Port Question

[Chasse-Spleen]

I am now the proud owner of an inexpensive but supposedly good QPR bottle of Ruby Port. I was wondering if anyone could clue me into the best way to drink it, ie how long will it last? I know I won't be able to go through it in just a couple of evenings, etc. Should it stay in the fridge? Can it last for over a week? What's the deal?

Thanks!

-Chasse

[Claret]

It should keep for a week in the fridge, maybe a little bit longer. I like Port with blue cheeses like Stilton or Rouqefort.

A nice step up from Ruby is Vintage Character or whatever they are calling it now. I like Warres Warrior and Graham's 6 Grapes. They were the first Ports that I tasted and got me excited about the genre.

Port makes a great addition to a pan sauce providing fruit and sweetness to the reduction.

[RDD]

+1 on the Silton.
Have a nice fruit tray (pears,apples,grapes),walnuts, Stilton and port for desert. Just sip and nibble the evening away after the T-day meal.

[finner]

My favorite nibbler with port is Lindt dark chocolate truffles. Yes, will last a week or more under vacuvin in the fridge. Only problem is waiting for it to warm up; try microwaving for 10 seconds, it works.

[Houndsong]

Just to say on the question of how long it will keep, last June I helped polish off the dregs of some expensive, late bottled 1930s vintage port that my neighbor hauled out of his fridge in Salida. We're talking maybe the last 1/4 of the bottle. It had been in the fridge since the preceding October. It was really delicious.

[Chasse-Spleen]

Thanks, Guys. I have some blue cheese and I'm always looking for things to go with it, I love blue cheese. Thanks, Hound - that was what I thought, and what I wanted to hear. It generally lasts longer than white wine in the fridge, way longer than red. Stickies last pretty well too. I don't expect this stuff to last as long as a vintage port from the '30s (wow!) but 10 days would be nice. We'll see, it cost $14 but looks serious somehow. I would hate to throw any out or, drink way too much (as usual...). Will post, of course.
-Chris

PS. Happy Thanksgiving Everybody! I'm going to an Italian restaurant with my parents and sister which is a big step up from the vegetarian healthfood (great on any other day) joint that my sister chose last time.

[DavidG]

Just to say on the question of how long it will keep, last June I helped polish off the dregs of some expensive, late bottled 1930s vintage port that my neighbor hauled out of his fridge in Salida. We're talking maybe the last 1/4 of the bottle. It had been in the fridge since the preceding October. It was really delicious.

I think this kind of wine - assuming it is a Colheita - a vintage Port bottled after many many years in cask where it has slowy oxidized (like a Tawny) - can last much longer once opened than a ruby or late bottled vintage or vintage Port. Since Colheitas have already seen plenty of oxygen, they are more or less immune so long as they are stoppered up to prevent loss of volatiles.

Real Port experts like Roy Hersh disagree with me, saying even tawnys and colheitas should be drunk up within 3-7 days of opening. Maybe my palate is less discerning, but I find these wines drink fine for a couple of weeks to a month, and I'm not surprised by Hound's experience.

For my palate, the Ports that are bottled relatively "fresh" (ruby, LBV, and vintage) seem to drink best within 3-5 days of opening, maybe 7-10 for the good ones of the younger Vintage Ports. If you pour off half immediately upon opening and place in a 375, then freeze, presumably that will keep them forever. No experience with that.

[Houndsong]

You're right, David, it was a Colheita. It could also be that someone with more experience with this wine would have found it suffered from the months of abuse but to me it tasted really good.