Sediment?

[Red Aaron]

When you decant and there is a lot of sediment, do you filter it out either with a fine mesh strainer or coffee filter? Ot just leave it to sink in the decanter? Would love some insight.

[Red Aaron]

Also do any of you use a coravin to just have a glass of a bottle instead of committing to the whole bottle?

[Glenn E.]

If you let a bottle stand for a couple of days before decanting, most of the sediment will settle to the bottom which makes it much easier to decant. I do then still use a fine mesh filter, and I stop pouring as soon as sediment starts to come out of the bottle. That generally means I'm "wasting" about an ounce of Port, which works for me.

If you use a strainer with some cheesecloth you can pour the entire bottle to save that last ounce. When I've tried it there has been some very fine particulate that still gets through, and I prefer to not have that in my Port, which is why I just stop rather than trying to get to every last ounce.

I have a coravin but have never used it. Port is a very sturdy wine, so for me it works to just open the whole bottle and drink it slowly over anywhere from a couple of days to a couple of weeks. If you re-cork it with a t-stopper it'll be fine sitting on the counter for that amount of time... or even longer if you keep it in the fridge.

I've often thought about using the coravin on something much older, but have just never gotten around to it.

[Andy Velebil]

I basically do what Glenn does. I stand up for at least a few hours, but a day or two is best. I slowly and carefully pour into a decanter (not using any filter) until just before the sediment comes out. I then pour the remaining ounce or so with the sediment into a small glass, let it settle for a few minutes, and that is my first small taste.

When possible, I prefer to decant without the use of any filter medium. Of course, when traveling this often isn't possible. In those cases, I use unbleached cheesecloth to make sure the majority of the sediment is filtered out.

[Red Aaron]

Thank you both for the information!
I think the coravin could be interesting to use to check if bottle are "ready". But since I take forever to drink a bottle it may work well for me.

[John M.]

Never a coffee filter!!!

I do exactly what Glenn and Andy do, soon as I see sediment I move the strained to a side glass and decant the rest---it will have some particulate in it. I use this little bit to get a "pre-taste" to make sure not corked.

Try explaining why you are decanting 8 bottles for a tasting at 8:00 AM for that night and tasting all these Ports before coffee and breakfast!! You cannot--That is what makes a fanatic.