2017 Vintage Port Report

[Roy Hersh]

Last week's newsletter did go out on time as promised on Halloween night. I have been working on finishing the article on 2017 VP's and believed the rest would be ready for Sunday night launch this weekend.

Well it still might happen on Sunday, after all it is after 4:30 a.m. and I have been working since 5:30 a.m. on Friday; but must get some rest. I will continue at this pace, until you receive the balance, which will likely be the same size as the 100th newsletter. So ultimately, there will wind up being the equivalent of six newsletters this year. The upcoming addendum will just be numbered as 100-2 or 100-B; whatever. There will be a few late comers to the A Question For The Port Trade that will be included and maybe one additional segment.

While I am doing my best, the tasting note section is taking longer than I had believed and I now see the total is actually 75 distinct VP's. So I will weigh back in here on Sunday and let you know about the progress ... but as that is my daughter Taylor's birthday, it is possible this could take a few extra days (2-3).

I have put all of my photos together into a single file to then use as needed in various segments of the article, but that is a good quarter to half day all by itself, including photo edits, then placement and pagination fixes. I hope you will be patient as the perfectionist in me does not want to release this until it is as perfect as possible.

I can promise you it will be worth the wait, if you actually care about reading tasting notes. As I am sure you already realize, making 75 distinct VP's from the same vintage sound unique and not like all the others, is no small task. Anyway, I have cancelled everything on my plate except my daughter's birthday and so it is still possible this may be released sooner than I think.

Thanks for understanding!

Roy

[Glenn E.]

I can't wait to see the final report! Based on the few 2017s that I've tasted, both on PHT2 and after, I think there are going to be some surprises!

[P Kaye]

Everything worthwhile in life is worth waiting for! Enjoy Taylor's birthday and get some sleep

[Roy Hersh]

Thanks, looking forward to the celebration!

And completing the balance and sending this out as soon as it is completed!

[Chris G]

Dear Roy
I hope your daughter had a lovely birthday.
Is there an expected new publication date for your opinions on the Ports?

Many thanks

[Al B.]

Roy, I hope Taylor had a great birthday and really enjoyed her day.

Could you give those of us waiting on tenterhooks for your comments on 2017 us an update on when we’re going to be able to read your thoughts? Please? Pretty please?

Thanks.

[Roy Hersh]

Sorry guys, we had a tragic death in our family, my aunt ... my mom's younger sister passed mid-week, in an Ohio hospital. The aftermath has been difficult, to say the least.

That being said, I have been working on the newsletter a few hours every night and communicating with Stewart and plan to have it in your hands no later than Monday and hopefully by Sunday. All 75 tasting notes and loads of photos are included and will be in PDF for subscribers to download.

[Claus P]

Oh my god, Roy so sorry to hear this, sincere condolences and thoughts to you and your family.

[Roy Hersh]

Thanks Claus. I was not that close with my aunt. But my mom is a wreck from this. It was very sudden and due to a doctor's mis-handling. So very sad.

[Roy Hersh]

Good news is that tonight, my 2nd part of 3, will include dozens of tasting notes. The grande finale will be either Tuesday or Wednesday right before Thanksgiving, (with a slim potential for Monday) and all 3 segments will be tied together into one PDF. I appreciate your patience.

Roy

[Paul C. Metman]

Roy, after all your promises, each time again, this is very disappointing!! I think, you make a fool of yourself!

[Roy Hersh]

Thank you for your opinion Paul.

[Chris G]

Roy
I think Paul has a very good point, it is extremely disappointing!

[Roy Hersh]

Chris I am truly sorry to disappoint you.

[Gary Richardson]

Roy,

I read the newsletter with special interest in your assessment of the 2017 vintages. After reading the process you undertake in coming to your ratings and notes, I am very impressed. And, writing up all of this in a time of crisis for your family is truly inspiring. I, for one, am grateful for your efforts and wisdom that you make available for (virtually) free. If there is another person on the planet who does this better than you, I am not aware of their existence. I look forward to the final installment in the coming days.

In light of ... in my opinion ... insensitive comments by a small few … I thought some appreciation was in order.

Best regards, and my condolences to your family.
Gary

[Roy Hersh]

Hi Gary,

To be a journalist/wine critic, in this case focused on Portuguese wines especially fortifieds, one must have big shoulders and accept that there will be people who will be judgmental and critical when they feel slighted or disagree with me. They are not criticizing my work, but my lateness and broken promises. I can understand their frustrations and accept their words, harsh or congratulatory. It is part of the territory.

