For The Love Of Port

Have you ever gotten to the bottom of a beloved/rare bottle of madeira and lamented that last sip? Nothing lasts forever, but I thought this would be a cool way to keep a nip or two around for a future date. I picked up 10 1oz glass bottles with cork on ebay for $12, now I have a madeira archive system! I used some simple medical tape and a sharpy for the label. What do you think?

Really Good idea!

I have about a dozen unfinished bottles in my cellar. I'll have a nip or two on occasion. A couple have less than a glass left.

One thing that I love about Madeira!

I love it!!

One note: Sharpie marks will fade with time (10-20 years). Most inks will, also. You might consider making your labels with a soft pencil (so you get a dark mark) and protecting them from smudging with a clear overcoat of varnish. Graphite is very resistant to deterioration from the environment.

I know this because my collection of miscellaneous small parts in drawers were marked with a Sharpie, and are now almost unreadable due to fading.

Also, for the largest selection of small bottles (and corks), try American Science & Surplus ( www.sciplus.com ). They also have a LOT of other fun stuff.

Peter W. Meek wrote:One note: Sharpie marks will fade with time (10-20 years). Most inks will, also. You might consider making your labels with a soft pencil (so you get a dark mark) and protecting them from smudging with a clear overcoat of varnish. Graphite is very resistant to deterioration from the environment.

I know this because my collection of miscellaneous small parts in drawers were marked with a Sharpie, and are now almost unreadable due to fading.

Also, for the largest selection of small bottles (and corks), try American Science & Surplus ( http://www.sciplus.com ). They also have a LOT of other fun stuff.

Since they are standing up, would it be better to use a medical grade rubber stopper to seal the bottle? What I'm thinking of is something along the lines of these http://www.sciplus.com/p/25ML-CLEAR-GLA ... PPER_49945

I have often come to the bottom of bottles of Madeira ... the only kind that I typically hold onto for more than a couple of days and even that is tough ... with Madeira, and have been very melancholy when taking the very last sips. It is like saying goodbye to a good friend.

I have organized tastings, (in particular in NY and DC) where one of our FTLOP brethren, showed up with a hypodermic needle used to suck up a specific quantity of cc's of Madeira from his glass and then inserted the juice into specially sealed medical test tubes which he then labeled.

have organized tastings, (in particular in NY and DC) where one of our FTLOP brethren, showed up with a hypodermic needle used to suck up a specific quantity of cc's of Madeira from his glass and then inserted the juice into specially sealed medical test tubes which he then labeled.

I need to remember to do this!

Roy Hersh wrote: I have organized tastings, (in particular in NY and DC) where one of our FTLOP brethren, showed up with a hypodermic needle used to suck up a specific quantity of cc's of Madeira from his glass and then inserted the juice into specially sealed medical test tubes which he then labeled.

As near as I can tell, Madeira has been exposed to oxygen almost since it was a grape on the vine. Does it suddenly need protection better than a simple cork (to keep the flies out)?

Eric Ifune wrote:

have organized tastings, (in particular in NY and DC) where one of our FTLOP brethren, showed up with a hypodermic needle used to suck up a specific quantity of cc's of Madeira from his glass and then inserted the juice into specially sealed medical test tubes which he then labeled.

I need to remember to do this!

Uh huh!