How Long To Decant 1977 Taylor's Vintage Port?

Opening a bottle of 1977 Taylor’s VP for Christmas dinner. Been a couple years since we’ve had a 1977. What’s the ideal decant timing these days? Thank you in advance!

I am giving it about five hours, which is about half the time I normally give ports from the 80s and 90s.

First impression is it will be probably an hour or two two long.

Initial observations, from my cellar tracker:

Opening for Christmas dinner. Debated about how long to debate before serving. Decided on around 5-6 hours, less time than normal. Cork was all wet on the outside, but dry on the inside. It disintegrated and I had to push the bottom piece of it into the bottle. Poured through cheese cloth on top of a metal filter, on top of as funnel into a scotch decanter (ran out of wine decanters for the regular wine tonight!).

Poured a lovely tawny medium brown. Drinking quite well straight from the pour. Nose of toffee, brown sugar and some heat from alcohol. Alcohol sharpness lifting after about an hour, but definitely still there. Lovely, bright and balanced on the palate out of the gate, with plum, fig, and brown sugar. Smooth easy tannin, but sufficient to support the fruit. Finishes with some cutting heat from the alcohol but expect this to dissipate with the hours.

Will update as the night goes on…

Are you planning on finishing the bottle in one evening? I would leave some over; it may be even better on the second night.

I opened this on Christmas morning. I double decanted it at 10am and tried it then. The fruit was of a high quality but a tad tight. With 5 hours in the bottle after aeration, it was perfect. Liquid Christmas cake, we drank the bottle in 45 minutes.

Nicos, I sorely miss your tasting notes of random old wines.

Jason, thank you for your kind words. I trust that you are well. I now post my notes on old wines and whiskies on Instagram. I am the ‘grapeexplorer’!

Very cool! I opened mine on the 25th. Gave it about 5 hours in the decanter. Beautiful wine! It was served alongside Taylor’s 1997 VP. Both are great!

Just had this last Friday night. I would give it 3-4 hours. Very nice wine