Seeking feedback

[Roy Hersh]

It has been ages since I've asked the ladies and gentlemen of FTLOP for feedback on the current newsletter.

Since many of you are subscribers, (thank you always!) and get to see the .pdf version that contains the full tasting notes, articles in their entirety and with photos, etc. it would be great if you could be the critics and let me know your opinions.

What could make them better?

What would you like to see more of, or less of?

I promise to have thick skin; so shoot straight. Also if there are things that you do enjoy, getting some positive feedback, will be appreciated, too.

Thank you!

[John M.]

I love the newsletters.

That being said, there are a lot of newbies who read these, and while it is great to read all your tasting notes many are things a newbie won't likely get a chance to drink or even have a chance to buy. I'd like to see you include some more ports that are readily available in B&M shops or on the internet now within the constraints of a budget and not having to age; that would likely mean LBVs and 10/20 Year Tawnies. Something the newbie could read about, then buy and try for himself/herself to see if they perceive the same flavors, structure etc you do....almost like you were teaching a class.

[Monique Heinemans.]

I agree on John's comment.
As I do love to read the newsletters, many experiences are over my head.
I did like the article about starting a tastinggroup!

[Moses Botbol]

More pictures

[John M.]

I agree on John's comment.
As I do love to read the newsletters, many experiences are over my head.
I did like the article about starting a tastinggroup!

Thank you.

[Roy Hersh]

John,

You make a very salient point and your suggestion is appreciated.

However, my tasting note section includes Port and wines friends open for me too ... NOT just bottles from my own cellar. So often times those and even ones I do pull, are to fit into a theme at the end of dinner. But then again, I will do my best to share more notes on younger and more readily available Ports too.

I do try to get to drink more of them in the past decade or at least since FTLOP came into being, as in the old days, that very rarely happened.

There was a 2008 Noval LBV note ...

In all seriousness, thanks for your note.

Please keep 'em coming!!!

[Roy Hersh]

Monique,

Any suggestions of topics?

I am happy to try to aim at other demographics of Port enthusiasts.

Sorry I missed you during my visit. I did send you email before my trip in hopes you would join us at Lastage!!!

[Roy Hersh]

More pictures.

Moses,

Seriously, or were you kidding?

Do you want to see more photos of the bottles in the tasting notes?

Not sure otherwise, what you mean.

Don't hold back!

[Eric Menchen]

Too big!

[Eric Ifune]

I would prefer if entire articles were enclosed, instead of part I and then a part II in a future newsletter. But I'm just nitpicking.

[Monique Heinemans.]

Monique,

Sorry I missed you during my visit. I did send you email before my trip in hopes you would join us at Lastage!!!

Ohhh, I'm very very sorry to hear that, as I obviously didn't receive your email...
I only learnt about the gettogether after the dinner/tasting via Paul and I really did regret I wasn't invited as I would have been there for shure! My husband is from Amsterdam, so despite we live in the very south of the NL, we have some relatives living there where I could have stayed the night over.
Oh bummer....!
Whenever you visit the NL again, just for fun or having a tasting; 100% shure I'll be there!

(PS: I always reply my incomming mails, so when you ever don't get an answer from me please, please mail again... )

[Rune EG]

Hi Roy!
You state: "I promise to have thick skin; so shoot straight", so I will give my opinion.
I mentioned this to you last year.
In general I am very happy with the newsletters (good variety of articles and tasting notes) and I end up reading most of it, and in many cases all.
However, the newsletters have grown to a size that makes it diffucult in a hectic life to read everything when they are being published, with the risk that some will never be read!

I looked at the development of the number of issues since I became a member in 2009:
2009 9 issues
2010 9 issues
2011 9 issues
2012 8 issues
2013 5 issues
2014 4 issues
2015 4 issues
2016 2 issues (so far April + August)
Less issues per year, but they grow a lot in size (no. of pages).
My opinion is that you do not have to make these huge newsletters. Spread the same no. of pages on more smaller issues. They will still be big enough. My suggestion is every second month, i.e. 6 per year. "Keep the flame alive" and that is being done best by having frequent issues than 3-4 huge issues per year.

It will be interesting to hear whether others have the same view as me.

[Paul C. Metman]

Hi Roy!
You state: "I promise to have thick skin; so shoot straight", so I will give my opinion.
I mentioned this to you last year.
In general I am very happy with the newsletters (good variety of articles and tasting notes) and I end up reading most of it, and in many cases all.
However, the newsletters have grown to a size that makes it diffucult in a hectic life to read everything when they are being published, with the risk that some will never be read!

I looked at the development of the number of issues since I became a member in 2009:
2009 9 issues
2010 9 issues
2011 9 issues
2012 8 issues
2013 5 issues
2014 4 issues
2015 4 issues
2016 2 issues (so far April + August)
Less issues per year, but they grow a lot in size (no. of pages).
My opinion is that you do not have to make these huge newsletters. Spread the same no. of pages on more smaller issues. They will still be big enough. My suggestion is every second month, i.e. 6 per year. "Keep the flame alive" and that is being done best by having frequent issues than 3-4 huge issues per year.

It will be interesting to hear whether others have the same view as me.

