we" being "jdaw1") maintain the pictures of the placemats?

DRT wrote:Perhaps, to avoid duplication of effort over such a long period of time, the first post should be where we ("we" being "jdaw1") maintain the pictures of the placemats?

Done. And also where we (‟we” being DRT) maintain the list of ports and attendees.

jdaw1 wrote:

DRT wrote:Perhaps, to avoid duplication of effort over such a long period of time, the first post should be where we ("we" being "jdaw1") maintain the pictures of the placemats?

Done. And also where we (‟we” being DRT) maintain the list of ports and attendees.

OK

Is anybody feeling flush?

There have been fifty-something 2011 Vintage Ports declared, many, perhaps all, in small volumes. If we were to try to buy missing VPs in the late 2040s, much success would be unlikely. Is anybody feeling sufficiently flush to be willing to buy, now-ish, a six pack of each? Fifty-something × about £200 each ≈ £10k. But subtract those of which we have multiple sources, and add storage costs. So doing this would require some current flushness.

And if this planned tasting were to fall apart, you would still have a wonderful collection from a wonderful vintage, that could be drunk, or sold to younger versions of ourselves.

DRT wrote:

jdaw1 wrote:

DRT wrote:Perhaps, to avoid duplication of effort over such a long period of time, the first post should be where we ("we" being "jdaw1") maintain the pictures of the placemats?

Done. And also where we (‟we” being DRT) maintain the list of ports and attendees.

OK

Done. We are approaching 50% completeness. Not too shabby.

I mentioned Crasto. I intend to get hold of this in the Douro in September. I notice that it is not included in the list of 2011 Vintage Ports declared to which JDAW linked above..

jdaw1 wrote:Is anybody feeling flush?

There have been fifty-something 2011 Vintage Ports declared, many, perhaps all, in small volumes. If we were to try to buy missing VPs in the late 2040s, much success would be unlikely. Is anybody feeling sufficiently flush to be willing to buy, now-ish, a six pack of each? Fifty-something × about £200 each ≈ £10k. But subtract those of which we have multiple sources, and add storage costs. So doing this would require some current flushness.

And if this planned tasting were to fall apart, you would still have a wonderful collection from a wonderful vintage, that could be drunk, or sold to younger versions of ourselves.

if they come stateside

i'm acutally trying to do such feat.

g-man wrote:i'm acutally trying to do such feat.

Excellent.

There is time bottles could be bought either side of the pond, and later moved.

Put me down for Crasto and Passadouro - my top two from the blind tasting, and also Burmester - the biggest surprise from the same event.

Please book a venue with wheelchair access, as I shall be nearly 91...

uncle tom wrote:Put me down for Crasto and Passadouro - my top two from the blind tasting, and also Burmester - the biggest surprise from the same event.

Please book a venue with wheelchair access, as I shall be nearly 91...

I think by then 's dedicated lift will be in place at TBH....

uncle tom wrote:Please book a venue with wheelchair access, as I shall be nearly 91...

Q: ‟But grandpa, who wants to be ninety-two?”
A: ‟Most ninety-one year olds.”

Hadn’t thought about wheelchair access: maybe the Bunghole will have a lift by then. Must mention that to Helen.

Edit: near-simultaneous posts.

1. Can I bring a guest please? RB, dexter.
2. Does someone want to draft a codicil that can be added into existing wills, or copied into new ones? I'm about to make my will. I would like to specify a next-of-port who will take the bottles that I have pledged to TBH in the event of my death. Perhaps we could organise something along the lines of a phone tree? If I die, my bottles go to X for safekeeping. If X is dead, etc etc.
3. I am expecting that we will have discovered an immortality elixir by 2051; and that it will be found to exist in large quantities in a lesser port brand (perhaps Sainsburys TTD 03?)

Could you put me on the reserve list for this...I may have forgiven Derek by then!!

"Quinta do Vesuvio Capela" is a convenient moniker, but for an event like this should it not be given its proper name on the tasting mats?

RAYC wrote:"Quinta do Vesuvio Capela" is a convenient moniker, but for an event like this should it not be given its proper name on the tasting mats?

Quite right, Capela da Quinta do Vesuvio it is or soon will be. We have traditionally used the abbreviation ‟VC”: any objection to that?

jdaw1 wrote:

RAYC wrote:"Quinta do Vesuvio Capela" is a convenient moniker, but for an event like this should it not be given its proper name on the tasting mats?

Quite right, Capela da Quinta do Vesuvio it is or soon will be. We have traditionally used the abbreviation ‟VC”: any objection to that?

For abbreviation, use of "Vesuvio" as primary and "Capela" as secondary term, hence VC, seems to fit with our general philosophy. For the image database I have had to make slight variation to cope with all tawnies and name variations, so have gone with parameters of "Supplier" and "Full name" (I may add quinta as well later, where relevant, but currently not over-convinced of value for the VPID), so "Quinta do Vesuvio" for supplier and "Capela da Quinta do Vesuvio" as full name, abbreviation "VC".

I've just been put up for a club that has a waiting list for full membership of 27 years. I thought I should let everyone know that I may open a few bottles of 2011 before this offline, if I get elected.

djewesbury wrote:I've just been put up for a club that has a waiting list for full membership of 27 years. I thought I should let everyone know that I may open a few bottles of 2011 before this offline, if I get elected.

