1980 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

1980 Graham

Post by LGTrotter »

The cork melted into crumbs when approached with a corkscrew but it decanted cleanly and has a good hard crust which enabled me to get most of the bottle very cleanly.

The colour is dark, solid rim with a suggestion of tawny at the edge. Long legs down the side of the glass. There is something of cherry drops on the nose. I expected to like this port, I am not sure I do. Various metaphors have come to mind, the one I currently prefer is that of a Venn diagram where none of the circles touch, much less intersect. It has all the components of a decent port but somehow it has not resolved itself. Clumsy is the word. There is way too much acidity even for me. My only advice for those who have some is to wait. I am not sanguine that it will transform this ugly duckling but it may become one of those ports which taste of new honey later in life, but put it away for now. For at least ten years. It is odd that it is stylistically similar to the Warre 80 which I adore but is just so wrong for me. Perhaps a poor bottle, but I don't think so. 86 points.

I think I have been rather mean to this wine. On the second night it had smoothed out considerably. It may well prove to be a good bottle one day. But not now.
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