oxidization and Port.

[James Hogan]

I'm sure this varies from bottle to bottle but, isn't Port pretty prone to oxidization? I have a nice bottle of Robert Hall Port (from Paso Robles Cali.) That I bought at a wine tasting and was wondering how long should I decant it and How long will it last? If I cork it - A few Days? Longer?

[Jenise]

James, while I'm not familiar with the Robert Hall wine you have, it's a port-style wine made for near-term consumption and not a true Port (made to last decades), so the rules for one don't apply to the other. From Paso, where excessive ripeness allows grapes to produce port-like alcohol without foritification although some are also fortified, your best bet would be to count on drinking the wine shortly after opening the bottle. Decanting should not be neccessary. Recork and refrigerate whatever you don't drink, and plan on finishing the bottle within a week. If after a week you taste the wine and it seems like it's just like it was the day you first opened it, then you can leave it longer if you wish. You get what I mean though--play this one by ear.

[Clint Hall]

I'm sure this varies from bottle to bottle but, isn't Port pretty prone to oxidization? I have a nice bottle of Robert Hall Port (from Paso Robles Cali.) That I bought at a wine tasting and was wondering how long should I decant it and How long will it last? If I cork it - A few Days? Longer?

James, if by "prone to oxidation" you mean after the bottle has been opened, it's true that Vintage Port (from Portugal, the red stuff that's meant to age in bottle, not the brown Tawny, which is aged in wood) does go to hell not terribly long after the cork has been popped. Purists drink it all in one night or, in a pinch, the next day. On the other hand, all VPs except very old ones -- say 30+ years -- generally beneift from a lot of decanter time, so in that respect oxygen is their friend. And Tawny Ports not only benefit from decanting but can hang in their for a few weeks after opening.

For your Paso Robles port type wine, I think Jenise's response is right on.