FAQ: How long can Port last once opened?
Posted: Fri Aug 05, 2005 2:41 pm
A bottle of Port is just about never around longer than one day once opened, but I realize I'm probably not the typical Port drinker. I get so many emails asking me about increasing the shelf life of various Port and what is the best method of preservation.
To this, I have one simple answer and then some detailed ones to follow:
Once a bottle of Port is open, recork it and refrigerate immediately after pouring a glass or two or three or... well, you get the picture!
Seriously, Vintage Port does not taste the same once it has oxidized and for my palate, 48 hours is the longest you should leave a mature Vintage Port open, even if refrigerated which can probably extend the life for one day. My strong suggestion is that if you don't think you will drink it within a maximum of 2-3 days, and I am talking about a 1978 or older VP, then don't open it. If it is between 1980 and 1994, then you might have 3-4 days if kept in the refrigerator once opened. Anything younger and you can probably have a week or so, but why push the envelope.
Wood-aged Port normally can handle two to three weeks depending on what it is. For example, I have found that young "unfiltered" LBVs (Late Bottled Vintage Port) last longer than ones that are filtered.
10, 20, 30, and 40 year Tawnies are best consumed closest to the date of bottling on the label. Here I am talking about the bottle's shelf life and not "once open." Even these "Tawny Ports with an indication of age"
can differ. I find that the younger ones do have better staying power (ok, wiseguys...no jokes!) and will hold up in bottle for up to an extra week without noticeable deterioration. Overall, the wines from this category if kept recorked and in the fridge, will last for 3 or 4 weeks without too much noticeable oxidative deterioration in flavors, although the nose does get dumber with the more time the wine sits with air in the bottle.
NO!!! that Vacuvin is no more effective than a placebo pill for Alzheimer's disease! Do not get fooled by thinking it removes the oxygen. This is nonsense, regardless of that little pfffttt sound you hear when removing the rubber stopper. :twisted:
Colheita Ports OTOH, even though they are wood-aged for a minimum of 7 years (and frequently 8 - 150 years between cask and demijohn)s, do deteriorate once open. I would adhere to the specifics for Vintage Port for these.
The only wine that really has no problem lasting literally for years once opened, is Madeira...but that is another story.
It is my recommendation, that when you open a 750 ml bottle and realize that you will not have more than a couple of glasses. Immediately pour the balance (remove the sediment FIRST) into a 375 ml bottle and fill it to the top. Then use one of those rubber stoppers mentioned above (glad they DO have some use) and then refrigerate. This will keep your wines in the ultimate best condition once open, until you are ready to consume using the guidelines above.
LBVs are the "hot" Port in the USA these days. Especially in restaurants where they normally can not sell vintage Ports by the glass fast enough before the bottles go bad. LBV is the perfect Port to buy in a restaurant, although Tawny Port is usually pretty safe too.
You will at least know you are not drinking something that has gone way past its shelf life, like a VP usually will when sold by the glass by uninformed restaurants. Most bartenders, servers and even restaurant managers will lie and say, "funny, we just opened that bottle earlier this evening." Yeah right!
To this, I have one simple answer and then some detailed ones to follow:
Once a bottle of Port is open, recork it and refrigerate immediately after pouring a glass or two or three or... well, you get the picture!
Seriously, Vintage Port does not taste the same once it has oxidized and for my palate, 48 hours is the longest you should leave a mature Vintage Port open, even if refrigerated which can probably extend the life for one day. My strong suggestion is that if you don't think you will drink it within a maximum of 2-3 days, and I am talking about a 1978 or older VP, then don't open it. If it is between 1980 and 1994, then you might have 3-4 days if kept in the refrigerator once opened. Anything younger and you can probably have a week or so, but why push the envelope.
Wood-aged Port normally can handle two to three weeks depending on what it is. For example, I have found that young "unfiltered" LBVs (Late Bottled Vintage Port) last longer than ones that are filtered.
10, 20, 30, and 40 year Tawnies are best consumed closest to the date of bottling on the label. Here I am talking about the bottle's shelf life and not "once open." Even these "Tawny Ports with an indication of age"
can differ. I find that the younger ones do have better staying power (ok, wiseguys...no jokes!) and will hold up in bottle for up to an extra week without noticeable deterioration. Overall, the wines from this category if kept recorked and in the fridge, will last for 3 or 4 weeks without too much noticeable oxidative deterioration in flavors, although the nose does get dumber with the more time the wine sits with air in the bottle.
NO!!! that Vacuvin is no more effective than a placebo pill for Alzheimer's disease! Do not get fooled by thinking it removes the oxygen. This is nonsense, regardless of that little pfffttt sound you hear when removing the rubber stopper. :twisted:
Colheita Ports OTOH, even though they are wood-aged for a minimum of 7 years (and frequently 8 - 150 years between cask and demijohn)s, do deteriorate once open. I would adhere to the specifics for Vintage Port for these.
The only wine that really has no problem lasting literally for years once opened, is Madeira...but that is another story.
It is my recommendation, that when you open a 750 ml bottle and realize that you will not have more than a couple of glasses. Immediately pour the balance (remove the sediment FIRST) into a 375 ml bottle and fill it to the top. Then use one of those rubber stoppers mentioned above (glad they DO have some use) and then refrigerate. This will keep your wines in the ultimate best condition once open, until you are ready to consume using the guidelines above.
LBVs are the "hot" Port in the USA these days. Especially in restaurants where they normally can not sell vintage Ports by the glass fast enough before the bottles go bad. LBV is the perfect Port to buy in a restaurant, although Tawny Port is usually pretty safe too.
You will at least know you are not drinking something that has gone way past its shelf life, like a VP usually will when sold by the glass by uninformed restaurants. Most bartenders, servers and even restaurant managers will lie and say, "funny, we just opened that bottle earlier this evening." Yeah right!
