Hello everyone, I have been reading this forum for some months now and, I would like to take the opportunity to introduce myself to ask a Port-related question. My name is Luca and I am from Italy. Even though I do not work in the restaurant/drink business, I am a young Port enthusiast and, since Port is such an amazing and complex beast, I think it really deserves people being involved and debating about it from different parts of the world Here is my question: how do you treat lead foils in Port bottles when you find them? I recently opened a 1977 VP (an amazing one) but, while waiting for it to get some air, I started having doubts about lead toxic consequences, I got a bit paranoid and in the end that ruined the whole tasting experience. Since I still have some 77s waiting and I might find again lead (I read it was used until the early 80's) I would like to ask your advice on how to be 100% sure it does not contaminate the juice. Think you for your help, fellow Port enthusiasts
The problem is the lead metal forms salts underneath the foil. I make sure I carefully clean off all the white stuff under any lead. Then make sure I clean the bottle around the cork. Then draw the cork. Fortunately, they haven't used actual lead for some time.
Seriously though, any old bottle of wine has a myriad of nastiness on the bottle and under the capsule. Remove the capsule, thoroughly clean the bottle - especially around the cork. Decant and enjoy!
Mike K. wrote:Use port tongs and avoid the whole issue
Seriously though, any old bottle of wine has a myriad of nastiness on the bottle and under the capsule. Remove the capsule, thoroughly clean the bottle - especially around the cork. Decant and enjoy!
+1
Just remove capsule, clean the area then dry it off, remove cork and pour.
I wipe down the top of the bottle on most bottles of port before opening. Be it lead, dirt, or who knows... The bottles tops often look gross after the foil or capsule has come off with age.
Mike K. wrote:Use port tongs and avoid the whole issue
Seriously though, any old bottle of wine has a myriad of nastiness on the bottle and under the capsule. Remove the capsule, thoroughly clean the bottle - especially around the cork. Decant and enjoy!
+1
Just remove capsule, clean the area then dry it off, remove cork and pour.
+2
It really isn't an issue because the wine is not in contact with the capsule, so no leaching takes place while the wine is being stored. Do make sure to thoroughly clean the top of the bottle and cork under the capsule before you remove the cork, though, as the lead salts and any other nastiness that has formed there are not good for you.
Or like Mike said, use Port tongs and remove the whole top so you can avoid the nastiness completely.
Thank you all for your suggestions! Indeed port tongs would be a definitive solution to the issue. Also, it could help avoid crumbling corks etc...I guess that's a safe method, right? I mean, no risk of the glass exploding or getting into tiny pieces when in contact with the very hot iron?
Luca C wrote:Thank you all for your suggestions! Indeed port tongs would be a definitive solution to the issue. Also, it could help avoid crumbling corks etc...I guess that's a safe method, right? I mean, no risk of the glass exploding or getting into tiny pieces when in contact with the very hot iron?
Actually it’s pretty rare, so rare I’ve never heard of a bottle exploding from using tongs. If that worried, decant through a couple layers of cheese cloth and problem solved.
Besides, you could get hit waking across the street or fall out of bed and be paralyzed. Life itself is a risk. Cant hide by living in a bubble. :)
Luca C wrote:Thank you all for your suggestions! Indeed port tongs would be a definitive solution to the issue. Also, it could help avoid crumbling corks etc...I guess that's a safe method, right? I mean, no risk of the glass exploding or getting into tiny pieces when in contact with the very hot iron?
In my experience the tongs create a crisp and clean break with no fragments of any sort. Many folks decant through cheesecloth anyway to catch sediment and cork crumbs, so no issue regardless.
Here is my question: how do you treat lead foils in Port bottles when you find them? I recently opened a 1977 VP (an amazing one) but, while waiting for it to get some air, I started having doubts about lead toxic consequences, I got a bit paranoid and in the end that ruined the whole tasting experience. Since I still have some 77s waiting and I might find again lead (I read it was used until the early 80's) I would like to ask your advice on how to be 100% sure it does not contaminate the juice. Think you for your help, fellow Port enthusiasts 
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