Are Large Formats Practical for Port?

[Roy Hersh]

1.5 L
Tregnum
3 L
6L
Larger?

Where does it all stop? There are no limits.

Do you own these large formats? Do you have a preference? Which do you own the most of?

[Tom Archer]

I have a motley collection of large formats, going up to 15L (Nebuchadnezzar)

When I'm satisfied I have sufficient bottles of sufficient age, I plan a 16 year cycle of dinner parties, probably to be held on or about bonfire night (Nov 5th)

The order will be:

Every odd numbered year - 2 x magnums

Every even numbered World Cup year - 1 x double magnum

Alternate Olympic years, not being multiples of eight since 1896* - the next one being 2020 - 1 x imperial (6L)

Elevated Olympic years, being multiples of eight but not sixteen since 1896 - the next one being 2016 - 1 x Salmanazar (9L)

Top Olympic years, being multiples of sixteen since 1896 - the next one being 2024 - 1 x Nebuchadnezzar (15L)

As reserves in place of corked bottles I have one Tappit Hen and a currently empty old Sandeman imperial (5.4L) that I plan to get re-filled. I would like to get a small number of additional Tappit Hens or tregnums.

To complete my stock of bottles I still need one more Salmanazar and a small number of older double mags. I don't plan to launch this event until it can run in perpetuity, and without recourse to bottles under 30 years old, with the stock of bottles ultimately able to generate wines that are 40-50 years old.

At present I hope to be ready to roll by 2020 if not sooner..

* = Founding year of modern Olympics

[Eric Menchen]

I own six magnums, with the most being 1992 Fonseca. I really don't know when I'm going to open these, but I really like someone's idea of opening one for a blind tasting, with one serving coming early, and one late, with a bunch of other things in-between.

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[Andy Velebil]

I own six magnums, with the most being 1992 Fonseca. I really don't know when I'm going to open these, but I really like someone's idea of opening one for a blind tasting, with one serving coming early, and one late, with a bunch of other things in-between.

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Slight thread drift, sorry...One of the most educational things I've done was a tasting with an older magnum of a highly regarded VP that was free-hand decanted, decanted through cheese cloth, and decanted through coffee filter. Served blind to all in attendance so that no one knew which was decanted through which. Very telling....

[Tom Archer]

Decanting a magnum without switching method half way through and then presenting two decanters with identical contents can also be very telling..

