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RE: FIRST ANNUAL: CellarTracker weekend, Seattle, WA 9/5-7/2008

 
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RE: FIRST ANNUAL: CellarTracker weekend, Seattle, WA 9/... - 6/20/2008 9:24:41 AM   
Blue Shorts

 

Posts: 297
Joined: 2/5/2008
From: Santa Cruz, California
Status: offline 		Blind Tasting?

I know the logistics would be difficult, but I think it would be interesting to somehow disguise the bottles for at least an hour or 2.  They can be segregated by varietal, country, color, whatever.

This would accomplish a few things.  It would completely avoid any rushing of tables to get at the "preferred" labels.  It would immediately provide fodder for discussions of tastes. It would allow many wines to be tasted that may be skipped simply due to pre-conceived notions.

The bottles can be revealed after an hour or two.

Another thought.  Instead of blind tasting.... have guests draw a (random) number at the table.  The number would correspond to a wine.  That would be like choosing blind except there would be no need to cover labels.

_____________________________

The best wine is the one that you haven't yet tried.

(in reply to deb293)
Post #: 151
RE: FIRST ANNUAL: CellarTracker weekend, Seattle, WA 9/... - 6/20/2008 6:16:20 PM   
cgrimes

 

Posts: 895
Joined: 10/8/2007
From: Massachusetts
Status: offline
quote:

ORIGINAL: Blue Shorts

Blind Tasting?

I know the logistics would be difficult, but I think it would be interesting to somehow disguise the bottles for at least an hour or 2.  They can be segregated by varietal, country, color, whatever.



You make some good points.  Blind tasting would certainly be fun but potentially nitemarish.  It would also level the playing field.  BUT, all the bottles would have to be labeled then you'd have to make sure you documented which ones you drank so you could match your memory or notes to the correct wine.  It gives me a headache thinking about it.  I want to relax, enjoy the wine, and have some good conversation.

After reading deb263's note I don't think too much hoarding or targeted tasting will occur.  Yeah, some bottles will be gone quickly, but there will be many other good ones--and none of us will get through 100 wines in a night anyway. (1oz pour X 100 wines/ 4oz avg size glass = 25 glasses wine = trip to the hospital )
It will be interesting to read event notes later as we will all have a slightly different tasting experience.

But again, blind tasting could be really fun.  Perhaps Eric and I could choose a few wines for blind tasting and people interested could mill about, taste and guess. 
Craig

< Message edited by cgrimes -- 6/20/2008 6:18:26 PM >

(in reply to Blue Shorts)
Post #: 152
RE: FIRST ANNUAL: CellarTracker weekend, Seattle, WA 9/... - 6/20/2008 7:06:04 PM   
deb293

 

Posts: 289
Joined: 8/24/2005
Status: offline 		Craig,

As usual with you, sanity reigns.  Good luck with managing 1 ounce pours, by the way!  (This was a feature distinctly lacking at the EWS event...)

Which may be why I have no recollection whatsoever of Howard and Bob's cutting the giant anniversary cake at the end of the evening.  (There was a photo of it on their website, so I know it happened.)

Cool idea about a mini blind tasting table; that's an interesting twist!


< Message edited by deb293 -- 6/20/2008 7:25:33 PM >

(in reply to cgrimes)
Post #: 153
RE: FIRST ANNUAL: CellarTracker weekend, Seattle, WA 9/... - 6/20/2008 7:38:08 PM   
fingers

 

Posts: 682
Joined: 8/26/2006
From: Santa Ana, CA
Status: offline 		Hate to bring it up, but seems like a necessary evil:  spit bucket? 

(in reply to cgrimes)
Post #: 154
RE: FIRST ANNUAL: CellarTracker weekend, Seattle, WA 9/... - 6/20/2008 8:33:07 PM   
deb293

 

Posts: 289
Joined: 8/24/2005
Status: offline 		Of course; multiple spit buckets! (Guess how much they'll actually be used, given the potential inventory...)

