How and when to drink port
The old-fashioned notion that port was only for the gentlemen while the ladies drank sherry has long since fallen by the wayside. Research carried out for Symington Family Estates shows that port-drinkers are now split fairly evenly between the genders. The idea that it is an old person's drink is also misleading. The booming age cohort for port-drinking is 25 to 45, when people have explored their way through many wines and are ready for port. Once a bottle of port is opened, it should be drunk and not kept for the occasional glassful. White and ruby port should be drunk within four weeks of opening, and tawny port within eight weeks. Vintage port has to be drunk within 24 hours. Generally speaking, port should be consumed within the year of bottling/purchase.
With the exception of vintage port and LBV, you may open the bottle and enjoy it immediately. White port is served chilled, straight up or with tonic and perhaps ice, as an aperitif. Other ports are served after the meal, at room temperature - though only if the room is fairly chilly. Warm port is too volatile, which makes it difficult to taste. It should be served at 18C, so pop it into the fridge for half an hour before serving it.
Vintage port must be decanted before serving, but beforehand it should be stood upright for up to a week, to allow the sediment to settle at the bottom. The cork will almost certainly break when it is pulled, because of the passage of many years. In that case, the port should be decanted through a strainer.
Port should be stored at a low temperature and low humidity, away from the light, and on its side so that the cork does not dry out. Most bottles of vintage port have a white mark on the side. This should be kept facing upwards.
There are glasses specifically for port, which look much like a white-wine glass. They should be filled no more than halfway, to allow the aroma through.