1963 Fonseca Vintage Port

[Little Dave]

I have been given a bottle of this but have been told it is a bit of a pain to get the most out of it due to the sediment. Could someone tell me the best way to store, open and pour this wine.

TIA

[chris.mapey]

Store it lying down, in a cool dark temperature stable place, where it's not going to get bumped or moved regularly.

To decant the port, it's not difficult.

Move the port to the place where you want to decant it at leats 12 hrs before you need to pour, and stand the bottle up.

All the sediment will drop to the bottom of the bottle.

Take the cork out smoothly without jarring the bottle (screwpull type corkscrew is best)

Place a torch / candle / table lamp behind the neck of the bottle, and start pouring smoothly.

Reason for the light is so you can see when the sediment reaches the top, and stop then...

If you are a pikey like me, then the sight of some left in the bottle will cause you to not sleep at night, so stopper the decanter, and get the coffee filter papers out

Pour the last bit through the filter paper, and you can use that in the gravy / sauce etc for the meal.

HTH & enjoy it.

[George 500]

You lucky bar-steward.

Not much to add to the above other than if it is a '63 it needs drinking quite soon. It was one of the finest Port vintages ever but recently I have had a couple that have turned.

Further to this 12 hours is good but I would suggest for something of that age that at least 48 and preferably 72 is better.

hen pouring port I have also always been taught that once you start pouring you must not stop under ANY circumstances. For a 63 you will have no excuse!

FWIW this is due to some of the liquid around the sediment not being of the same quality- hence if you want to guzzle the remainder (and filter it) I would strongly advise that you then decant this into a separate decanter.

[VTECMatt]

As above was going to say 63's are getting on a bit now.

[jessica]

Vintage port is awesome. my ex and i once bought the outlaws a bottle of 40 year old port. it was stunning. they saved us some, it was stunning. like a cross between port and brandy.

[Bebs]

I just sold 6 cases at £1995 per 12 btls. Awesome port

[Zod]

63 is a great vintage and Fonseca is a very good house. Once you've carefully removed the cork (it will be three inches long, so don't break it), just decant through a fine, boiled muslin. That will take care of the sediment.

[merseyboy]

I am heading back to my Native Portugal in a couple of weeks and cannot wait to eat some fresh fish and gather up some Port to bring home.