For The Love Of Port

Have you tried or do you use and/or like:

Just recorking and refrigerating (or not)?

An innate gas preservation system?

Vacuum pumps?

Other?

I vacuum and usually refrigerate. We can debate whether the vacuum helps or not. I have an understanding of physics that makes me believe that it can, but I haven't done an empirical study to verify this. In any case, the vacuum puts a good stopper in the bottle.

I usually just stick an old t-stopper in the bottle and leave it sitting on the kitchen counter. Three reasons:

1) Most Port is hardy enough that it can handle a week on the kitchen counter without going bad. There are exceptions - old VP for example - but for the most part it's fine.

2) Leaving it on the kitchen counter lets it evolve more quickly and naturally, which lets me see different aspects of the Port before the entire bottle is gone. I feel like I learn more about a Port when I get to experience it over time in this manner.

3) I prefer to drink Port at room temperature because the nose is usually much more expressive than when it is chilled. If stored in the fridge I either have to let the bottle warm up before serving, or serve and then warm my glass by hand.

But that's just me!

I've let quite a few red wines and Ports sit on the counter, but lately have been refrigerating. Maybe now that winter is back (effectively here in CO) I'll return to my previous ways.

I prefer to spray down with inert gas. If I think I'm not going to finish it in a few days then I also refrigerate it.

There is only one method that is 100% certain to result in the port being consumed in optimal condition: drink it.

When I need to keep an opened bottle I either (a) leave it in the decanter in a cool place if I think it will benefit from more evolution or (b) T-cork it and stick it in the fridge.

Derek T. wrote:There is only one method that is 100% certain to result in the port being consumed in optimal condition: drink it.

But of course

I keep an 375 ML sherry bottle with a nice t cork if I am openning a vintage by myself. I immediately pour 1/2 through funnel directly into the half bottle instead of decanter. The half bottle will keep nice for many days.