Port Storage

[JasnRach]

Hi All,

I have a bottle of 1945 Penfolds Grandfather port and I have a question on storage.

I have just been convinced to obtain a winodor for my sticks, seems to be the way to go everyone keeps telling me.

So, can I store this in there with my cigars? If not how should I? Can anyone tell me the proper temp and humidity for port?

Cheers.

[Fuzz]

I store my port just like I do with my wine; in a cool, dark place on its side.

For a port that age, once opened, I wouldn't be keeping it long.

[JasnRach]

Thanks Fuzz,

It is in a dark place and on its side and rotated so often but it is hard to find relatively cool in my house in Queensland though! Thats why I thought maybe in the wineador when I get it up and running.

Once it is opened it will be gone in one sitting, saving it for the right time as well as having enough port lovers around to enjoy it at once.

Cheers.

[Fuzz]

No need to rotate, in fact, I wouldn't do it at all.

[Cisco]

I see no issue with storing it in your wineador if you have room. There might be some issue with off-gassing from the cigars potentially impacting the port's flavours but I don't think this is an issue (though, if anyone has insight into this, please clarify). Corks need 60+% RH to prevent drying out.

Generally, the cooler you store your port, the longer you can age it. It depends on the port itself (is it meant for long aging,most ports are, etc), it's provenance (was it shipped and handled properly, sometime these things can sustain permanent damage before making their way to the consumer), and the cork seal (is it loose, soaked, etc.). Do not store the port in a refrigerator, as it's cycling on/off can dry-out the cork and is also not good for the port. A constant temperature is required and most of us wine geeks store at ~12.8C to 16C.

There is no need to rotate the port but I would recommend standing it up at least 24 hrs before opening it. This allows all of the sediment to settle on the bottom of the bottle. Then you can carefully handle the bottle and decant the port. I will sometime use a coffee filter on the sediment afterwards to get as much of the port as I can.

[bluebottle]

Ditto the above. Circa 12C and 60+ RH. On the gas point, the port should be wax sealed over the cork so would hardly impact I would think.

As for decanting, after it has gone in the decanter, give it a bit of a swill and leave for about two hours to breathe. Although with the Grandfather (iirc) it's more like a Tawny style so shouldn't be as sedimenty and temperamental as the old rubies...

Enjoy it - envy here in England!

[Ken Gargett]

Hi All,

I have a bottle of 1945 Penfolds Grandfather port and I have a question on storage.

I have just been convinced to obtain a winodor for my sticks, seems to be the way to go everyone keeps telling me.

So, can I store this in there with my cigars? If not how should I? Can anyone tell me the proper temp and humidity for port?

Cheers.

no problem at all in a wineador. in fact, a bit cooler than you have your cigars would be better. won't be any issue from the cigars themselves. won't affect the port.

the 45 grandfather is a cracking port but it is a tawny, not vintage (actually, i guess technically a colheita - in other words a vintage tawny). so think of it as a tawny, not vintage, and hence, there should be no issue with any sediment.

don't rotate. that is a myth (comes from the old style of making champagne). wines should be moved as little as possible, and kept as dark as possible. and obviously at a low AND CONSTANT temperature.

where i think you might have a major problem is that it sounds like it has been in queensland weather for some time (the coolest place in the house won't save it). port will fare better than table wine but it may be too late. you won't know till opened and yes, get it into cooler storage asap. that won't rectify any damage but it might prevent more.

hope it is a top example.