202 Port anD the Douro
Passing the Port: the Bishop of norwich
Port, either in bottle or decanter, is traditionally passed from right to left or clockwise
around the table. there are a number of explanations for this, one of which is an ancient
celtic superstition that all left-hand turns were an ill omen. a much more down to earth
reason is that the majority of people are right-handed, making it easier to pour the wine
with the right hand and pass it on with the left.
With the lively conversation that usually follows a meal, it is not unusual for
someone to neglect to pass the Port and for the decanter to come to a standstill.
Rather than ask directly for the Port, the reminder used by members of the trade at
Factory house lunches is to turn to the person on your right and say ‘do you know the
Bishop of norwich?’ the origin of this expression is obscure but must relate to a former
bishop, some say a dr Wright of norwich, who neglected to pass the Port. Upon this
gentle reminder the Port should immediately continue its clockwise course around the
table. there is a story, (possibly apocryphal) about a lunch at the Factory house when
the church of england chaplain was asked by a Port shipper if he knew the Bishop of
norwich. he replied that he most certainly did as the then Bishop of norwich was his
brother-in-law. the decanter of Port stayed put!may be used to enrich the gravy if the wine has been decanted before a meal. Younger
vintage Ports will benefit especially from two or three hours exposure to the air before
serving, so a limited amount of pre-planning is recommended.
A great deal of unnecessary ritual surrounds the use of Port tongs which, at first sight,
look rather like a medieval instrument of torture. The tongs are meant to be heated in an
open fire until red-hot before being clamped around the neck of the bottle. Subsequently,
a damp cloth is applied whereupon the neck is supposed to break cleanly. Contrary to
perceived opinion, Port tongs are almost never used in Vila Nova de Gaia and have mostly
been mothballed as museum pieces. Another myth surrounds the use of a specially made
ornamental decanting machine. This apparatus (usually made from brass) has a cradle
for the bottle, which is controlled by a screw device and handle. However, once the first
sediment starts to appear you have to rewind the handle quite fast, a feat that is beyond
the mechanism that controls the bottle’s incline. A steady hand is always the safest option!