Tasting Guidance: Decant Times

[SushiNorth]

Suggestions on decant times would be appreciated for the following Dow Vintage Ports:
1960
1963
1966
1970
1977
1980
1983
1985
1994*
2007*

(the last two are only maybes, I'm still debating if they would be worth having at the tasting).

[Glenn E.]

The '80 Dow could use 10-12 hours. Err on the side of more if 10-12 hours isn't practical. A beast, it is.

When tasted as a freshly bottled brand new Port in May of 2009, the 2007 Dow was best on the 3rd day. I'm not certain what that implies about its decant time now that it has been aging in bottle for nearly another 2 years, but my guess is that an overnight decant would not be incorrect.

[Alex Bridgeman]

I would suggest 12 hours for all except the following:
1960 - 6 to 8 hours
1994 - 24 to 36 hours
2007 - 24 to 48 hours

And depending on how many of you are drinking that night, you might want to take home a sample bottle or two and post a tasting note on the port the following evening.

[JacobH]

(the last two are only maybes, I'm still debating if they would be worth having at the tasting).

But without the 2007 you won't have a 100-point Port in the tasting!

[DRT]

(the last two are only maybes, I'm still debating if they would be worth having at the tasting).

But without the 2007 you won't have a 100-point Port in the tasting!

I agree. If you want to drop a bottle out of the line-up to make room for the 2007 I would recommend missing out the 1983.

[jdaw1]

Dow 1985 needs sixty hours. Which might be approximately very soon.

[SushiNorth]

Dow 1985 needs sixty hours. Which might be approximately very soon.

60? I was willing to give it 48...

Here's my current guesstimates:
1960 -- onsite
1963 -- onsite
1966 -- onsite-4 hrs
1970 -- 4 -6 hrs (getting confirmation)
1977 -- onsite (i had this recently, and it was best immediately. there's a report it improves at 20hrs, but i think we're better off with a short decant.)
1980 -- 6 hrs
1983 -- 8-24 hrs (maybe decant this the night before?)
1985 -- 48 hrs (this beast can use it)
1991 -- 12-24 hrs min
1994 -- 24 hrs
1997 -- 24 hrs
2000 -- 4 hrs
2003 -- 4 hrs
2007 -- 4 hrs

But we've had the following suggestions:
1) 1980 at least 8 hrs.
2) 1985 needs less/more time
3) 2007 would be interesting to try pop-and-pour
4) 2000 and 2003 need at least 24 hrs.
5) 1977 was best with 6-8 hrs

Guidance Please?

[Alex Bridgeman]

Here's a summary of my personal sweet spot for these wines:
1960 - 4 hours
1963 - 2-12 hours
1966 - 6-8 hours
1970 - 5-14 hours
1977 - 10-72 hours
1980 - 5-8 hours
1983 - 2-20 hours
1985 - 6-10 hours (I don't seem to think as much of this port as others do; maybe I need to leave it in the decanter for much longer!)

I've not drunk the more recent vintages enough to be able to offer a worthwhile opinion for those decanting times.

[SushiNorth]

It was suggested elsewhere that I reach out to a formal authority, and I could think of none better than Dom Symington himself. He graciously offered a quick reply:

I agree with your decanting assessment however would probably not push out quite so long ”“ The wines do evolve once decanted, however part of the joy of these wines, and what is particularly important for the younger wines is the initial explosion of fruit which mellows as the wine spends more time in decanter under a greater amount of oxygen.

I, as a general rule decant older wines (at the moment 70 & older) with 4 - 6 hours.
Mid-age wines (77 ”“ approx 83/85) 5 ”“ 7 hours.
Young wines (90’s through ’03) 4 ”“ 7 hours
Infant wines (... ‘07’s) immediate to 7 hours.

Dom's suggestion to decant the older wines for at least 4 hours seems like a sound one, and in keeping with AHB's suggestion. His suggestion to open the 07 immediately was echoed in a planning request. Other thoughts? We'll need to make an 80 & 85 decision soon.

[jdaw1]

From Dow 1985 tasting notes:

whole heartedly agree on the decanting time being closer to the 30 hour mark then the 0 hour mark.

this bottle’s four hours decanting insufficient.

The following day, so after 54 hours in the decanter, Dow 1985 the same colour, and not a lot of nose, with menthol. To taste lovely. Long mouth-filling sweetness. The funk all gone, a little heat on tongue. Lovely. D85 really needs this long in the decanter at room temperature too. Excellent port.

D85, at D+54h. Heat in the middle of tongue, sweeter than the previous day let’s call it medium-sweetness, and the slight woodiness has gone. Lovely. A little lighter than perfect, but not so far from that. Very fine port after long enough in the decanter.

[SushiNorth]

From Dow 1985 tasting notes:
....

Yes, saw those notes; they in large part convinced me to push for 48 rather than 24, and I think i'm going to stick with that.

[mosesbotbol]

How about a couple of Dow Colheitas or Tawny's instead of the 1994 and 2007?

[RAYC]

I have had a few '07s recently and largely enjoyed them, and the few '94s I have had over the last year have been much more approachable than the consensus would seem to indicate. Personally I think it would be a pity to lose either from the line-up.

NB: JDAW is as yet oblivious - you have time to hit the edit button...

[jdaw1]

Oblivious no more.