< Message edited by deb293 -- 6/20/2008 9:14:07 PM >

(in reply to fingers)
Post #: 155
RE: FIRST ANNUAL: CellarTracker weekend, Seattle, WA 9/... - 6/20/2008 10:15:55 PM   
mjobtx

 

Posts: 115
Joined: 11/20/2004
From: Plano, TX
Status: offline 		Not sure how you are keeping count but a few pages back I RSVP'd for myself.  I need to add one so it will now be PlanoWino +1.

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PlanoWino

(in reply to deb293)
Post #: 156
RE: FIRST ANNUAL: CellarTracker weekend, Seattle, WA 9/... - 6/20/2008 11:02:49 PM   
jdub1121

 

Posts: 9
Joined: 6/20/2008
Status: offline 		Sounds like a great time to be had!

Am I too late for 2 spots for this shindig?

(in reply to mjobtx)
Post #: 157
RE: FIRST ANNUAL: CellarTracker weekend, Seattle, WA 9/... - 6/21/2008 7:47:47 AM   
cgrimes

 

Posts: 895
Joined: 10/8/2007
From: Massachusetts
Status: offline
quote:

ORIGINAL: fingers

Hate to bring it up, but seems like a necessary evil:  spit bucket? 


I'll make sure there are plenty! 

(in reply to fingers)
Post #: 158
RE: FIRST ANNUAL: CellarTracker weekend, Seattle, WA 9/... - 6/21/2008 7:50:56 AM   
cgrimes

 

Posts: 895
Joined: 10/8/2007
From: Massachusetts
Status: offline
quote:

ORIGINAL: deb293

Craig,

As usual with you, sanity reigns.  Good luck with managing 1 ounce pours, by the way!  (This was a feature distinctly lacking at the EWS event...)

Which may be why I have no recollection whatsoever of Howard and Bob's cutting the giant anniversary cake at the end of the evening.  (There was a photo of it on their website, so I know it happened.)

Cool idea about a mini blind tasting table; that's an interesting twist!



I think a mini blind table will be possible and fun.  Thanks, Blue Shorts, for getting the discussion going!

(in reply to deb293)
Post #: 159
RE: FIRST ANNUAL: CellarTracker weekend, Seattle, WA 9/... - 6/21/2008 8:20:13 AM   
ed

 

Posts: 117
Joined: 10/24/2004
From: Sammamish WA
Status: offline 		jdub Wells,
I'm sure there's room. You bringing the Romanee Conti?

w00t!!!

(in reply to cgrimes)
Post #: 160
RE: FIRST ANNUAL: CellarTracker weekend, Seattle, WA 9/... - 6/21/2008 8:38:09 PM   
rstark

 

Posts: 13
Joined: 2/4/2006
Status: offline 		I've sent Eric several emails stating that I'm coming, but here is my official RSVP. Thought: since at least three of us will be in Sicily this October, I'm willing to put together an offiline at Il Dehors!

(in reply to ed)
Post #: 161
RE: FIRST ANNUAL: CellarTracker weekend, Seattle, WA 9/... - 6/22/2008 7:17:08 AM   
deb293

 

Posts: 289
Joined: 8/24/2005
Status: offline 		What dates for Sicily?

(in reply to rstark)
Post #: 162
RE: FIRST ANNUAL: CellarTracker weekend, Seattle, WA 9/... - 6/23/2008 9:33:10 PM   
mjobtx

 

Posts: 115
Joined: 11/20/2004
From: Plano, TX
Status: offline 		So what do you think Eric's neighbors are going to say or do when 75 cars show up in his neighborhood looking for a place to park?

_____________________________

PlanoWino

(in reply to Blue Shorts)
Post #: 163
RE: FIRST ANNUAL: CellarTracker weekend, Seattle, WA 9/... - 6/24/2008 4:41:50 AM   
cgrimes

 

Posts: 895
Joined: 10/8/2007
From: Massachusetts
Status: offline
quote:

ORIGINAL: mjobtx

So what do you think Eric's neighbors are going to say or do when 75 cars show up in his neighborhood looking for a place to park?


