Cool. Last night I ran across a 2005 Graham’s LBV that I opened, I think, a couple months ago. Was kinda scared to even check in on it. Sounds like it might still be fine.
To me they’re at their best within the first 3-4 weeks, and are still very drinkable for probably 2-3 months after that but may not show a lot of difference from a normal Ruby Port. For a sauce they’re pretty much bulletproof for years.
Ha! I wish. Truth be told, I bought it for cooking, and forgot about it in the back of the pantry. Luckily, our pantry is rather cold, so hopefully that helped preserve some modicum of freshness.
I have some friends who, several years ago, bought a bottle of port to try without knowing anything about it, then sat and drank the entire bottle between the two of them. They don’t remember much else but 9 months later they have their first kid. He doesn’t seem to show any ill effects from it.
I found it last night when I was reaching for some Cognac for a sauce I was making — I had totally forgotten I had the Port. I will probably give it a go, since it sounds like it might still be fine.
Non-filtered or “Traditional” LBV’s can go a couple of days, IMHO. These also improve in the bottle with cellaring.
Filtered versions can go a week or two.
Took (well, technically “taking”, as I still have some in my glass as I type this) the plunge right now:
2005 Graham Porto Late Bottled Vintage- Portugal, Douro, Porto (1/26/2012)
– tasted a couple glasses non-blind –
– tasted from a bottle that had been open for a month or two, and stored in a dark, cool area –
– bottled in 2010 –
NOSE: minty spicy dark red berries; hints of cherry licorice and beef jerky; maybe a faint hint of oxidation around the edges, but I could be tricking myself into detecting that b/c I’m aware of how long the bottle has been open; moderately expressive to expressive.
BODY: black violet-burgundy color of great depth; full bodied.
TASTE: sweet, but not overly so – hard to describe the flavor type – perhaps a sweet molasses candy; dark tobacco; concentrated fig; hint of cement-like mineral; embedded tannins provide some grip; short finish; flavors are strongest on the front and mid palates, and rather weak on the rear palate; the 20% alc. seemed to be pretty well-hidden, but for feeling it a bit on the gums, and noticing its effect upon standing up after finishing my first glass; I didn’t taste this when I opened it (used it for cooking), so I can’t comment on how it’s tasting now compared to then, but this certainly does not come across as a wine that has oxidized. Gut impression score (as it drinks today): mid 80’s
Yeap. for maximum enjoyment Unfiltered LBV’s 3 maybe 4 days tops. Filtered, maybe a week. Of course they’ll both hold longer but as time goes on they’ll lose their luster and not be nearly as good.