How to Decant Port Wine

Choose a pretty decanter to add to the ceremony of decanting port wine.

Before you enjoy port wine, you must decant it. Decanting removes sediment from port wine aged in bottles and allows the wine to come into contact with the air. Decanting can be more than just a way to remove the "dregs," or dead yeast cells, which are harmless but unpleasant to drink. It can be a ceremony that impresses your guests before they partake of your port.

Things You'll Need

• Port
• Wine Decanter (or any other type of glass container)
• Corkscrew
• Candle

Instructions

1. Stand your bottle of port upright on the counter 24 hours before you plan on serving it.

2. When you are ready to serve, carefully remove the cork from the bottle. Try to keep the bottle flat on the conter rather than holding it with your hands or arms while removing the cork. This will stir up the sediment and make it more difficult to pour. If the bottle does get shaken up, let it rest for approximately 20 to 30 minutes.

3. With the lights dimmed, light your candle and place it beside your decanter. Hold the bottle with both hands directly over the candle so it illuminates the wine as it passes through the neck of the bottle. Very slowly, but in one smooth motion (so as not to stir up the contents of the bottle), pour the contents into the decanter until the wine in the neck of the bottle begins to get cloudy or shows signs of sediment.

4. Serve the port immediately.

Tips & Warnings

• The shelf life of uncorked ports can range from 24 hours to a few weeks, depending on the age and quality.

References

• For the Love of Port: Decanting Vintage Port: "The Hersh Method"