He's already paid off the police department

(in reply to mjobtx)
Post #: 164
RE: FIRST ANNUAL: CellarTracker weekend, Seattle, WA 9/... - 6/24/2008 3:56:43 PM   
rstark

 

Posts: 13
Joined: 2/4/2006
Status: offline 		Reply to #162: I'm the somm on the Ciclismo Classico trip Oct 12-17 along the West Coast. (see link below). Meanwhile, Eric and family will be going on one of those fancy-schmancy Butterfield & Robinson tours.

http://www.ciclismoclassico.com/trip/74/celebrity_series_sommelier_robin_stark_in_la_bella_sicilia_ovest/

< Message edited by rstark -- 6/24/2008 3:57:39 PM >

(in reply to deb293)
Post #: 165
RE: FIRST ANNUAL: CellarTracker weekend, Seattle, WA 9/... - 6/24/2008 5:41:21 PM   
deb293

 

Posts: 289
Joined: 8/24/2005
Status: offline 		Know both organizations; I've travelled with http://www.dolcetours.com/ to Italy. You may already know Claudio Bisio, as he was with CC.  La Dolce Vita combines wine/cycling/hiking depending on the trip.  I went to Barolo/Cinque Terre with them two years ago.  More rain + less hiking = more wine tastings!  (I was wondering if Eric was doing the cycling on his own; now I know...)

So, if I'm in Sicily during those dates, what was that again about an offline at Il Dehors?

< Message edited by deb293 -- 6/25/2008 9:09:07 AM >

(in reply to rstark)
Post #: 166
RE: FIRST ANNUAL: CellarTracker weekend, Seattle, WA 9/... - 6/24/2008 8:15:27 PM   
vino mezzaluna

 

Posts: 2
Joined: 6/23/2008
Status: offline 		New to the forum and would definitely love to attend the festivities.  I'll be bringing another wine addict from Portland so we'll add some great Oregon Pinot to the mix

(in reply to deb293)
Post #: 167
RE: FIRST ANNUAL: CellarTracker weekend, Seattle, WA 9/... - 6/25/2008 9:52:36 AM   
bumperfender

 

Posts: 6
Joined: 6/25/2008
From: Maple Valley, Washington
Status: offline 		Hi All -

Long time wine enthusiast, first time poster. CT user for about 4 yrs.

Count me, and my wife in for both events if there is still room.

(in reply to vino mezzaluna)
Post #: 168
RE: FIRST ANNUAL: CellarTracker weekend, Seattle, WA 9/... - 6/26/2008 4:30:36 PM   
mjobtx

 

Posts: 115
Joined: 11/20/2004
From: Plano, TX
Status: offline 		Looks like we are already over 100 with 2 1/2 months to go.  I wonder how that breaks down between in towners and out of towners?  My hat's off to the CPA keeping a count.

_____________________________

PlanoWino

(in reply to bumperfender)
Post #: 169
RE: FIRST ANNUAL: CellarTracker weekend, Seattle, WA 9/... - 6/29/2008 1:02:37 PM   
Malarkey

 

Posts: 1
Joined: 6/29/2008
Status: offline 		New to the forums, new to cellartracker, but have attended a tasting at Mr Levine's house before 

Would love to come to the "main" event Sept 6th, so count me in!

(in reply to mjobtx)
Post #: 170
RE: FIRST ANNUAL: CellarTracker weekend, Seattle, WA 9/... - 7/1/2008 11:40:58 AM   
fingers

 

