For The Love Of Port

I must admit, I have not decanted the last few bottles of Vintage Port that I opened. Perhaps it is a blessing but my girlfriend does not share my passion for Port and rarely drinks more than a small taste. Which usually means it's the whole bottle for myself. I've found that 3 to 5 days in the decanter is too much for Vintage Port. So I've taken to not decanting and pouring straight from the bottle. The gentle and slow aeration allows the Port to remain fresh until the bottle is gone. With this method, I find the Port usually shows best on the second or third day.

What other methods do the "solo" drinkers out there use?

Hi Kris.

Sounds like your heart's not in it.

My "trick" is drinking VP from half-bottles or simply switching to tawny. That can last for weeks and weeks. However, I'm single, and I don't like drinking port by myself. So my cellar is increasing rather than depleting.

What other methods do the "solo" drinkers out there use?

There is always the 'Derek' method.

This involves decanting a bottle with great care and attention, being careful to pass the decanter in the correct direction even though there is only the one of you.

Oh, and guzzling the whole lot before dawn..!

Tom

Nikolaj Winther wrote: My "trick" is drinking VP from half-bottles or simply switching to tawny. That can last for weeks and weeks.

That's pretty dangerous advice; it's comments like that leads people away from Port and into Madeira!

I've had decent results just initally pour through cheesecloth into a half bottle and finishing the other half in the decanter. Pour it in the half bottle a hair below the cork and that's it. I thought it did not work for a while and started doing it again with better results and will continue to.

Just finish the bottle of port in a couple of days and there's no worries. Port is always better drunk by gallon... :devil:

The "Derek" method sounds promising. I may have to give that one a go next time. Though now that the weather is warming I'll probably start drinking more Tawnies and Colheitas which will avoid the issue for four or five months.