Decanting filtered LBVs

[Celia C]

I like my VPs really old and mellow.

I also noticed recently that I like my filtered LBVs after they've been open for several weeks - on first opening, I find them too big and too sweet and too young. So today I tried decanting my Taylors 2008 LBV and letting it breathe for 8 hours before pouring it back into the bottle and stoppering it up. We'll now drink that over the next few weeks. I've never tried doing that before, I'll let you know how the bottle goes.

I know filtered LBVs are sold ready to drink, but I *think* they can also develop a bit with age (even though in theory they shouldn't). I'd love to know your opinions on this...thanks! :)

[Mads Barnkob]

I opened a 1L Taylor 2008 LBV last year, no decanting, drank it over a couple of week.

I found it to be a very good LBV, much better than expected and with qualities of older wine. So just a heads up to not let it fool you that it was a good wine because of decanting, I think this is a good LBV just out of the bottle and it is relatively cheap.

[Celia C]

I opened a 1L Taylor 2008 LBV last year, no decanting, drank it over a couple of week.

I found it to be a very good LBV, much better than expected and with qualities of older wine. So just a heads up to not let it fool you that it was a good wine because of decanting, I think this is a good LBV just out of the bottle and it is relatively cheap.

Oh I KNOW it's a good wine. I just prefer it more after it's been open for several weeks. I wasn't letting the decanting "fool" me, I was just trying to get it to mellow a bit faster to the point where I preferred it. :)

[Glenn E.]

I think that filtered LBVs definitely do develop with age in the bottle, but they seem to develop much more quickly and in not quite the same way. They soften and mellow just like any other Port, but because that happens so quickly (relatively speaking) they don't have time for the fruits to develop secondary characteristics. So a lot of people will use phrases like "going flat" to describe their development.

But if you like a much softer and mellower Port that still has primary fruit flavors, then this is probably an experiment that you're going to enjoy!