Posts: 682
Joined: 8/26/2006
From: Santa Ana, CA
Status: offline 		What's going to make the 9/6 party a success?  Three things, IMB  1) A fun and enjoyable social engagement with all of you  2) Drinking the gifts you all have presented 3) Gathering the impressions of what everyone thinks of the wine.  That pretty much sums it up, and the first two I have no problem with.  But let's talk about the BYOB issue some more.  I had an older thread going about how to choose what I would bring for 9/6 and the quandry of choosing just one or two gems to share. I think the protocol  is that we're only getting the first taste of our own and then moving on to others. Along with getting to sample others precious rings, what would also be rewarding is a way to find out what others thought of the wine I brought.  That's what CT is all about, right?  This is what lead me to ask about internet access, etc at the restaurant so that we could actually enter tasting notes on the go.  But, the more I think about it, that would really impact point #1 and I have an idea that would at least make my, and hopefully others, decisions a little easier:  Tasting Note cards.  If we just have simple little cards to use and some process of collecting them, either at each table or wine, or centrally with some help sorting at the end.  Perhaps a volunteer to organize and enter the info on CT?  The idea of pre-registering our wines for the event is also a way to have everything tagged and linked to a tasting event ahead of time.  Then, even the cards could be pre-printed with wine info for consistency and ease.  Card could have lines for wine info, provided by (handle), consumed by (handle), overall impressions, etc.

Do we need a poll?

(in reply to Malarkey)
Post #: 171
RE: FIRST ANNUAL: CellarTracker weekend, Seattle, WA 9/... - 7/1/2008 1:02:23 PM   
cgrimes

 

Posts: 895
Joined: 10/8/2007
From: Massachusetts
Status: offline 		Rob,
At the event, I was going to keep a piece of paper, jot down some notes to remind me, then I was going to make an event note chronicalling the wines I tasted.  While great for me, if even 50 of us do the same thing, I am unlikely to look through each event.  However, if we can get an accurate list of the wines that show up on each night, we can list them in the forum afterwards with links so that one can read all the tasting notes written about the wine from the night of the event.  That might be more manageable.  I like the idea of cards...each person can hand over a card for the wine, year, and handle name of the person who brought it, and these can be used to compile the list afterwards.  That way the only data being entered is the wine and the link--the rest is done by you all.  Does this sound like what you had in mind?
Craig

(in reply to fingers)
Post #: 172
RE: FIRST ANNUAL: CellarTracker weekend, Seattle, WA 9/... - 7/1/2008 2:04:05 PM   
fingers

 

Posts: 682
Joined: 8/26/2006
From: Santa Ana, CA
Status: offline 		Not sure.  What I'm really looking for is an easy way out -  someone that will gather all the notes and record into CT as an event. Then, a day or two afterwards we can see the results.  If half of us write 6 notes each (75x6)= that could be 450 cards to enter!  So, if no one cares to undertake that project I would suggest that we either enter notes about what we drink ourselves or, return the note card to the corresponding bottle and the original owner for review and possible entry into CT.  But then we would also need a way for everyone entering their notes to somehow link them to a tasting event on CT.  I'm not sure if we can do that, either. 

(in reply to cgrimes)
Post #: 173
RE: FIRST ANNUAL: CellarTracker weekend, Seattle, WA 9/... - 7/1/2008 2:32:15 PM   
Blue Shorts

 

Posts: 297
Joined: 2/5/2008
From: Santa Cruz, California
Status: offline 		I'm one of those that would like to know what wines will be there beforehand.  I know that might be difficult, but a single thread for entry would work. 

Is there some way that the wines can be sorted into some kind of order that would allow us to start with the lighter wines and work our way to heavier wines?  Tasting a light white burg after a big cab or shiraz ... well, you know.

Somehow, I think that this is gonna turn into a big free-for-all.  With 150 people and at least as much wine, my focus will be on avoiding getting crushed   I admire you and others for setting this up.

_____________________________

The best wine is the one that you haven't yet tried.

(in reply to cgrimes)
Post #: 174
RE: FIRST ANNUAL: CellarTracker weekend, Seattle, WA 9/... - 7/1/2008 4:02:46 PM   
mjobtx

 

Posts: 115
Joined: 11/20/2004
From: Plano, TX
Status: offline 		Wow!!  We have some serious planners here and I suspect careful planning will add to the enjoyment of both events.  That being said, I will make some observations and await my punishment.

1. I assumed (you know what that means) that the primary  purpose for the events was to get together and meet fellow users and not to act as a tasting panel.
2. My experience with trying to write tasting notes when a large number of wines are being tasted is that writing the notes becomes an overwhelming task and that socialization suffers as a result.

