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

[Roy Hersh]

Tim,

What? Does that mean you are not going to cook?

Kidding of course, thanks for offering.

Please do create another thread if you are going to be putting together a tasting in So. CA.

Be careful with glassware to rent something you get to see a photo of.

[Timothy B.]

What? Does that mean you are not going to cook?

It happens that the next event I'm hosting will be a pasta-making party as well as a tasting, so cooking will happen, too.

For that the theme is merely "wines that go with pasta." Madeira-wise, since it's an introduction for my friends, I'm thinking of providing four wines from the RWC historic series or something similar.

Good idea about making a thread for So Cal. Dealing with a restaurant like you are doing - well, I'd be lost. (And thanks again for all the time and effort you are putting into this.) If/when we get closer to making a So Cal event happen, I'll be asking for more advise about glassware.

[Roy Hersh]

So here is the latest:

The restaurant that I would like to do this in has space open for Sat. but they are not open on Sun.

That being said, they are willing to bend the rules and open for us on Sunday too.

Dinner for each event would run $200 net, except glassware. To keep things no more than that, I will absorb the extra charge for glassware.

I have to let them know ... but wanted your thoughts before pulling the trigger. If I say "no" to them, that would leave me with one last decent option. I hope to not go down that road.

What say you?

[Marc R]

My $.02 is that if you recommend it, and it makes things easy, I'm all for it. It's about the wine and the company. everything else is just a bonus.

BTW, I saw Eric's post that RWC has a Borges Pather 1720 available, in case someone's feeling really generous about what they want to bring....

[Llyn Strelau]

Roy, I put my trust in your decision - looking forward to May. Sorry it has been such a hassle.
Llyn

[Bret Davis]

I support your decision. Again, thanks for all of your hard work on this.

Bret

[Roy Hersh]

Anyone else, please speak up today as tomorrow I am going to fulfill the contract unless there is some strong feelings against doing so, based on aforementioned pricing.

[David Spriggs]

Easy is best. Sounds good to me!

[Mark L]

I trust you, Roy.

[Reidar Andersen]

Of course, we trust you...Thanks for all you have done..

[Roy Hersh]

OK, so you can see the quality of the place I am negotiating with ... they are really cool so far and working hard to find glassware at the moment. We may either wind up with "decent" quality properly shaped glasses or possibly Riedel white wine glasses.

Will know more about that within 20-30 hours.


Sociale

3665 Sacramento Street

San Francisco, CA 94118

check this out: http://sfsociale.com/

[Reidar Andersen]

Looks great, nice location

[Roy Hersh]

The ONLY downside I can see is that there is not a BART station nearby.

[Reidar Andersen]

Good morning walk from Chinatown, I am Norwegian.. . Know the city, first time in 1967, singing with the Hare Krishna gang at Union Square..

[Roy Hersh]

Reidar,

I see very little has changed since then. I wondered why the heck you wore orange last year to the Terrantez tasting, now it all makes a lot more sense!

[Roy Hersh]

Email re: the event will go out by tomorrow and then we can begin to get serious about bottles and particulars.

Here is the list I am going to work off of.

Anyone left out ... or would like to be added or removed from this list?

Barry Sunderland (Both?/Dec)
David Spriggs (Both/Nov)
Roy Hersh (Both, Duh)
Carl D (Lowbar/Jan)
Phyllis D (Lowbar/Jan)
Bob Stern (?/Jul)
Andy Velebil (Both if available?/Nov)
Llyn Strelau (Both/Jan)
Alan Gardner (Both/Nov)
Alan Gardner's Significant Other (Both/Nov)
Mark Lee (Both/Jan)
Timothy B. (Both/Feb)
Reidar Andersen (Both/Nov)
Justin A. (Wrong Weekend?/Nov)
Jim R. (Lowbar/Dec)
Peter T. (Both?/Nov)
Bret Davis (Both/Feb)
Richard Jennings (Highbar/Feb)
Marc R. (Both/Feb.)

[Roy Hersh]

In the past few days, I have learned from the list above, that many have dropped out. We are now in jeopardy of having this turn into a house of cards. I'll wait until I have all responses back from the emails I sent individually to everyone on the list. There may be others I can invite, but it is pretty last minute given people would have to fly in to take part in these events.

Suggestions?

[Roy Hersh]

On a more positive note, it looks like we are about a half dozen people away from both Saturday and Sunday night events minimums in order to reach the price point agreed to with the restaurant.

Our choice now would be:

a. have less people and pay a higher price per person to meet the restaurant's minimums.
b. have everyone here, reach out to their Madeira loving friends and see if they can drum up support to have people join us for Sat./Sun. as I am going to do as well.


So far, all of those who are coming are extremely generous with their offerings and I think we will have two fantastic lineups, for these events. I am truly impressed with those that have offered up some stellar bottles.

[David Spriggs]

I'm fine with either plan, but would prefer "b". I know of one person who I can possibly invite.

[Llyn Strelau]

I'm okay either way as well except I don't know anyone who could come unless maybe Manny Berke or someone else from RWC??

Could contact a winemaker in Napa but don't know if he is a Madeiran
Llyn