Decanting Strategy for 1983 Graham's, Dow

[qcumber]

How does this sound for decanting strategy for a dinner I have to go to tonight. The ports are 1983 Graham and Dow. I figure that we will start drinking the port at 8:30 - 9 pm, so I was going to open the bottles at 3 pm, pour into a decanter and de-sediment (can that even be a verb?), clean the original bottles (with water only), pour back into the original bottles by 4:00, then recork the bottles and leave them in the fridge until I need to head of to dinner. Do you think this will be enough to get the port ready for drinking by 8:30? Should I maybe leave it in the decanter a little longer before I pour back into the bottle? I don't usually bring port to dinner parties, so I haven't ever had to get the timing down. I am guessing there is a lot of wiggle room, but I don't want to mess it up. Thanks for your help!

[Tom Archer]

Decant them NOW.

If you havn't had them stood up for the last day to allow the sediment to settle to the bottom of the bottle, you'll need to use a piece of cheesecloth, coffee filter (or even a clean nylon stocking!) to catch the sediment as you decant.

Otherwise, open and decant the bottle carefully, without disturbing the sediment. Pour out the contents slowly and in a single action (don't right the bottle midway through!). As you approach the end, the stream of wine will turn cloudy - stop at that moment.

Only put them back in the bottle if don't own a decanter - wash the sediment out of bottle but also rinse with a little port (cheap ruby is Ok for this) to flush the last of the water out.

Enjoy!

Tom

[qcumber]

Great. Thanks. The only reason I'm going to have to put them back in the bottles is that I am at work, and am going directly to dinner, and it would be difficult for me to bring two full decanters (mine don't have stoppers).

"Now" for me is 9:30 am -- will that be too much air?

[Tom Archer]

"Now" for me is 9:30 am -- will that be too much air?

No - they'll still be good (possibly better) tomorrow

Tom

[qcumber]

Okay, great. I may be one of the few people (not in the wine trade) with 3 decanters in his office, so I am all set to start my chemistry experiment!

[Stuart Chatfield]

de-sediment (can that even be a verb

We have a saying here "there ain't no noun that can't be verbed"

Seriously, Tom's right, by what you say I'd act now.

Coffee filters do the trick, but run a pint of boiling water then cold water through first to get rid of any chlorine etc.

I'd even then give a bit of a shake to the "de-sedimented" bottles to get some air in

[qcumber]

Thanks. Sounds like I'll be porting well tonight. :)

[qcumber]

Dow was corked.

[qcumber]

And the Grahams! Yikes! I've never struck out twice before.

[Tom Archer]

Don't judge too quickly - old bottles often have some off-notes when first opened - check again later

Tom

[qcumber]

It is possible, but I recently had a 1983 Smith Woodhouse and 85 Graham and both of those were good. Both of the bottles I opened today are off -- the Dow is going downhill fast, too. But I will cross my fingers and hope for a miracle.

[Dave Johnson]

I had the Graham 85 very recently and liked it even more than the Fonseca 85 I opened over the holidays. I say this because of the incredible balance the wine displays. However, I have to say that it is a double edged sword because I also like it better than the Graham 77 I have in my cellar (2 magnums!). I find this wine to be out of balance and "hot". Hopefully time will smooth this out, but I'm not so sure....

[qcumber]

I like the Graham 85 very much. I have a lot of that left.

[Al B.]

Bill,

Did you give the ports enough time to recover if they were suffering from bottle stink rather than being corked? How were they in the end?

Alex