Laying down port

[davver]

I have recently been given some port for my 18th and don't know whether I should lay it down or drink it. It is a Taylor's Late Bottled Vintage Port from 1996 which was bottled in 2001. Can anyone help please!

[5029]

Maybe a biased opinion but i would drink it.
I believe that alcoholic drinks are made for drinking, and saving them is not what they were invented for and therefore a waste

[rekstout]

A good vintage port should be laid down for at least 12 years and many age well, peaking at 30 years.

1996 was not a particulary good vintage year although some vinyards did declare vintages

I concur with 5029, drink and enjoy it now - I only lay down exceptional wines or those that are simply too green to drink.

[Andromeda]

LBV port, like vintage ports, is from one years crop. Unlike vintage ports, however, they are matured for several years in wooden casks before being bottled. Vintage ports are bottled within two years of their vintage. Furthermore LBVs (unless they are bottled as *traditional*) are filtered before bottling so all sediment is removed. This is useful in that you do not need to decant before serving, but it also means that the port will not mature in the bottle. The 1996 Taylors LBV you have there is not going to get any better if laid down, so my advice is to drink now.

Happy drinking!

Andy