This bottle was drawn from a case purchased privately through The Port Forum and made for the first 1970 Graham’s which your correspondent had ever tried. It did not disappoint, not least on the first day of 2020.
In the glass, the wine showed the eye a maroon hue infused with chestnut, which belied its half century of life. The nose was wonderfully complex, being redolent of cooked rhubarb, strawberry jam and a hint of damp forest. On entry, citrus, vanilla, cinnamon and nutmeg were in all evidence, giving way at the mid-palate to black current, liquorice, white pepper and orange peel. The finish was somewhat one dimensional, though notable for its length; it proffered gentle spices in a linear manner. Six hours in the decanter would appear to have done justice to this finely balanced and sumptuous port.
-93 Points