Dessert & Drink Recipes
Port is a drink steeped in ritual and tradition, and Winemaker Peter
Ficklin has the answers for some common questions about serving this most
elegant of fortified wines.
THE RITUALS OF PORT
DECANTING:
Does port need to be decanted?
Yes. Like great wine vintages that have been carefully aged, port will produce or "throw" sediment as it rests in a bottle over an extended period of time. Decanting port will remove the sediment that comes from extended aging.
How do you decant port?
Stand the bottle up a day before you plan to serve it, allowing the sediment to settle at the bottom of the bottle. Place a light source (such as a candle or flashlight) behind the neck of the bottle. Gently begin pouring the wine into the decanter using one slow, steady, upward motion; this will leave the sediment behind. If you wish, you can use a port funnel. These are often silver with a fine mesh sieve which catches the sediment.
Why do some types of port "throw more sediment?"
The general rule of "sediment" or "crust" is that the longer port rests and ages in the bottle, the more sediment it will collect. Sediment is a combination of proteins and tartaric crystals (a by-product of winemaking) that gather together and settle out of the wine. A vintage port is aged in the bottle; thus, it produces the most sediment. Ruby port, such as Ficklin’s Tinta Port, throws less sediment than a vintage port because it doesn’t age as long in the bottle, and hence usually doesn’t need to be decanted. The same goes for tawny port, which spends most of the aging period in wood barrels where the sediment settles prior to bottling.
PORT TONGS:
When and how should port tongs be used?
Port tongs should be used on wines that are very old and haven’t been recorked for over 25 years. The tongs should be heated over a fireplace until they are red hot and then clamped around the neck of the bottle for approximately ten seconds. Remove the tongs and wrap a cool, damp towel around the neck of the bottle. Apply steady pressure. The neck of the bottle will neatly and cleanly snap off. If the bottle has been stored upside down the sediment will have collected on the cork, allowing for easy decanting.
Does Ficklin Vineyards recommend using port tongs?
Peter Ficklin explains that the use of port tongs is not generally necessary today due to the high quality of corks, the average cork life (20-25 years), and recorking programs. The Ficklins have carefully recorked their 1957 Vintage port, which can be safely opened with a wine opener. He does recommend using port tongs if you have a very old bottle of port that hasn’t been recorked in the past two decades.
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Below, Peter Ficklin’s mother, Jean, presents some of her favorite dessert recipes featuring Ficklin’s Tinta Port.
Jean and husband David Ficklin have had a profound influence on the direction of Ficklin Vineyards over the past three decades, and since passing the responsibility for the winery operations on to the next generation, they have continued to play an important role at Ficklin- in David’s case, as an expert consultant in the creation of Ficklin ports, and in Jean’s, as a talented chef and experienced cooking demonstrator with a keen sense of Ficklin port’s myriad culinary uses.
Jean has chosen these recipes for their simplicity of ingredients and
ease of preparation- but above all because they’re absolutely delicious!
In this recipe, Ficklin Port adds its spice to the baking apples. Serves 8.
This torte is crunchy and tender beneath the lacing of port and softening ice cream. Torte toppings can be adjusted to suit your taste. Serves 8.
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And here are some of Jean Ficklin’s famous apréski warmer-uppers - guaranteed to take the chill off those cold winter days!
Combine the juice of 1 lemon and the pared lemon rind in top of boiler,
with 2 tablespoons sugar. Pour in 4 cups of Ficklin Tinta Port; heat just below boiling. Stir in 1 cup boiling water. Strain into preheated mugs or cups, and dust with nutmeg. Makes 20 servings.