I can only do the best I can. What is not seen, nor understood, nor cared about are things that can pull me away from my work. It is not like I wanted to miss the deadline I had set, nor did I want to use the reasons of a death in the family to take away from what I had committed to. While I was not really close to my Aunt, unfortunately her children are not capable of dealing with the aftermath and I had been asked by my mom to handle certain major aspects of the work (obituary and wrongful death lawsuit, and getting the house cleaned out and set up for the sale, etc.). I do not expect subscribers to care about the behind the scenes turmoil I had faced, nor stuff that fell in my lap). As on top of that extra work, I had a job to get done with tasting notes and completing the newsletter. I realized that would not be able to get done within time lines that I had promised. So I knew there would be blow back and instead of waiting until it was 100% complete and late, my trusted advisers were consulted and told me to put out whatever I was able to get completed in time. So I really do understand and accept the critical comments above. Again, I set the deadlines. All the rest just sounds like an excuse. I only explain, not for anything to be condoned, but because subscribers deserve to at least know the reason. That said, again; as last year I disappointed my entire corps of subscribers, I can't expect them to cut me slack this year, when deadlines are not met. Sure they have received nine months of free newsletters, and more issues than they would typically expect to receive, but none of that really changes their view of being late with deadline I've set. I get it and again, am disappointed that I did not hit the target I had set, regardless of "the why".

That being said, I greatly appreciate your empathy and compassion in understanding the effect these things had on my time and working around the clock to get what I could, done. 25 tasting notes was not enough. Not when 74 were promised. These notes are more than just impressions and scores of the wines. In some cases and especially with newer producers and certainly with ones that other reviewers ignore or don't give more time to, I am proud of my purity when it comes to the integrity of the process. I do not care if my ratings are the highest or lowest, even for producers that I consider good friends OR major names in the Port trade. I only write about what my impressions of the wines are, done in a strictly unbiased way ... that my fellow journalists either don't (lots do theirs NON-blind, some do theirs sitting with the producers in snap shot reviews, some have only 10 minutes with a Port and some show their favoritism towards friends or relatives or producers that always come out on top vintage after vintage). The Port trade and readers, whether newbies or aficionados may like my notes or not. Mine is just one palate of one man. But no one will ever question my methodology nor impartiality, regardless of my descriptors or scores.

So while I feel sorry that I missed deadlines that I created and even repeated ... sometimes life just gets in the way. I will do my very best to complete the final chapter to newsletter number 100 (part 3) before Thanksgiving. But I am also having to make sure that the person who gets these out quickly when completed, is on the same schedule given the holiday. Stewart Todd is great in working with me to ensure this happens, even when working under very thin time frames (and his own work and family obligations and my last minute emails) and for that, I am most grateful and why our friendship has been strong over the past 15 years.

Thank you once again Gary, for providing some positive feedback, it too is appreciated.

Roy

[Derek T.]

Roy,

We spoke last year when things kicked-off around absent/late newsletters and, as was the case then, this post is intended to be helpful.

I think the events of the past months and the resulting exchanges above demonstrate that there are conflicting expectations in play here. Some of your subscribers seem to be of the opinion that they are paying you to do a job and deliver a product to them based on the commitments made at the time they hit the "pay now" button. Not an unreasonable view for people to take. Others seem to be of the view that what you charge for a subscription is effectively nothing, that you are providing a service as a labour of love, and that best endeavours to meet stated intentions are sufficient. Also not an unreasonable view for people to take given the name of your website.

So there is confusion. Irate customers versus understanding followers, and you caught in the middle.

I think it might help your cause if you make it clearer what you are trying to provide and ensure that you use a money-raising method that suits the purpose. Is it a commercial enterprise with sellable products that people should expect to be delivered complete and on time, or is it a labour of love for the benefit of the product of the Port industry and its customers where occasional lateness due to other life priorities getting in the way can be understood tolerated?

It can't be both, so I think you need to tell people which it is.

Derek

[Roy Hersh]

Thanks Derek,

When time permits, I may put a lot more thought into updating the subscription page and provide more clarity. I don't view myself being caught in the middle of two disparate views of what a newsletter subscription is. If you pay for a subscription, you realize it is not free, nor do I think that's what Gary meant by his comment.

That all changed after four years of giving the newsletter away for free. It then went to a donation model and as you and a very small, but vocal group stated, "be more transparent and just go to a subscription model" (paraphrased closely). I followed that advice and that's where we remain today. The $59 annual subscription fee is very clear and has not increased in the past decade.

Right now I am focused on getting the balance of tasting notes completed and into subscribers hands on time. That is my #1 priority!

There is still another newsletter to complete by the end of December and no shortage of other commitments to friends and family around multiple holidays. So my focus is getting my writing work done, then beginning detailed planning of 2020 tours and taking care of finishing the soon to be ready for launch website.

I do appreciate your post, concern and thank you for your suggestion!

Roy