I applaud anyone and everyone who is willing to take notes of everything they taste but 100 - 150 people sniffing, tasting, spitting (well maybe not spitting) and writing rather than mingling and getting to know each other certainly changes the ambience of the events.  From a personal preference standpoint, I would prefer that these events not be turned into analytical exercises.  That may be just self preservation speaking though because when my mother was upset, she often told me that if my IQ were two points lower, I would be a rock.

Of course, I realize that "my" vision of the event may not be in alignment with Eric's or anyone else's for that matter.  So after I emerge from "time out", I promise to do better.

Ps.  I like the idea of everyone bringing a card with CT level data on the wines they are bringing.  A thread could be started for "First Annual CT Weekend Wines" and those that have notes should post away at their convenience.



_____________________________

PlanoWino

(in reply to Blue Shorts)
Post #: 175
RE: FIRST ANNUAL: CellarTracker weekend, Seattle, WA 9/... - 7/1/2008 4:48:38 PM   
mbannon

 

Posts: 268
Joined: 10/1/2004
From: Portland, OR
Status: offline 		For those planning to attend the Levine function on Friday...are you bringing the leftover wines to the Saturday event? -hint, hint-

My thoughts on tasting notes:
I've been to large tasting events before and I've found that after 10 or so wines, my notes end up all sounding the same.  "Nice fruit, good body, smooth - 88 pts."  In other words, worthless.  Besides, who can really taste anything after all those wines?  Better to just try to jot down thoughts on the wines that really stand out for you.  Maybe ask folks to try to get at least 3-4 good, quality tasting notes during the evening and extract a promise they will enter them in CT by Monday.  Of course not everyone will, but this is a pretty anal group of people (regarding wine, anyway) so I think we'd get a pretty good set of notes out of it.

(in reply to mjobtx)
Post #: 176
RE: FIRST ANNUAL: CellarTracker weekend, Seattle, WA 9/... - 7/1/2008 5:02:33 PM   
fingers

 

Posts: 682
Joined: 8/26/2006
From: Santa Ana, CA
Status: offline
quote:

ORIGINAL: mbannon

I've been to large tasting events before ....   

That's the last thing I want - to turn it into a big tasting event.
quote:


Maybe ask folks to try to get at least 3-4 good, quality tasting notes during the evening and extract a promise they will enter them in CT


That's all we could ask for.  This isn't some 2-hour wine shop party, either.  There's plenty of time for socializing and analyzing. 

(in reply to mbannon)
Post #: 177
RE: FIRST ANNUAL: CellarTracker weekend, Seattle, WA 9/... - 7/1/2008 5:27:08 PM   
Blue Shorts

 

Posts: 297
Joined: 2/5/2008
From: Santa Cruz, California
Status: offline 		Yeah.  I like the party idea.  You and mbannon are right about the notes.  At the last large tasting that I attended (25 wineries, 125 wines)., my notes started out well.  The were detailed and thoughtful.  After a couple of hours, the notes were basically "nice wine", "good", "tasty"... and by the end of the evening, the notes were completely illegible.

I think I'll pop a bottle, put a straw in it, and wander around chit-chatting.  Does anyone know where I can get one of those crazy straws with all the loops?

_____________________________

The best wine is the one that you haven't yet tried.

(in reply to mjobtx)
Post #: 178
RE: FIRST ANNUAL: CellarTracker weekend, Seattle, WA 9/... - 7/1/2008 6:29:28 PM   
fingers

 

Posts: 682
Joined: 8/26/2006
From: Santa Ana, CA
Status: offline 		Would it be rhetorical to ask what you'll be wearing?

(in reply to Blue Shorts)
Post #: 179
RE: FIRST ANNUAL: CellarTracker weekend, Seattle, WA 9/... - 7/1/2008 7:11:18 PM   
Blue Shorts

 

Posts: 297
Joined: 2/5/2008
From: Santa Cruz, California
Status: offline 		Only if I can't find my dual beer can hat

_____________________________

The best wine is the one that you haven't yet tried.

(in reply to fingers)
Post #: 180
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