For The Love Of Port

Hi all,

opened two 85 VPs. Last weekend it was the Quarles Harris and this weekend it was the Dow's.

My approach has always been to stand up the bottle 1 or 2 days before then pour thru the cheese cloth.

So last week for the QH, decanted about 1 hour before serving. Got to say the color indicated that it was mature and ready, very smooth classy, no grit and no power, too polite, maybe even light. Nice but not memorable.

This week the Dow's. So I decanted 4/5 hours before serving but I cheated and tasted it at that moment. I thought 4/5 hours would be close to Roy's suggestion. So my first sip, had plenty of punch and grit. later that evening when I served it to my guests, all that edge was gone. Scent was nice, flavour was super but...

I think I enjoy experiencing the wine's evolution over the few hours it takes to drink a port, by extended decanting you fast forward in time and miss out in experiencing this evolution. But I will try this a few more times too be sure.

So to each his/her own.

That said, the 85s are just about ready these days I think. I have one last one a Taylor, but I think I'll hold on for that one a bit more, what do you all think?

/paba

Paul,

I've got to say that I also think the '85s are now drinking well. I have opened and enjoyed a few (3-4 bottles) over the last couple of years although I generally choose the '83s in preference to the '85s as these are generally in the UK.

I haven't tried the Taylor's '85 but I think you are pretty safe assuming that the bottle will wait until you are ready to open it. If properly stored, it should easily last a decade before you need to have another thought whether to open or not.

And as for the comments about extended decanting - I thoroughly agree with your conclusion. As you say, "Each to their own". I think I go to the other extreme as to my palate the Niepoort '91 I recently drank tasted much better after 32 hours of decanter time than it did after 4. Maybe if you ever visit the UK we should have a taste-off and open the same wine at very different times and see what we think

Alex

And there you have it, the two ends of the spectrum.

That is what's great about wine in general, most of the time ... there is no right or wrong. Perception and one's own taste is all that counts. Not mine, not your best friend's, not Parker's or Broadbent's. So go with what works for you.

Paul did not like 4-5 hours on his '85, while I would have suggested 8 hours in decanter for that bottle. Alex would have possibly enjoyed it best on the 2nd or 3-4th day. Who is right? All of us!

Alex may prefer the Taylor '85, while I certainly would choose the Dow anyday. Again, it is strictly a matter of taste and the day we all start to agree ... this place might as well shut its doors.

Diversity of opinion, bravo!