Drinking Port in hot weather

[Paul Fountain]

Hi All,
I was planning to open a 67 Quinta de Vargellas on new years eve but it isn't looking like optimal port drinking weather.
The forecast says we are heading for a top of 38 c (thats 100 F for the Americans) and it is going to be a warm night. I realize that most of the world isn't having the same issue right now.
How hot is too hot to enjoy a vintage port and are there any strategies I should employ to get the best out of the wine given that we are up for a hot one?
I don't have effective air conditioning either!

cheers

Paul

[Andy Velebil]

Paul,
I live in Los Angeles, which is a desert and gets very hot in the summer. I have no issues drinking Port during those hot summer months, but I typically drink more tawny's that I chill down in the fridge. I've done the same with VP, but it tends to dumb the aromas and flavors a bit to much if I over chill it, more so with older VP's. So I'll only lightly chill down a VP if needed, mainly just enough to take the room temp edge off (or just crank up the air conditioner and enjoy at room temp).

Don't let the heat stop you, just chill it down a tad and you should be all set.

Oh, and remember it will warm up in the glass so you may need to overchill it a little at first then let it come to the desired temp in the glass.

[Glenn E.]

I was planning to open a 67 Quinta de Vargellas on new years eve but it isn't looking like optimal port drinking weather.

Yum! That's a great VP, I hope you love it!

Andy's already covered it, I think. Just serve it a little cooler than usual and it should be great!

[Paul Fountain]

It will be the first time I've had one that is older than I am so I'm looking forward to it. I just hope that the previous owners haven't stored it next to a heater or something like that!

[Roy Hersh]

Paul,

I've noted significant bottle variation that neatly fits into a tale of two Vargellas 1967s. One is a medium ruby, clean nose, thoroughly delicious VP. The other is a pale pink color that seems a bit hot initially with spirit both in the nose, the entry, middle and finish. It only gets worse with time. I have had several of each type and truly hope yours is of the former. I wish I could pin it on a cellar or from a specific lote, but both good and bad have come from tastings at Taylor's as well as in the UK and here at home too and also from other friend's cellars elsewhere. No way for me to narrow it down. It is a crap shoot. I have one last bottle of it that I am sure of and am in no rush to open it.

I think Andy gave you excellent advice from someone whose palate is impeccable as well as having an abnormally hot climate, (at least those of us here in the Seattle area look at it that way!). Follow his directions and I think you will get the best out of your bottle. I was hoping Andy would give you his estimation of how long to decant your bottle too.

My suggestion is: If the color is rich and ruby, four or five hours. If it is light and pink and shows a bit of spirit or a lot, drink up with no more than an hour of decant time.

Have others experienced the two variations of this VP too?

[Andy Velebil]

Yes, I've had a number of variations with this, most recently being the hot* and spirity* kind. It seems in the last 2-3 years this has quickly turned from a pleasant older SQVP to a thinner, hotter, and disjointed one as Roy mentioned. I've heard or read others also mention around this time they experienced the same thing, so if I had to guess or give an opinion I'd say overall it's a bottle that has finally started it's downhill slide and it's time to start drinking them up.

*Vargellas almost always comes off a little bit hotter or spirity than most other SQVP's, which IMO is just part of its terroir. But that's another discussion....

[Richard Henderson]

I am not sure what is triggered in the human psyche when the weather finally gives a chill to the air and we call it port drinking weather, but if you are indoors in room temperature from 65-75 degrees, and the port is 60 to 70 ( All F't) it really makes no difference. I dirnk less port in the hot weather and it seems I post less here in the warm times, but port is port and if served at reasonable temperature for the wine and in an air conditoned room, it is just fine.
Maybe you could close the blinds and lower the temp to 62 degrees and put on a sweater.

[Roy Hersh]

Or watching reruns of It's a Beautiful Life while sipping a 1963 Graham's VP in mid-August

[Paul Fountain]

Thanks for all the advice guys. It was a hotter day than expected so chilling it down a bit was a necessity. I got a good one. There was a little bit left over and it was probably better 24 hrs after the initial decant. Now I wish I had another bottle of it!