For The Love Of Port

I am going to open a discussion here to see what works for you:

Of course an individual's age comes into play here, but I am wondering how many of you tweak your cellar temperature to create a specific aging curve in your Ports ... or wines in general?

For example, someone in their early thirties might want their wines to age slowly and therefore, maintain a 55 degree F. median temperature in their cellar. Others at the same age might want their wines to be more approachable at a younger bottle age, so they keep their cellar at 62 degrees F.

Conversely, someone in their mid-60s, may want to enjoy their 1994 VPs while they still have their own teeth, and maintain temps higher than they would if they were twenty years younger.

I do know of Port loving friends that control the temp of their entire cellar to reflect how they desire their Vintage Ports to age.

What is your preference and strategy?

Well, I don't really have a strategy right now. I'm 27 and I don't plan a temperature to see my wines age slowly. My concern right now is space :?

I have only a 220 places appartment cellar for more than 430 wines. So I'm keeping my ready to drink wines and some really young wines, like 2003 port in my closet. I know these wines are harder to spoil than a 1969 Burgundy and that probably in 5 years they'll spend their next 20 years in a real cellar.

I'm lucky that a friend of mine who has a nice natural cellar is willing to keep a few of my wines.

If I had the choice, I'd have a natural cellar with small temperature variation from 12 celcius to 16 celcius depending of the seasons.

Well, I am only 32 years so time is not a problem for me (crossing those fingers). I also have no strategy at this point.

I do have a small temp controlled cellar at home which stays about 55 degrees (12.7 celcius) and 55-60% humidity. I keep the "Ready to drink" stuff in there, which is what I will drink in the next 12 months. 90% of my cellar is off-site and stored at 55 degrees and 70% humidity.

I'm afraid I don't have the luxury of being able to make those decisions. Both the wine I have at home and in storage is only at ambient temperatures.

All the VP I have at home is stored at 12 celcius, as are the cases I have in a commercial cellar.

I will be 41 in two weeks time and am hoping that I can out-live all the bottles I have, even if they do age at a snails pace - However, given my preference for mature VP perhaps I shouldn't be thinking of buying many more new releases :?

Derek

Derek,

I said that before investing in 2000 heavily and then again before purchasing far more lightly in 2003. I really won't expect to purchase any more young VP from future vintage ... at least after the 2005s are in my cellar.

My daughter is going to drink well someday and I guess I will always buy some VP from top vintages until I die, so that she can!

Roy,

Fabulous idea - Jo and I have 2 sons so you have just given me the excuse I need to keep buying new releases for at least a couple of decades

Derek

Well, you saw how much fun it was to drink those 2003s! Any excuse that works, my friend, is worthy of taking note. 8)

Roy,

I've spent the last decade working as a project manager - excuses are what I do!

Derek