1983 Graham

Tasting notes for individual Ports, with an index sorted by vintage and alphabetically.
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Tasting notes for individual Ports, with an index sorted by vintage and alphabetically.
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LGTrotter
Dalva Golden White Colheita 1952
Posts: 3707
Joined: 17:45 Fri 19 Oct 2012
Location: Somerset, UK

1983 Graham

Post by LGTrotter »

I have not had this port for about 20 years, it used to sell for pence at a local wine shop and I bought a few. I didn't think much of them and drank them young. an inexpressive wine with not much fruit was my sense.

All these years later I like it rather more. Another atypical Graham, it does not have the bold sashay which I think of with Graham. It reminds me more of Warre, rather stern and unyielding. This is of course the tannin and a nip of acidity. But I should begin at the beginning. It is a good clean bottle, with a good level and a crumbly cork. The sediment was well formed and I decanted it down to the last tablespoon (I eschew all filters as a blight and an anathema). There was an initial waft of something a bit appley from the bottle which did remind me of Graham. I started drinking it with about 4 hours decant time and it has now got to about 8 hours. It does seem to need a longer decant. There is a good density to the colour, looking younger than a 34 year old. The nose is initially quite numb and the palate a little hollow. With a few more hours in the decanter the tannin starts to show more and the mid palate fills out. There is good fruit in this but it is well buried, dark acidic fruit, blackcurrants. All the elements are there but it seems somehow unresolved.

I opened this to have a think about whether to buy some more (a nod to Glenn there who has often championed this wine) and on the basis of this I think I might. Still a bit young, come back in another 20 years.

Even better the second night, it has filled out and is very toothsome. But with a dry sharpness like bitter chocolate.
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