Virtual tasting? anyone interested

Frederick Blais · Post by **Frederick Blais** » Tue Mar 14, 2006 10:58 pm

I had an idea tonight. Would people be interested to name a wine each month that everybody on this board try to buy and taste. Then we discuss about it on this forum. You can put your tasting note, but also I'd looking if you like it or not, why so? Do you think it is a good representation of what port in this category should be, worth money or not, to recommend or not.

I know March is almost over but I'd like to start this and those who can jump in are welcome. Then each month a new person is chosen to get a wine he'd like to taste and share with others of this board. Let's try to keep the Port accessible to everyone in its price and availability on the market.

So I'm starting this tonnight with Ramos Pinto 10 year old tawny. I've tasted it many times but never bought any, so now I'm going to taste it at home, relax with perfect tasting condition.

I'll start a new topic to talk about it.

Cheers!

Post by **Roy Hersh** » Wed Mar 15, 2006 12:07 am

Fun idea Frederick. In 1995-2000 I used to host a weekly wine chat hour for America Online's Thrive Channel. In 1996, I began doing "virtual tastings" of 2 wines per quarter, on a specific night with wines/times announced way ahead.

I used to have the winemaker or journalists join us in the tasting and it was a live chat room where we all discussed the wines we were drinking in real time. Moderating that type of Forum was tricky as my typing was alot slower back then. After a about ten of the virtual tastings it became too painful to keep up as the amount of room was limited to 25 participants and things got out of hand. That was before AOL had moved the Thrive area to the web and was only available to AOL subscribers.

I switched at that point to work with Robin Garr, hosting his Wed. night wine chats which I did religiously for five years. Now, with this website and a young child in the house, my time is not what it used to be and I only make 50% of them. Robin is a great guy as you know and I hope to meet him in person someday.

Finding a chat "facility" is the only thing that would stop us from doing an

Post by **Andy Velebil** » Wed Mar 15, 2006 1:20 pm

Good idea Fred. I don't have the 10 yr Ramos Pinto, but I will try to locate one at a store around me this week so I can chime in about it.

I think we should maybe chose one for next month now, so people will have time to get a bottle. For April, how about the Fonseca Bin 27? Most stores carry it so hopefully we can get a large amount of people to chim in.

Also, you think we should always start the "Subject" as "Virtual Tasting: _____" that way it is easy to locate all of them later using the search function?

Frederick Blais · Post by **Frederick Blais** » Wed Mar 15, 2006 1:41 pm

Good ideas Andy and I'll get a bin 27 for next month.

Post by **Andy Velebil** » Wed Mar 15, 2006 1:59 pm

Cool 8) ...I am off to track down a lead on a Ramos Pintos 10 yr. :twisted:

Steven Kooij · Post by **Steven Kooij** » Wed Mar 15, 2006 3:22 pm

Don't think I'll be able to find a RP10YOT at such short notice, but a Bin 27 for next month shouldn't be a problem...nice idea, Fred! 8)

Marc J. · Post by **Marc J.** » Wed Mar 15, 2006 6:48 pm

Great Idea! I'll pick up a bottle of 10 y.o. Ramos Pinto this weekend.

Derek T. · Post by **Derek T.** » Thu Mar 16, 2006 3:40 am

Good idea Fred 8)

I'm in provided I can find a RP 10 yr old - looking on wine-searcher there seem to be 2 types, one being a Ramos Pinto Quinta da Ervamoira 10yr old and the other just labelled as Ramos Pinto 10 yr old - are these the same? If not, which one do you have, Fred?

UK guys - anyone know a nationwide source of Ramos Pinto? I can't remember seeing it in normal chain wine stores.

For future tastings perhaps we could run a poll the month before listing 6 potential candidate wines with the most popular being the subject of the next VT

Derek

Philip Harvey · Post by **Philip Harvey** » Thu Mar 16, 2006 6:28 am

Fred

I think Derek's idea of a poll before deciding on a tasting candidate is a good idea. As he said, Ramos Pinto isn't a name we see that much in the UK. However, Fonseca bin 27 is widely available and would suit very well for April. In fact, someone gave me a bottle a few months ago and I was wondering what to do with it!

Looking forward to the tasting.

Derek T. · Post by **Derek T.** » Thu Mar 16, 2006 6:40 am

KillerB - I bet you can't wait for the Bin 27 VT - isn't this one of your firm favourites?

Derek

Frederick Blais · Post by **Frederick Blais** » Thu Mar 16, 2006 9:49 am

Derek it is the Quinta de Ervamoira 10 yr old tawny. If you look at my tasting note, you'll see the picture of it.

Al B. · Post by **Al B.** » Tue Mar 21, 2006 1:00 am

Fred,

Great idea and one I will take part in - I'm too late for the Ramos Pinto tawny but I will get myself a bottle of Bin 27 and take part in that tasting.

Alex