Decanting from Dark bottles

[Roger L.]

I've decanted a fair few bottles of port in my time, and this has always been a source of mystery to me, so I thought it was about time to ask.

So, at midday today (30 minutes ago), I get my "kit" ready to decant the chosen brew for this evening - Poças 1991 Vintage - decanter is ready, funnel with filter is ready, corkscrew is ready, bottle has been stood upright for 5 days, doors to the decanting chapel are shut (we have a cat who, once in a while, decides to chew at your ankles making it a challenge to keep a steady flow)
I've read the articles, I've seen the pictures, I've watched the videos.
I'm composed and my head is in just the right place for this - I hold my arm out - steady - we're good to go.
I light my candle.

Well, this bottle, like so very many before it is opaque.
Maybe not 100% opaque, but pretty much so - even with a strong, very focused flashlight I can barely see the fill level, so any hopes of starting to see sediment in the neck are doomed to failure even with the torch, let alone anything so dim (but sexy) as a candle.

This bottle isn't unique - almost all the 2011s I've had have been opaque. Quarles Harris 2007, 2003 - opaque. It would be easier to list the non-opaque bottles I've decanted.

Now, in this particular instance, the cork didn't come out cleanly, so it was funnel and filter. And the 2011s don't yet have much deposit.

What I don't understand is how all the instructions I've read, and all the pictures I've seen of people doing this with a candle are out there when, to me at least, it seems like a system that basically, in a lot of cases, simply cannot work.

[Andy Velebil]

Hah, yeah the whole candle thing doesn't work with all bottles and is a bit old fashion now that we have good flashlights. I'd recommend using a super strong flashlight. Though there are some bottles that are so dark even my work flashlight won't penetrate them enough to see inside.

[Eric Menchen]

I just look at the flow rate and what is coming out of the bottle. I can see when the first bit of sediment hits the funnel. Maybe a tiny bit of the fine sediment gets by, but that is tolerable to me.

[R Bull]

On occasion I use unbleached muslin which does a fine job of collecting some of the finer sediment.

[Roger L.]

I just look at the flow rate and what is coming out of the bottle. I can see when the first bit of sediment hits the funnel. Maybe a tiny bit of the fine sediment gets by, but that is tolerable to me.

That's what I've been doing.
I had been starting to wonder if there were special "port decanting candles" which somehow managed to penetrate the impenetrable - but obviously not.

[Roy Hersh]

Cheesecloth is your friend. Inexpensive, easy to find, simple to use and zero aromatics or flavors given off.