How long do you age LBV port?

[Michael Hann]

It is generally acknowledged that unfiltered LBV port can improve with bottle age. How much bottle age -- how long since the LBV has been bottled -- do you prefer to see before consuming your unfiltered LBV? I know this may vary according to different vintages and according to specific shipper, but can you generalize?

[goncalo devesas]

There are LBV´s that are filtered before the bottling time, and there are the traditional method: unfiltered similar to Vintage and with some capacity to age in bottle (in my opinion no longer than 10years, when aging the maximum time allowed, 5 to 6 years in oak casks; or 15 years when aging the minimum, 4 years in oak casks).

It´s always quite difficult to specify the time, it also depends on the grape varieties that are used (organoleptic characteristics...brightness, colour; taste and aromatics).

For example speaking about some Portwine Cellars: Quinta do Noval and Rozes, in the same year they make filtered and unfiltered, writing this information in the main label, that in my opinion is a wonderful way to promote the LBV, on the other hand we have Taylor´s, Graham´s, Dow´s, Fonseca... that only produce the filtered LBV´s and finally Warre´s and the majority of all small independent Estates, that only produce unfiltered LBV´s.

I think that the Portwine Cellars have some secret pact to avoid the unfiltered LBV from customers, because when people are searching for a unfiltered LBV, sadly, the word "unfiltered" always appears in very tiny letters...

[Andy Velebil]

Goncalo already gave some sound advice. As he mentioned, it is really broken into two categories; Filtered and Unfilterted (also refered to as bottle matured and prior to regulation changes, "Traditional").

For filtered LBV's, I tend to drink in the first couple of years after release. These types aren't ment to age, even though they won't necessarily go bad, they won't get any better. I recall drinking two bottles of 1983 Croft LBV (filtered) a couple years ago. While not bad, it obviously hadn't improved with extended aging. So while it wasn't dead, there was no reason to age this as there was no improvement.

For unfiltered LBV's, it depends on producer, vintage, etc. But a general rule of thumb for me is 10-15 years. Will some last longer, sure they will but we are generaling so I'll stick to 10-15 years. These are really ment to be mid term agers that offer a lesser priced Port that still is of a high quality to drink while your top VP's are aging.

That said, some of the filtered LBV's are very nice and when young can rival some unfiltered ones. One that I've mentioned a number of times recently was the 2003 Taylors LBV (filtered). While I don't see aging this specific bottle, it drinks amazing well right now and should for the next few years.

[goncalo devesas]

Actually Late Bottled Vintage was destined for Vintage bottling, but because of a lack of demand it was left in barrel for a longer period than had been planned.

The unique advantage of being filtered is that once you open it, it is ready to drink without decanting, although the filtration take a lot of character and refined aromas, that is what Port Lovers are always searching for...

[Roy Hersh]

As sadly I do not have a single bottle of LBV in my home, I feel badly because I've consumed all the ones I have had recently. I am aging 9 bottles of 1994 Quinta do Noval LBV (my all time favorite) in my "off site" cellar.

[Al B.]

I recently (in August 2019) had the chance to taste a bottle of Taylor 1976 filtered LBV, which was absolutely delicious. I didn't make a note of the year it was bottled, but it was probably in 1982. Given that this was a bottle that was intended to be drunk shortly after bottling, I wasn't expecting very much and was very pleasantly surprised. The wine was still dark red and full of sweet fruit. It had been stored in a cool, damp English cellar so had been well cellared, but for a filtered LBV with 6 years of barrel age and 37 years of bottle age it was in deliciously good shape.

I've also thoroughly enjoyed an unfiltered 1987 LBV from Baldias with 20 years of bottle age (perfectly enjoyable, but not great like the Taylor 1976 was), Cockburn 1980 filtered with 28 years (very good), Cockburn 1982 filtered with 22 years (perfectly enjoyable), Croft 1983 filtered with 24 years (very enjoyable), Dalva 1968 filtered with 43 years (drinkable, but not very enjoyable), Dow 1960 filtered with 56 years (lovely, but not great), Dow 1962 filtered with 54 years (perfectly enjoyable), Niepoort unfiltered LBVs from 1992-1975 drunk in 2014 were lovely, Sandeman 1972 filtered with 46 years had a wonderful spiced tone to it and the unfiltered bottle matured Smith Woodhouse and Warre LBVs are just delicious with 30-40 years of bottle age.

Obviously it depends on how you like your Port — I like mine more mature with more middle-aged rounded cloves and spices than many of my drinking friends who prefer fruit and a bit of tannin — but if you like well-aged Port I really recommend bottle aged LBV Port with filtered (or unfiltered but cold-stabilized) being allowed up to 20-30 years of bottle age and the unfiltered LBV intended to be bottle aged being allowed up to 30-50 years. Those are the sweet spots for my taste.

I even bought about 48 bottles of Croft 2004 LBV (bottled 2009) in halves in 2009 and continue to open 2 per year to see how this is evolving. 10 years after these hit the market, they are still very enjoyable. They are much softer and rounder than they were when first released - when they were all about primary fruit and a tannic core - and are now more elegant and rounded, but with plenty of black cherry fruit remaining supported by more obvious elements of acidity in the wine.

[Eric Menchen]

Just last month I brought a 1992 Smith Woodhouse LBV (unfiltered) to a tasting. It was doing very well. I'm glad to have several more in the cellar which I'm in no rush to open--they should be good for quite some time, and might even improve a little bit.

[John M.]

I have a 1992 & 1994 Smith Woodhouse and a 1992 Warre's that I intend to be a trio tasting sometime soon. Glad to know the 92 SW is looking good Eric.

[Thomas V]

We are doing a LBV with age tasting in my club on Friday. The vintages ranged from 1969 - 1985.

I will report back after the tasting.

[LOUISSS J]

I'm glad to see your experiences with old LBV. After that I drank a wonderful Smith Woodhouse LBV 2002, in 2015, I started to buy some LBV to keep them in my cellar. I want to drink them between 10 and 20 years (normally i drink my LBV around 6 years old).
Now i think that i will drink my LBV later than I though!

[Moses Botbol]

20 years on a good LBV is not an issue.

[Tom Archer]

20 years on a good LBV is not an issue

I am now of the view that for unfiltered LBVs, 19/20 years is a good starting age for drinking, and that the two decades following that should see the bulk of bottles drunk.

[Moses Botbol]

20 years on a good LBV is not an issue

I am now of the view that for unfiltered LBVs, 19/20 years is a good starting age for drinking, and that the two decades following that should see the bulk of bottles drunk.

Had a '99 Ferreira LBV over the weekend that is in a great spot right now. Sounds like a reasonable window for the unfiltered LBV's

[Glenn E.]

20 years on a good LBV is not an issue.

I agree. It seems to me that for a good unfiltered LBV, 25-30 years is "about right" for drinking.

I have 5 bottles left in each of two 6-packs of 2003 LBV - one of Quevedo and one of Noval, both unfiltered. I checked in on the 6-packs at 15 years old and determined that they were still too young. I plan to check again at 20 years old and expect them to still be too young.

I also still have a 2003 Taylor LBV, which is filtered, that I'll probably open along with the above in 2023 just for fun. This was a fantastic Port when released and never really wavered... I've held onto my last bottle just to see the difference at 20 years old.

[Eric Menchen]

I have 5 bottles left in each of two 6-packs of 2003 LBV - one of Quevedo ... I plan to check again at 20 years old and expect them to still be too young.

I had six of those 2003 Quevedo LBVs as well. Maybe they were young, but they were still tasty and I could not resist drinking them all.