For The Love Of Port

I would like to decant six bottles from a case from 85 and re-cork them to make my own Garrafeira of sorts. Has anyone done this before? I plan to drink them in 10 years.

Do I need a new cork? What do I do for a seal? Am I wasting my time? I had a ’40 Neipoort (a thread somewhere) and want to recreate this style on my own.

Let’s read some opinions and suggestions…

Moses!! To make a garrafeira in the true style, you would need to buy very young colheita instead. The first 7 years of a Garrafeira a just like a Colheita, aged in wood. Then, instead of being age for longer in barrels or being bottled in 750 ml ones and go on the market, they get prolonged ageing in 11l glass containers.

So my suggestion if you want to create one of yours Garrafeira is to find some 1999 Colheita from Niepoort. They do release a new one every year, I do think 99 should be the next one to be release.

Good luck!!

What do you think would happen if I decanted an \85 and rebottled it? Let's say in 10 years I opened it?

I like you suggestions additionally and may look for some available.

Fred,

Do they filter the wine before putting it in glass?

If not then perhaps a better method would be to buy a small wooded cask, fill it with very young VP, leave it for 5 years and then pour it into a large glass jar to sit for another 5 years or so?

Derek

Derek Turnbull wrote:Fred,

Do they filter the wine before putting it in glass?

If not then perhaps a better method would be to buy a small wooded cask, fill it with very young VP, leave it for 5 years and then pour it into a large glass jar to sit for another 5 years or so?

Derek

The 1940 was filtered. That is why I thought an 80's would be good to do. The sediment has developed enough to warrent decanting and filtering.

Let me clarify all this.

For the Garrafeira the Port will be age for 7 years in 550 liters pipas. After that, it will be bottled in dimeijins, so this is the bottling date of the Garrafeira. After let say 20 years in the dimeijins, it will be decanted in a 750ml bottle, as this refer to the decanting date on a garrafeira bottle.

I am not sure if the transfer from barrel to dimeijins include filtering though but I would say yes.

Is there anyone out there who could tell us for sure whether or not the wine is filtered/fined before being aged in glass? If it is, I think this answers the debate about filtered ports ability to improve in the bottle once and for all

Thanks

Derek

Is there anyone out there who could tell us for sure whether or not the wine is filtered/fined before being aged in a demijohn?

If it is, I think this answers the debate about filtered ports ability to improve in the bottle once and for all

Thanks

Derek

Derek........

You don't have to ask twice. I'll send an email to Dirk and hopefuly I'll get an answer if he's not considering this as spying on him 8)

A silly observation...

but...

..why not just find some young unfiltered Colheitas and stash it in your cellar for a score or more years..

..does the size of the bon-bon make that much difference??

Finding the unfiltered Colheita might be more of an issue - I'd start by asking Q. de la Rosa - they seem to hate filtering anything!

Tom

uncle tom wrote:A silly observation...

..does the size of the bon-bon make that much difference??

Tom

I'd say so Tom. If you compare a magnum to a regular bottle, the magnum mature slower. So obviously the oxydation process is slower in the bon-bon than the colheita.

Then is Niepoort selecting special and different batch for the Garrafeira than the Colheita? I've yet to taste any, one day :)

Derek Turnbull wrote:Is there anyone out there who could tell us for sure whether or not the wine is filtered/fined before being aged in a demijohn?

If it is, I think this answers the debate about filtered ports ability to improve in the bottle once and for all

Thanks

Derek

Ok I got the answer from Dirk. There is no filtering at any stage of production of the Garafeira. Though he carefuly remove most of the dregs.

What size cork should I order to recork the bottles?

I think all cork should be at least 2 inch, but if you want to go for the 2,5 inch ones they'll probably give you safer results over long time.

Frédérick Blais wrote:I think all cork should be at least 2 inch, but if you want to go for the 2,5 inch ones they'll probably give you safer results over long time.

What about the diameter?

You are getting serious here Moses :) If I compare the Niepoort non-driven cork I have home with a bottle or an already driven cork, the diameter of the non-driven cork is around 3/4cm to 1cm wider so it can be compress in the bottle. The cork itself is 5cm long and 2,5cm wide. This cork is used for the dry red of Niepoort, I can't confirm it is the same for its garrafeira.

So mesure the size of the hole of the bottle you have and add that measure. Do you have the machine to compress the cork and drive it in the bottle?

Frédérick Blais wrote: So mesure the size of the hole of the bottle you have and add that measure. Do you have the machine to compress the cork and drive it in the bottle?

I was going to use a mallet, but have not read further on how to cork something. I know that the port bottle corks look thinner than red wine corks. I thought it was simple as just banging the cork into the bottle? I suppose I could use the same cork and just seal the end in wax?

Suggestions on re-corking a port bottle?

I've never recorked anything (when the cork comes out, i drink until it's gone :) )

However, I know that there are a lot of wine and beer supply stores that have equipment for capping bottles of beer and corking wine bottles. You might be able to find something in a store like that.

I looked at couple of corking supply sites and emailed them as towards which cork I should buy. No response yet. Harpoon Beer Brewery is down the street from my work and I could ask them to help me out. I think they would do it out of curiousity.