 Each type of Port Wine has distinctly different characteristics.
Thus, before buying a bottle of Port, you must carefully
read the label and consider when it is that you plan
to drink it.
There are different aromas to Port Wine according to
the type and age of the wine. Younger Ports are fruity
and adapt themselves well to a wide range of occasions,
whereas old Tawny Ports, 20 or more years old, as well
as Dated or Vintage Ports, with their more complex bouquets,
are best drunk in a calm setting, one that is somewhat
solemn and involves a degree of ritual.
When is Port Wine ideal for drinking? How long can one
store a bottle of Port at home?
Ruby Ports should not be kept very long in bottle as
they risk losing their typical vitality. There is also
no great advantage in keeping young Tawny Ports in bottle
for very long.
On the other hand, Vintage Ports can calmly age in bottle
due to their high tannin content. In effect, these wines
are not ready for drinking until they have reached 10,
20 or more years of age.
Bottles of Vintage Port must be laid down on their side
for storing so as to ensure that the corks do not dry
out.
Tawny Ports with indication of age - 10, 20, 30 or "More
than 40 years old" and Dated Ports can be perfectly
well kept in a private cellar for some time. These wines
should be drunk in the first years after bottling. All
Port Wine should be protected from direct light, heat
and vibrations. A well-aired and relatively dark room
may be a good place to store them. As long as there are
no great variations in the room temperature, Port Wine
can withstand relatively high temperatures (20ºC).
Vintage Port requires more careful handling. Once a bottle
is laid down you should avoid handling it as any brusque
movement can cause the deposit that it throws in bottle
to break lose and to muddy the wine. A few hours before
you plan to drink a Vintage, the wine should be decanted
into a crystal decanter, without the stopper, and left
to breathe.
The corks on very old bottles of Vintage Port must be
removed with great care as the effects of time and the
sugars in the wine may make it stick to the bottle and
make it friable.
The following method can be used to ensure that the wine
remains clear and free of any cork particles. First heat
a pair of iron tongs until they are red hot and then
press them around the neck of the bottle, a little below
the cork, for a few seconds. Next, place a pair of cold
tongs, some ice or a cold wet cloth around the neck in
the same place. The difference in temperature will cause
the glass to break off cleanly.
Tradition demands that, when it is served, the Port always
moves around the table in a clockwise direction, that
is, from left to right. The decanter is placed before
the host who serves the person on his left who then serves
himself and then passes it to the person on his left,
and so on. The host is allowed to perform a "backhander" that
is, after serving his guest, to tilt the decanter to
the right to fill his own glass before passing it on
to his left.
The origins of this ritual are unknown but, according
to one legend, this is to avoid arousing the ire of the
devil that always lurks behind your left shoulder. Another
story says that by using your right hand to pass the
bottle, you cannot stab your neighbour with your sword
- always assuming you are not left-handed!
Except for Vintage and Late Bottled Vintage, Port may
be served chilled but never "on the rocks",
except in the case of White Port which, when mixed with
tonic water, ice and a slice of lemon, is a delightful
long drink in warm weather.
The ideal glasses for serving Port are those that enable
the wines to show the full potential of their bouquets:
tulip-shaped stem glasses, not too small, wider at the
base than at the rim, are perfect. Fill about one-third
of the glass, grasp the stem between your fingers and
gently swirl the wine around to release the aromas.
Ideally, a bottle of Vintage should be drunk the same
day it is opened or else it will lose many of its fine
qualities. On the other hand, bottles of other Ports
may be drunk over longer periods of time as long as they
are carefully stoppered and kept in a cool, dark place.
Article © 2002-2006, Port and Douro Wines Institute
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