Any Port experts ?

[roblane65]

The Missus has been clearing out the back of the kitchen cupboards and unearthed this

some 1992 Charter Port is was a christmas gift from my sister and BIL in 93 . Now knowing them it won't have been cheep ! He's a big drinks buff even got his own wine cellar and I mean a proper one ,so can anyone shed any light on this stuff good bad indifferent . It nearly got opened a few years back when we were having a party to make some silly cocktails .

 

[premmington]

Not heard of "Charter" port before..

Cocktails no...

Nice bit of stilton - some water biscuits - open it and give it a go.

You may have to decant it off - as it will have sediment.

 

[Blobber]

Get it opened and enjoy with some nice cheese! you might find the cork breaks up if it hasnt been laid down though

 

[KemppiFrog]

Nice for a small glass, much more and headache territory.

I used to know some of the houses in Oporto, but that rings no bells.

 

[mtt.tr]

I feel like @Seadog might know.

 

[roblane65]

I should have got a pic of the little label might of been some help . I do like a little port it's been a while

 

[cheb]

You need to buy some port tongs so as to be able to open the bottle without risk of damaging the contents.

 

[Barking Mat]

Stilton, Jacobs crackers and port, mmmmm.

 

[premmington]

Stilton, Jacobs crackers and port, mmmmm.

Yeah.... Food of kings!

Last old bottle of port I opened - I started pouring the first two glasses into wine glasses - and the rest I decanted into a pint glass (I not posh enough to own a decanter). But the art is - once you tip and start pouring is keep going and not disturb the sediment.

 

[OJCar]

Silva & Cosens "Charter" 1987 LBV Port

 

[Richiew]

I'm a tawny port man myself.

I'm not sure LBV's age too well.

 

[roblane65]

Silva & Cosens "Charter" 1987 LBV Port

not that special then ! I might just have to get it drank .

 

[500e]

LBV means it has been filtered so no/little sediment
Good find @OJCar

 

[OJCar]

It appears
(I am no port expert, just like drinking it, but I can work a search engine)
that Silva & Cosens Port House is now a part of Dow.

https://www.vintageport.se/house/SilvaCosens.php

 

[not done it yet]

As a fortified wine, it can go off if not sealed properly. So could be very good or could be awful. Only way to find out is to open it. Don’t leave it too long once opened…

 

[tom2207]

wait for a cold and blowy evening then give it a go

Any old port in a storm ,,, seems to be a wise saying in this case .

 

[timgunn1962]

Far from expert, but I have picked up some of the rudiments over 3 decades of drinking the stuff. Vintage port gets bottled after 2 years in wood and ages, over the lees, in the bottle. It's the premium product and gets better with time (within reason).

Below vintage, there are various different versions. One down used to be "Crusted", which was bottle-aged like the Vintage, but was produced from a vinyard/harvest that wasn't good enough to be declared "vintage". Storing bottles for many years is expensive for the producer: fine at the price for the premium, Vintage, product, but less so for the lower-priced crusted.

In 1970, Late Bottled Vintage was introduced: aged in Oak for around 6 years (4-6, but I,m pretty sure I've only ever come across 6), then filtered, bottled and immediately ready to be sold/consumed, making it much cheaper to produce than Crusted. Being filtered, it doesn't improve with time in the bottle.

As I understand things, a 1992 LBV would probably not have been bottled until 1998 (possibly 1996?). Could you be wrong on the date you got it?

It's best viewed as a 25-year-old bottle of all-right (6-year-old) LBV port, rather than as a special bottle of 31-year-old port. I'd open and drink it, maybe with a nice cheese and preferably decent company.

 

[JEZGUZ]

Crack it open and drink it, if it hasn't oxidized .

 

[Seadog]

I've quaffed a few gallons of the stuff over the years. As has been said, if the cork has dried out
it will probably be oxidised. Contrary to popular belief, port only lasts about two weeks once opened. That's why it's best to finish the bottle at one sitting. And then maybe one or two more...
Get a nice cheese, Stilton being the classic, but any blue cheese will work - sweet and bitter is a good combination.

1992 was a good year for port.

 

[ajlelectronics]

Contrary to popular belief, port only lasts about two weeks once opened.

News to me. One bottle can last me 12 months and I haven't noticed any difference from start to finish?