Cockburn Decanting Times

[Alex Bridgeman]

I have started this thread so as to keep replies separate from the genral organising thread for the tasting on October 8. Below are my suggestions for decanting times for the ports that will be shown at the tasting. I welcome any and all comments as to whether these are good times or not.

2007 : 12 hours
2003 : 12 hours
2000 : 12 hours
1997 : 8-12 hours
1994 : 8-12 hours
1991 : 6-8 hours
1985 : 6-8 hours
1983 : 6-8 hours
1977 : 6-8 hours
1975 : 4-6 hours
1970 : 4-6 hours
1967 : 6-8 hours
1963 : 4-6 hours
1960 : 4-6 hours
1955 : 6-8 hours
1935 : 2-4 hours
1927 : 4-6 hours
1924 : 2-4 hours
1912 : 4-6 hours
1908 : 1-2 hours
1896 : 0-1 hour

[mosesbotbol]

Sounds spot on to me, at least for the intial tasting. I would hate to risk missing out on 1920's and older if they had a short sweet spot.

[jdaw1]

I have had Cockburn 1908 once before, and it was “old and dead†. I’ve had a C27 that was fantastic half an hour after decanting, and one that was dead. My preference for all ≤1927 wines is pop and pour and assess.

Does 1955 really need more than three hours? If expert consensus is that it does, I will defer to that consensus, but “6-8 hours† seems a lot to me.

If the afternoon session starts at 2pm or thereabouts, then a twelve-hour decanting time would be mighty inconvenient. Please: eighteen hours or six hours for the ≥1994s.

[Alex Bridgeman]

I'll give it a little more thought and take into account the timing that we would need to open and decant bottles, also taking into account flights and roughly the timing of the flights.

Pop 'n' pour for the older wines is likely not practical as it would mean opening and pouring port as everyone was sitting at the table waiting for the next sample. However, I will again give some thought to the order in which to (a) decant and (b) taste the wines assuming 10 minutes to decant a wine and 10 mintes to taste a wine at the beginning of a tasting and 20 minutes towards the end.

As an aside, the 1955 suggestion for decanting was based on my previous experience with 3 bottles of this port over the last 3-4 years. I did find it at its peak after a surprisingly long time in the decanter.

[jdaw1]

Pop 'n' pour for the older wines is likely not practical as it would mean opening and pouring port as everyone was sitting at the table waiting for the next sample.

Fair enough.

Could we just decant the ≤1927s immediately before consumption, starting with the 1927 and finishing with the 1896, and commence the second flight as soon as the 1896 is poured? That being the closest to pop ’n’ pour that we can practically do.

However that would entail having an agreed start time for the second flight, with that time being binding. Latecomers would miss some of it.

[Andy Velebil]

The young ones there is no issue opening them early.

The older ones (1935 and older) should be opened as close to the tasting as possible. That way they can evolve in the glass as sometimes really old ones hit their peak relatively early. If not, then they can evolve in the glass or decanter. This may preclude a couple of late commers from getting them exactly at the right time, but with this many bottles and people its almost impossible to get everything perfect timing wise.

We can make quick work of the all the bottles in each flight if we do the team effort that we used at Sean's place for the Croft Verticle. That worked out pretty good with a couple people tonging (or removing corks) and a couple people then decanting them.

The key is to have as much stuff pre-prepped as possible. Such as the muslin, cheesecloth, etc. already pre cut into squares, and the decanters labeled, etc.

[jdaw1]

Andy: there isn’t enough for it to be served in decanters. We’ll the decant the oldies into something, and immediately followed by AHB pouring fourteen glasses of almost identical level. They will have to evolve in the glass.

Young ’uns will be double-decanted into their own bottles, AHB pouring them into glasses during the preparatory stage of Flight 1.

[Andy Velebil]

If we use the team work method that will work perfect and not take that much time at all. cool

[mosesbotbol]

Just pop the old ones with everyone there, as the party likes to see some decanting too.

Decanting the port and seeing the sediment is an important part of the experience.

[DRT]

Having done this before at this venue (as part of the same decanting team) I agree that as many of the wines as possible are poured and set out on placemats prior to the tasting of each flight. However, I do agree that the 5 or 6 older wines may benefit from more immediate attention and I am sure we can come up with a method of acheiving that.

Derek

[Andy Velebil]

An idea...how about a 15 or so minute break before diving into the last 5-6 bottles. We do the young flight, then our already planned break, then the first set of older VPs, then a very short break to let everyone stretch their legs, let the palates take a break, and get the old ones decanted and poured????

[jdaw1]

So, you are suggesting that, in the second flight, we decant and sample the 1945â” ’1970, then decant and taste the ┰¤1935s one at a time? So we’ll be tasting last the set containing the oldest? Hmmm.

[DRT]

An idea...how about a 15 or so minute break before diving into the last 5-6 bottles. We do the young flight, then our already planned break, then the first set of older VPs, then a very short break to let everyone stretch their legs, let the palates take a break, and get the old ones decanted and poured????

I think I would like to turn that idea on it's head. We do all the youngsters in the afternoon as planned followed by an early(ish) dinner. We then pop the old ports one at a time and taste them, leaving some in the glass for later. We then pass out the middle-aged stuff which will have been decanted pre-dinner and return to the oldies at the end of the evening.

Howzat? (apologies to English rounders fans for the pain induced by that word)

Derek

[DRT]

So, you are suggesting that, in the second flight, we decant and sample the 1945â” ’1970, then decant and taste the ┰¤1935s one at a time? So we’ll be tasting last the set containing the oldest? Hmmm.

Our posts crossed. I agree with your Hmmmness.

[Andy Velebil]

We do all the youngsters in the afternoon as planned followed by an early(ish) dinner. We then pop the old ports one at a time and taste them, leaving some in the glass for later. We then pass out the middle-aged stuff which will have been decanted pre-dinner and return to the oldies at the end of the evening.

Thanks Derek, that was what I was trying to say in not so clear words.