Madeira Tasting in San Francisco - May 17-19, 2013

[Marc R]

I'm fine with either option, but would also prefer B. Either way, it's going to be a great event!

[Mark L]

In an unbelievable stroke of bad luck (and timing) I will no longer be able to attend this amazing tasting.

I was so looking forward to it, and I enjoyed brainstorming with all of you other madeira lovers on this forum as to how to make it a superb weekend tasting. (Although the true elements that will make the tasting superb lie with Roy's organization skills, dedication, and of course the bottles brought by each individual)

I look forward to hearing all about it, even if it will make me insanely bummed, jealous, and bitter.


Enjoy for all those who can't make it!

Cheers,
Mark

[Roy Hersh]

And yet another person dropped out today. I am just back from being out of state since early Sun. a.m. and have a ton of emails to catch up on.

However, I need to know if anyone else has found some people to join us. This is really starting to be worrisome. I don't want to cancel this on such late notice because people from other countries already have their flights booked. SO ... unless we get some more people very very quickly, there will be two options.
a. Cancel - which would be horrendous
b. Split the minimum, which would raise the tarrif pretty significantly for dinners. I don't know what else to do at this point.

I was judging since 9 a.m. this morning and afterwards drove four+ hours to get home from OR, so tomorrow will read through all emails and get back to everyone.

[Andreas Platt]

Hi Roy,

as a non-participant but interested person (I really woul like to attend one time, but the distance and timing is always a problem) I wanted to let you know that I understand the problems and exactly for the reasons explained I doubt I would ever organize such an event - too complicated when you make this exclusive to a handful of people and then get a few cancellations. And that's always the case.
Only thing to do is charge whatever it costs in advance even if cancelled. That's raising the morale but on the other side it's minimizing the potential registrees.

Hope that one day I'll participate in one of your events, that will surely be an extraordinary experience.

Good luck with your decision - I guess number 2 will be the only way to go.

Sincerely

Andreas

[Roy Hersh]

Thanks Andreas!


Today, I sent out exactly TWENTY new invites personally aimed at some who have been to the four city Madeira Road Show events I held in 2007 as well as the more recent Verdelho and Terrantez retrospectives. Also a few I've never met who have expressed recent interest in tours to Madeira.

I remain optimistic that things will turn out positively.

That being said, please DO feel free to tell your Madeira loving friends about these tastings!

[Timothy B.]

If I have interested friends, but they don't have any appropriate Madeiras, can there be an adopt-a-bottle option?

[Roy Hersh]

IF your friends would like to join us and let us know soon, then we can find some alternatives for them. I will personally assist in that process. Email me directly if that is the case.

So far, 17 of 20 have replied back and none can make it. I only wish that we knew of the people dropping out earlier in the game as it is likely too close from those coming any distance to be able to join us.

At the early part of next week, I will be back in touch with every person coming. Have no fear, this event will take place!

[Reidar Andersen]

Thanks Roy, for doing a great and HUGE job !!!

[Peter Reutter]

Thanks Roy, for doing a great and HUGE job !!!

+1

I am not able to attend this time in SF, but looking back at the NYC TTT, I am still grateful for you and Mannie organizing this. Reading about the troubles for the SF event makes me realise what a lucky bunch we were in NYC, not only for the wines, but for having dedicated people putting this event together and having all the different pieces fall into the right places... Thanks again

Peter

[Roy Hersh]

You would think that given that SF is arguably the 2nd most progressive city in the USA for wine events (after NYC, of course) that finding Port/Madeira glasses there would not be a challenge. Well, I have spent nearly a month speaking to virtually every rental company within an hour of San Francisco and have FINALLY obtained glasses for our event.

Will be emailing all participants within 72 hours for the final time before the event. Thanks to all that have stuck it out through thick and thin. This has been one of the wildest roller coaster organizational challenges I have ever faced in putting together Port, Madeira and other wine events during the past 2+ decades.

And in the end, this will all be worth the blood, sweat and tears.

[Barry Sunderland]

You would think that given that SF is arguably the 2nd most progressive city in the USA for wine events (after NYC, of course) that finding Port/Madeira glasses there would not be a challenge. Well, I have spent nearly a month speaking to virtually every rental company within an hour of San Francisco and have FINALLY obtained glasses for our event.

Will be emailing all participants within 72 hours for the final time before the event. Thanks to all that have stuck it out through thick and thin. This has been one of the wildest roller coaster organizational challenges I have ever faced in putting together Port, Madeira and other wine events during the past 2+ decades.

And in the end, this will all be worth the blood, sweat and tears.

[Reidar Andersen]

Kid in a candy store, I am , though I am the oldest ( ? ) of these participants... . In just 30 hours Pacific Time, I will be on the way to EWR(NYC) on to Vegas before the occasion, arriving SFO on our constitution day, May 17th ...

So much looking forward to meet you guys........

And a special thank to Roy for all his work to make this happen........

My wife will be happy too.. She will have all the shops around Union Square for herself...

[Roy Hersh]

Thanks Reidar, see you soon. I hope all participants DID receive their email yesterday?

[David Spriggs]

I did receive the email. Thanks!
-Dave-

[Barry Sunderland]

In like Flynn.

[Roy Hersh]

My entire lower level smells amazing having had these two Madeiras open since the beginning of the week. I am doing everything possible to avoid going down there and even opened another bottle of Madeira this week, so that I would avoid all temptation. I am hoping we can wind up with 2 oz. pours to really get a good impression of each wine as we have plenty of time to taste every glass. Given the decrease in numbers, I have a feeling we will be eating about 1.5 hours earlier than originally predicted. Of course, this has been relayed to the restaurant who I've been in touch with on a daily basis since last week.

Can't wait folks ... with only 10 bottles per day, there is no reason to be spitting. BTW, I have included wines to pair with each course at dinner ... so NOBODY needs to bring any dinner wines at all.

I leave in exactly 24 hours and have a LOT to do b4 then. Very much looking forward to meeting several first time attendees at events that I've organized (Madeira or Port), but also those of you that have been to others in the past.

[Reidar Andersen]

Wow, I am so excited... Leaving Vegas at noon tomorrow... Hope I can sleep tonite

Early dinner, top, fighting + 9 hours jetlag . Last night I just fell asleep at 6 pm. Up at 3am

[David Spriggs]

3am? That's prime time in Vegas!

[Alan Gardner]

All 4 bottles have landed safely.
Hope we can resist the temptation - may work as our hotel neglected to provide Riedel glasses and I forgot to pack any as I was so concerned with getting them through security,
See you all soon.

Alan & Catherine

[Timothy B.]

Just "recanted" the bottles using t-corks and am waiting for the sealing wax to cool before I pack them.