Very Cloudy

[progers]

I opened this Real Cia Velha 1985 though the cork had crumbled so it was difficult. After careful decanting quite a lot of sediment was identified though none escaped from the bottle.The problem then arose that the decanted port was densely hazed. After a couple of days it cleared somewhat to a cloudyTawny hue and I expect further fine sediment at the bottom of the decanter, though I cannot see it clearly through the cut crystal. The flavour seems quite good but the appearance is not nice. Does anyone recognise this kind of problem please?

Pete

[djewesbury]

Was the bottle shaken (for example, in transit) before being opened? RCV is not generally a particularly good name but that shouldn't mean that the port itself is cloudy; it would seem strange that it hasn't settled after two days, if it were simply a question of fine sediment falling out of the wine. This could also be a haze to do with excessive fluctuation in storage temperature: where was it stored before being opened? Was it somewhere very cold, perhaps, and then moved into the warmth of the house?

[LGTrotter]

I have not had this particular port but there certainly are some that have a reputation for being hazy, there is a vintage of Cockburn (I forget which) which is referred to as 'Cockburn's cloudy'. I had a Feist port that was cloudy and remained so until I finished it a week later. I don't think it would do you any harm, but as you say it is not attractive. If it was simply a problem with decanting I would have thought that it would noticeably improve over a few hours and all have ended up at the bottom of the decanter after a few days.

And a very warm welcome to .

[LGTrotter]

But Daniel (djewesbury) is likely to be right; storage.