How to decant port wine

Date: December 23, 2010
Best wine supplier in Philippines discusses wine related topics
About Port Wine which is fast becoming a popular wine in Philippines

Much has been written about decanting bottles of Port, yet it all seems so complicated and ritualistic. Various traditional decanting regimens have been employed for hundreds of years, with all sorts of pomp and circumstance. We will explore some of these time-honored methods and understand the benefits of decanting bottles of Port, especially Vintage Port and the reasons for doing so. Just when it all begins to make sense, I’ll toss tradition aside and describe a very simple and straightforward process known as the “Hersh method” which I use 100% of the time for decanting bottled-aged Port and more specifically Vintage Port.
A large percentage of all Port-related inquiries I receive request information on the proper decanting process and insight into the length of time Vintage Port should sit in decanter. Although there are many sources of information about decanting Port, most lack detailed information and don’t spend enough time explaining why decanting improves the drinking experience. Mine is a slightly contrarian view to the need for complicated or time-consuming customs.
Let’s explore for a moment, the rationale behind decanting Port in the first place. Why decant a Vintage Port when a Tawny Port can be easily opened and poured without breaking a sweat? Some have even asked if they could drink a Vintage Port without bothering to decant at all.
Decanting is necessary with Port wines that age in bottle versus those that age in wooden casks. Bottle-aged Ports include Crusted Port, Traditional or Unfiltered LBV Port (Late Bottled Vintage) and of course, Vintage Port (which I will occasionally refer to as VP).

The aforementioned categories of Port are not filtered before bottling (VP is not “fined” either) and therefore, age in the bottle. The “crust” or sediment (a.k.a. “deposit” or “dregs”) that forms inside of the bottle is nothing more than the dead yeast cells and in the case of Vintage Port — particulate matter from grape skins, seeds and stems. They are not in any way harmful but neither are they pleasant to drink. Wood aged Ports such as Tawny Port (10, 20, 30 and 40 years old) have their sediment filtered out before bottling and don’t age further. One type of wood-aged Port known as Colheita (a vintage dated Tawny) may in some cases, contain sediment and continue improving with age in the bottle.

You will never forget the first time you experience drinking a glass of Port that has not been properly decanted. Port consumed without first removing the sediment would be akin to drinking a Starbuck’s cup of coffee without removing the grounds. But there is more to decanting than just the removal of sediment, as necessary as that procedure is. The other reason for decanting a Vintage Port is to provide it the time to “flesh out” by allowing it to come in contact with oxygen. A great VP may age well for 20 -100 years and on rare occasions even longer. When the bottle is opened, these VPs need time to blossom and aerate.

TRADITION, TRADITION

So what is necessary in preparation for decanting a bottle-aged Port? The conventional wisdom has always been to stand up the bottle of Port for a day or three, which allows the sediment to fall to the bottom of the bottle. The pleasure begins with the process of removing the cork from the bottle. Some people like to have fun and try their skill at removing corks from ancient bottles of VP in one piece. Even those who are very experienced with older Ports break corks before extracting them from the bottle neck. There are all types of cork screws, Ah-so extractors, Screw Pulls, Lever Pulls and even the infamous Port tong. However, it pays to experiment with a number of these tools to find out which one works best for you. Do not get frustrated when you find that Port corks crumble or break inside the bottle neck. Using a Port tong takes practice and it’s an easy skill once mastered.

Basically you take the device (pictured to the right) and heat it until white hot and then it is applied to the bottle neck below the cork. An ice cube, cold wet towel or even a wet feather may be used to “crack” the bottle by shocking the glass with cold along the hot seam. This is mostly done for show and is a fun way to impress onlookers, but does require a bit of practice to become proficient. It is great to try this on a magnum of Vintage Port!

Now that the cork has been extracted, it is time to remove the sediment from the bottle. In the Port Lodges of Vila Nova de Gaia where the bottling and subsequent storage takes place, a white “splash” mark was painted below where the label would appear. This is not done anywhere else in the wine world and actually is not even seen as much (with VP) as was the case in the past. This mark shows the cellar master or consumer which side of the bottle should face up when stored horizontally to keep the cork moist. It allows for the sediment to settle onto the lower side and form a crust. That is why Port lovers have always stood up their bottles to get the sediment to slide down the side of the bottle before they start to decant.

We are finally ready to follow the traditional path to decanting a bottle-aged Port to remove the sediment. First we need to have a clean decanter and I can’t stress enough the importance of ensuring that there is no soap residue or musty smell in the decanter. I always give a quick rinse with warm water, followed by cold water and do my best to shake out all the excess beads of water. Some people feel the need to then rinse the decanter with a cheap ruby Port to “season” the decanter. Make sure you are in a room with good lighting, so you can see the sediment. The old ways die hard and I still come across Port enthusiasts who use the “candling” method by holding a candle beneath the bottle neck, since the old bottles were made of transparent green, brown or charcoal colored glass. It was then possible to see into the bottle neck when the sediment was about to breach. Others prefer a flashlight and one serious wine geek friend of mine does utilize an antique decanting cradle, replete with a crank handle, as pictured here. Personally, I don’t use such “devices” but we’re still examining the traditional methods at this point.

In reality, all that is required is a steady hand and a clean decanter with adequate lighting and although not as impressive to watch, it works. The trick is pouring by hand into a decanter in one steady stream to prevent the “wave effect” disturbing the dregs while pouring. Stop pouring when the sediment reaches the bottle’s neck. Some folks prefer to use a sterling or silver plated Port funnel, but I’ve also seen muslin, a clean pair of stockings (no joke!) or unbleached coffee filters to remove the sediment. If you have a steady hand and practice a few times, you’ll be able to extract the majority of the liquid without the fine sediment winding up in the decanter. There is nothing as satisfying as pouring a crystal clear glass of mature Vintage Port from a decanter, except actually drinking it.

At a Wine Spectator sponsored Port tasting I attended a decade ago, articulate Port expert James Suckling provided parameters for decanting Port. He mentioned that a Vintage Port that was less than twenty years old should be decanted two or more hours prior to consumption, with VPs ten years old or less for three to four hours. He cautioned that older bottles are trickier and up to forty years of age should just receive an hour of air time and anything older should be opened and decanted just prior to being served. Richard Mayson, an astute British Port expert, author of many books on Port and a journalist for Decanter Magazine, espouses decanting young Vintage Ports for two or three hours. Ask five Port experts and you’ll get a variety of opinions. It is now time to break with tradition and discover the philosophy and procedures for incorporating the “Hersh Method” of extended decanting, designed for bottle-aged and more specifically, VP.

Source: http://www.fortheloveofport.com/port-basics/decanting-vintage-port-the-hersh-method
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