Hi Roy,

I very much agree with Rune: the decreasing number of newsletters worries me too, and yes, for me they don't need to be as big as the last one.
Another thing, that I would love personally (but perhaps this is like "cursing in the Portlover church" ) is more articles about Portuguese (read: Douro) still wines and then not only about the big and well-known names as Pintas, Vallado, Crasto, Niepoort, Vale Dona Maria, Poeira and Vale Meao, but also about lesser-known and upcoming properties. To name a few: Duorum, Foz Torto, Conceito, Javali, Murças, dos Poços, Pôpa, Passadouro, Touriga Chã, Maritavora and a lot of others that I forgot to mention. Most of these properties produce (very good!) Port as well, so the link is there! Not linked to Port, but imho also very interesting is the production of Susana Esteban: Aventura and Procura, but also her "co-production" with Sandra Tavares and others): Crochet, Tricot and Sidecar. Ofcourse: I realize that the "P" in FTLOP stands for Port, but it could also stand (a little bit ) for Portugal! At least I would be very happy with it, as there is very little to find about Portuguese wine elsewhere!

[John M.]

Hi Roy!
You state: "I promise to have thick skin; so shoot straight", so I will give my opinion.
I mentioned this to you last year.
In general I am very happy with the newsletters (good variety of articles and tasting notes) and I end up reading most of it, and in many cases all.
However, the newsletters have grown to a size that makes it diffucult in a hectic life to read everything when they are being published, with the risk that some will never be read!

I looked at the development of the number of issues since I became a member in 2009:
2009 9 issues
2010 9 issues
2011 9 issues
2012 8 issues
2013 5 issues
2014 4 issues
2015 4 issues
2016 2 issues (so far April + August)
Less issues per year, but they grow a lot in size (no. of pages).
My opinion is that you do not have to make these huge newsletters. Spread the same no. of pages on more smaller issues. They will still be big enough. My suggestion is every second month, i.e. 6 per year. "Keep the flame alive" and that is being done best by having frequent issues than 3-4 huge issues per year.

It will be interesting to hear whether others have the same view as me.

Hi Roy,

I very much agree with Rune: the decreasing number of newsletters worries me too, and yes, for me they don't need to be as big as the last one.
Another thing, that I would love personally (but perhaps this is like "cursing in the Portlover church" ) is more articles about Portuguese (read: Douro) still wines and then not only about the big and well-known names as Pintas, Vallado, Crasto, Niepoort, Vale Dona Maria, Poeira and Vale Meao, but also about lesser-known and upcoming properties. To name a few: Duorum, Foz Torto, Conceito, Javali, Murças, dos Poços, Pôpa, Passadouro, Touriga Chã, Maritavora and a lot of others that I forgot to mention. Most of these properties produce (very good!) Port as well, so the link is there! Not linked to Port, but imho also very interesting is the production of Susana Esteban: Aventura and Procura, but also her "co-production" with Sandra Tavares and others): Crochet, Tricot and Sidecar. Ofcourse: I realize that the "P" in FTLOP stands for Port, but it could also stand (a little bit ) for Portugal! At least I would be very happy with it, as there is very little to find about Portuguese wine elsewhere!

I suppose a consideration is what's easier for Roy and what has the most impact. Lately he's publishing a bi-annual book, when it was 6-8 per year more like a magazine. I usually read it all eventually; I can't say I feel strongly one way or the other but would lean to smaller newsletters more often.

[Roy Hersh]

I will respond to all other posts in due course, but back to Moses:

More pictures

I stopped counting when I reached 100.

Thanks for the rest ... I promise to make time before the end of this week!

Sincerely,

Roy

[Eric Menchen]

I agree with more, smaller newsletters.

Sent from my XT1060 using Tapatalk

[Glenn E.]

I think I would marginally prefer more, smaller newsletters, but if that causes you (Roy) overhead then I'm perfectly happy with fewer, larger newsletters.

I do like all the pictures, especially when they're part of a story/article.

While I do find tasting notes to be useful, for me they're much more useful in the TNDB. I generally only skim them in the newsletter in order to see what's there, so that part of the content isn't especially high on my priority list. A simple list of the new TNs that have been added to the TNDB would be equally as useful for me.

I like the personal articles the best, whether those are guest corner articles about a trip, or the new "catching up with Roy" style article in this last newsletter. The personal element of them makes them much more enjoyable to me than the more "academic" articles about a producer or Port personality. (I like those, too, just not as much as the more personal articles.)

[Roy Hersh]

Thank you everyone for your input and suggestions. The staff and I at FTLOP will be looking into the recommendations brought up as we try and make your experience the best it can possibly be.

Your candor is appreciated and will be taken to heart. It is too early to make a decision about the future, but for the rest of 2016, the newsletters are already planned out in terms of content. However, in 2017, you will certainly see some compromises. As for the balance of this year, there will be a newsletter in either late October or more likely in the beginning of November and another in late December for sure. There will be 4 total as there have been in the past couple of years too.

Thank you again!

Roy

[Moses Botbol]

More pictures.

Moses,

Seriously, or were you kidding?

Do you want to see more photos of the bottles in the tasting notes?

Not sure otherwise, what you mean.

Don't hold back!

Not kidding. More pictures of bottles, the personalities of the trade, pictures of events, the Quintas, the wine making facilities... For many, they are just browsing through the newsletter, so the pictures are what grab the attention to read further.

[Monique Heinemans.]

I love the newsletters.

That being said, there are a lot of newbies who read these, and while it is great to read all your tasting notes many are things a newbie won't likely get a chance to drink or even have a chance to buy. I'd like to see you include some more ports that are readily available in B&M shops or on the internet now within the constraints of a budget and not having to age; that would likely mean LBVs and 10/20 Year Tawnies. Something the newbie could read about, then buy and try for himself/herself to see if they perceive the same flavors, structure etc you do....almost like you were teaching a class.

Echoing your comment John, awhile ago Rune also asked something about why we didn't post more TN's of "lesser" ports (lower scores). So we can learn more from eachother. I still think that was a very good call and we all (not only Roy in his newsletters) should do so. I presume most of us don't drink Noval Nacional or ports from 1945 or 1963 every week, so please post TN's of "ordinary" port too..