At a blind tasting a decade ago when everyone knew that two of the offerings had been decanted from a magnum and were the same wine, I recall being the only one out of the ten present to correctly identify the pair.

~~~

Coffee filters are a time wasting overkill IMO - I use a couple of squares of unmedicated surgical gauze in a decanting funnel and dump the whole bottle through - it takes at most 2 minutes. After the wine has drained through, pluck the gauze out of the funnel and squeeze out the last few drops against the inside edge of a glass - this yields just enough to check that the wine isn't corked - result: no time or juice wasted..

[Bradley Bogdan]

I don't own any, mostly owing to storage restrictions at the present.

As for whether they're practical, of course not! But that has nothing to do with the fact they're cool! Is a Lamborghini practical? Absolutely not. But they are super cool when presented in the right moment. Same with large formats, as an anchor bottle for a celebration, a fun tasting tool, or just because you have some thirsty friends, they're not well suited to 99% of occasions, but the ones they are suited to are great.


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[Moses Botbol]

I have about 20-25 magnums (or larger) of vintage port back to 1963. Hardly ever open them, but looking forward to any opportunity. I see the need for them!

[Andy Velebil]

Coffee filters are a time wasting overkill IMO - I use a couple of squares of unmedicated surgical gauze in a decanting funnel and dump the whole bottle through - it takes at most 2 minutes. After the wine has drained through, pluck the gauze out of the funnel and squeeze out the last few drops against the inside edge of a glass - this yields just enough to check that the wine isn't corked - result: no time or juice wasted..

Tom,
You need to convince the others in the UK of this. Coffee filters are horrible to use.

[John M.]

As for whether they're practical, of course not! But that has nothing to do with the fact they're cool! Is a Lamborghini practical? Absolutely not. But they are super cool when presented in the right moment. Same with large formats, as an anchor bottle for a celebration, a fun tasting tool, or just because you have some thirsty friends, they're not well suited to 99% of occasions, but the ones they are suited to are great.

+1....I have one magnum (2000 Fonseca).

I do want to buy another, older, and split it at a tasting as Eric described above.

[Glenn E.]

Coffee filters are a time wasting overkill IMO - I use a couple of squares of unmedicated surgical gauze in a decanting funnel and dump the whole bottle through - it takes at most 2 minutes.

I agree. I've tried using unbleached coffee filters a couple of times, but it just. takes. so. long.

Unfortunately I've also found cheesecloth to be insufficient. Maybe I didn't use enough, but it just didn't catch the fine particles that make your drink feel gritty. I've never tried surgical gauze, so maybe that would work better than cheesecloth.

For me the best method is the steady old Mk. I free pour. I'm pretty good at it, and provided the bottle has been properly prepared (stand it up for a couple of days before decanting) I can get 90-95% of the bottle poured with no sediment. The last ounce or two goes into a Port glass to stand and settle, then I taste from that to get an early preview of how the bottle's going to show.

Re: the practicality of large formats...

I have about a dozen magnums and a single 6L. I've only ever opened 2 magnums - once at a company Christmas party (a 1995 Crasto VP where basically no one tried it, so it was overkill) and once at a wedding reception (a 1985 Graham where it was the perfect size... for ~50 people. le sigh.) Given those experiences, I can't really imagine a scenario where I would need a 3L or larger. I still like them in concept and would love to have a couple in my cellar just for the fun of it, but other than an imaginary large gathering of a large number of Port drinkers that doesn't already include 20+ bottles of Port... I just can't figure out when I'd need one. My 2011 Quevedo 6L will be overkill for anything I can foresee... my retirement party? No, it's likely too much for that. The reality is that it's probably just a collector's item and conversation piece for my cellar, because a) it'll never be fully mature in my lifetime, and b) I just can't picture the gathering that'd be necessary to consume such a large bottle.

[Andy Velebil]

Let me just say that Cellartracker.com is a dangerous thing. I knew I had a smattering of Mags, until I just looked. While a few are dry wines, almost all are Port. The total is 61 mags

Considering I don't open them very often as it's hard to find the right situation to do so. As often with large parties copious amounts of other wines and beer have been consumed leading up to the end of the night where a Port is simply lost on those already inebriated.

So to answer the question; For me, anything beyond 1.5 liters for Port is not very practical. The only exception would be if a very large bottle was bought for a specific future special occasion.

[Eric Menchen]

I see a mag tasting in our future. Everyone brings a bottle, which gets split into two blind pours each. See who can match up the most.

[Bradley Bogdan]

As for whether they're practical, of course not! But that has nothing to do with the fact they're cool! Is a Lamborghini practical? Absolutely not. But they are super cool when presented in the right moment. Same with large formats, as an anchor bottle for a celebration, a fun tasting tool, or just because you have some thirsty friends, they're not well suited to 99% of occasions, but the ones they are suited to are great.

+1....I have one magnum (2000 Fonseca).

I do want to buy another, older, and split it at a tasting as Eric described above.

Been at a tasting where it was done for some non-Port wines and it was fantastic. I think that would be an awesome tasting.


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[Roy Hersh]

It would be fun to hear what is the oldest magnum of Port that you own too, both producer and vintage would be fine, thank you!

[Eric Menchen]

1977 Gould Campbell

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[Moses Botbol]

Magnum = 1970 Croft's
Tregnum = 1963 Dow's
Double Magnum = 1977 Taylor

[Glenn E.]

1985 Graham, I think. There's some chance that I have a 1977 also, but I'm not sure off the top of my head.

[Ronald Wortel]

Only 5 magnums in the collection and all of them from 1977. 2 Graham and 3 Warre.
I don't really see the point of large formats apart from the fact that they look cool (although I must admit I like the sight of magnum riesling bottles even more, they are seriously good looking!). If anything, I'd need more half bottles in my collection.

[Eric Menchen]

So the theme of our magnum+ tasting shall be 1977?

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[Ronald Wortel]

So the theme of our magnum+ tasting shall be 1977?

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sounds good. Now for the logisitcs: I am in New Zealand, my bottles are in the Netherlands and you guys in the US. I see a bunch of frequent flyer miles coming up!