Does this compromise your list of wines available for this tasting? If so, please specify which are no longer available. It's not long now until the final placemats need to be produced so please don't leave us hanging in the balance for too long

DRT wrote:

djewesbury wrote:I've just been put up for a club that has a waiting list for full membership of 27 years. I thought I should let everyone know that I may open a few bottles of 2011 before this offline, if I get elected.

Does this compromise your list of wines available for this tasting? If so, please specify which are no longer available. It's not long now until the final placemats need to be produced so please don't leave us hanging in the balance for too long

I'll make sure my celebrations aren't too exuberant in 2040...

Hi,

wow! You all are very confident to be round in 2051! I am not sure and hence I opt at this stage to believe not and hope to be pleasantly suprised to be able to be there in 2051.
With regards to the ports of 2011 I am not so sure if they will age as brilliantly as e.g. the 55s, 60s, 66s or 70s will. I fear quite a few will not show well and be rather tired by then. Not because 2011 is not an excellent year but rather portmaking has advanced and most producers no longer make wines like in the good old days.
Anyway in case I will be round there will be a 1970 horicontal the year before (in 2050) to which the usual suspects I am sure will turn up.
For obvious reasons it will be no longer 35 different VPs e.g. I will not want to keep any Hutchinson....
Outside only problem is/will be my dangerously low stock of currently ~140bts of various lovely 1970 VP which may have been further decimated by then...

regards

WS1

WS1 wrote:wow! You all are very confident to be round in 2051! I am not sure and hence I opt at this stage to believe not and hope to be pleasantly suprised to be able to be there in 2051.

!
Anyway in case I will be round there will be a 1970 horicontal the year before (in 2050) to which the usual suspects I am sure will turn up.

A very precise mortality forecast: you think that you will be well enough to drink in 2050, but buried by 2051. OK, we defer to your expertise.

djewesbury wrote:I've just been put up for a club that has a waiting list for full membership of 27 years. I thought I should let everyone know that I may open a few bottles of 2011 before this offline, if I get elected.

Is it this club?

benread wrote:

djewesbury wrote:I've just been put up for a club that has a waiting list for full membership of 27 years. I thought I should let everyone know that I may open a few bottles of 2011 before this offline, if I get elected.

Is it this club?

Yes. It took them long enough...!

djewesbury wrote:

benread wrote:

djewesbury wrote:I've just been put up for a club that has a waiting list for full membership of 27 years. I thought I should let everyone know that I may open a few bottles of 2011 before this offline, if I get elected.

Is it this club?

Yes. It took them long enough...!

Then welcome! I was there yesterday. Thankfully the pavilion is in the shade.

Sent from my Nexus 4 using Tapatalk 2

Apologies. The Valkyries have only just released me, hence my lack of communication on emergency issues.. Unfortunately the general non-availability of regulars has encouraged me to rearrange my schedule, such that this crisis will now not be arising. See you all at some other future point...

Are you sure you have posted in the correct thread?

Well, you can't complain that he hasn't provided sufficient warning of his non-availability
I will also plan to join this fine occasion, bringing V, VC and/or Q.

DRT wrote:Are you sure you have posted in the correct thread?

Oops. Copying and pasting now. Bloody 'smart' phones. Please delete these messages for neatness' sake....

Neatness-shmeetness, no harm in leaving - especially as Phil's post is multi-purpose.

I have just noticed that the first post does not reflect what everyone (eg THRA) has said they'll be bringing. Could this be rectified before the event?

djewesbury wrote:I have just noticed that the first post does not reflect what everyone (eg THRA) has said they'll be bringing. Could this be rectified before the event?

We might struggle to fit that in but will do our best.

I have a suggestion. Could I have a show of hands please?

A number of people have said to me that the 2011s from the smaller producers might be at their peak a little earlier than those from the big boys. May I suggest a first tasting of small producers in 2031, to be compared and contrasted with the whole range again in 2051?

If this seems a good idea could the admins split this thread and could someone book the usual spot for St George's Day 2031?

djewesbury wrote:split this thread

This is the thread for a tasting of 2011s on 23rd April 2051. Between now and then, and after then, there might well be other tastings. Verticals of major shippers, and of minor shippers. Horizontals too, of various years perhaps including 2011. Do feel free to take the lead in arranging any of these.

PS: I’m in.

djewesbury wrote:I have a suggestion. Could I have a show of hands please?

A number of people have said to me that the 2011s from the smaller producers might be at their peak a little earlier than those from the big boys. May I suggest a first tasting of small producers in 2031, to be compared and contrasted with the whole range again in 2051?

If this seems a good idea could the admins split this thread and could someone book the usual spot for St George's Day 2031?

St George's Day 2031 should be ok for AHB. I'm in.

I do have a problem however. For many of the smaller producers I only have one bottle of their 2011 vintage. For which event should I keep them?

AHB wrote:I do have a problem however. For many of the smaller producers I only have one bottle of their 2011 vintage. For which event should I keep them?

This is exactly why I've been buying them in twos. One is one and all alone and ever more shall be so.