Christmas time of reflection

[Roy Hersh]

Looking back on 2012, it has been a year filled with wonderful memories and one that seemed to pass by in a blink of the eye (in a good way!). I am so grateful for the new friends that I've had the chance to meet for the first time and old friends that I was fortunate to revisit and spend time with in the UK, Portugal, Canada, Sweden and closer to home in the USA. I also thank my family for allowing me the freedom to write about, travel and continue to pursue my passion for promoting and educating about Port wine and Portugal. None of this is taken for granted!

FTLOP which began about seven and a half years ago, continues to thrive and remains a solid and friendly community of Port, Madeira and Portuguese wine lovers in which to congregate. I am pleased to see how many Forum members have had the opportunity to meet one another this year during offlines, tours, seminars/tastings etc. Although most hobbyist Forums like this naturally tend to slow down after many years in existence, it is a testament to you the active participants here, who keep FTLOP alive and that is very much appreciated.

I'd like to wish all of you and your families the best of health, happiness and a very Merry Christmas with best wishes for the New Year!

I hope you will open a special bottle or three this week and share your experiences with the rest of us.

Lastly, I'd like to thank the FTLOP team of Stewart Todd, Andy Velebil, David Spriggs, Mario Ferreira and Blair Curtis for their ongoing investment of time and effort to maintain all facets of FTLOP's website, Forum, newsletter, FB page, TNDB, Portugal wine tours, etc. It is their hard work that helps keep me focused and the community together and growing.


Thank you and best regards, (Muito obrigado e melhores cumprimentos)

Roy

[Ray Barnes]

Hello Roy, I wish I had noticed this a day or two ago when it was originally posted. I hope you and your family are enjoying the holidays and having some quality time together. Yes it is a busy, vibrant place here, thanks in no small part to the diligence and dedication of yourself and your colleagues.

I would be interested to know what you and others here have uncorked recently, as per your post. On the 22nd (my 51st), we tried a 2007 Chapoutier Chante Alouette Hermitage blanc, quite sensational, and a 1985 St. Josefs Cabernet Sauvignon (Oregon), past its best but still holding up pretty well. On the 24th, we uncorked a 2006 Petit-Village, a wonderful "minor" Pomerol Chateau. So far, so good!

Cheers and our family's best regards to you and yours,
Ray

[Ray Barnes]

PS - there was a third bottle opened on the 22nd, a 2007 Fritz Haag Brauneberger Juffer Riesling Auslese, great stuff too, delicate but rich and complex at the same time.

[Tom D.]

Thank YOU Roy. Your work, and for the most part the tone of this community, seem to reflect the civilized nature of Port itself. You provide a welcome oasis in the desert of wine snobbery.

[Roy Hersh]

Thanks Ray and Tom, truly appreciated.


Ray, you can look into the thread of "what Port have you opened lately/recently" to see what I've opened. All will appear in the newsletter that is nearly ready for release within a week or HOPEFULLY less!

[Ray Barnes]

Hi, Roy, sorry to say I am having difficulty finding that thread. In which section of the forum was it started? Sorry for the trouble. Ray

[Miguel Simoes]

Like Tom, my thanks to you Roy for being the engine behind all this.
It has been great to find such a wonderful group of folks w which to share my love of port.

[Carl D]

Hi, Roy, sorry to say I am having difficulty finding that thread. In which section of the forum was it started? Sorry for the trouble. Ray

Ray, it's here: http://www.fortheloveofport.com/ftlopfo ... =1&t=11459

[Ray Barnes]

Thank you very much - and some mighty fine bottles opened too.
Not a very special bottle, but I enjoyed a 2006 Chateau Malmaison from Moulis-en-Medoc a couple days ago. For less than $15, it was excellent.

[Ray Barnes]

I've spent the last two nights getting my first ever tasting of a Cote Rotie, and to do it justice, it calls for a tasting note, to be done separately.