Nickolls and Perks - Graham’s 200th Anniversary Virtual tasting 2nd December 2020

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Doggett
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Re: Nickolls and Perks - Graham’s 200th Anniversary Virtual tasting 2nd December 2020

Post by Doggett »

Agree with all Phil has to say on the evening, apart from the G70. My sample unfortunately had a touch of TCA. So not a fault of the small bottle but a flawed bottle it was taken from. It wasn’t enough to not drink it, but there was enough to make it a touch disappointing and not even close to G70s I have enjoyed before. As Phil says the 85 was drinking superbly, the 2000 was a highlight and I would love to get some to try in a decade or three! The 20YO was surprisingly lovely as I normally favour other 20YO tawnies, and although the 40YO was beautifully complex, I have enjoyed better examples of this Port.
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Re: Nickolls and Perks - Graham’s 200th Anniversary Virtual tasting 2nd December 2020

Post by Glenn E. »

For me, G70 is top 3 from 1970 and G85 is top 2 from 1985. Actual position varies by bottle in both cases, but neither one really ever leaves the top. They're just fabulous Ports.

So I'm curious how the 2008 Malvedos held up in that company?
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JacobH
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Re: Nickolls and Perks - Graham’s 200th Anniversary Virtual tasting 2nd December 2020

Post by JacobH »

PhilW wrote: 15:36 Tue 08 Dec 2020Hi Axel, I did also wonder how the wines - particularly the '70 - would hold up to being decanted at least 48hrs ahead; I needn't have worried. The G70 (which I understand was decanted/bottled with Argon) showed very well, and the G85 was the best showing of G85 I've had. The GM2008 was ok, while I pleasantly surprised by the potential for the G2000 once more mature, and the G20yr and G40yr showed typically.

There was a wide range of experience levels within the audience, from new to port to experienced. The initial presentations were well pitched to include interesting details for the more knowledgeable as well as the basics for the more novice, though at around 40-45min were perhaps a touch long before starting to taste the port - I know I started early. however the content of the presentations was interesting, and I meant to ask if copies of the slides might be available afterwards, which I should do. The tasting and subsequent informal discussions was great and went on for some time; everyone seemed happy to be there. Nickolls and Perks did an excellent job preparing/organising the tasting, and it was a very enjoyable evening.
This is a very fair write-up.

The long presentation before the tasting bit drives me mad every time. I remember having one at a nameless quinta in the Douro where the chap spoke for over an hour before letting us drink anything! (And that wasn’t even to a group of devoted Port fans). It’s like running a restaurant: delays in getting people’s first courses to them are rarely a problem as long as you give them all a drink promptly when they ask. I think the way to do it is to include a cheaper wine and start on that right at the start of the presentation.

Anyway, beyond that I thought the speakers were really engaging. I haven’t met anyone from that generation of the Symington family before I really appreciated their views. Following on from a recent thread on the main board, I thought it was interesting that they were at pains to tell us they were Portuguese: I am not sure their parents might have put it in quite the same way.

I asked a question about house styles, and was quite interested that Anthony answered in respect of the tawnies and Tom in respect of the vintages. I felt that said a bit about how there isn’t a particular aim to match the Graham tawny house style to the VP one! They said that they think the Graham’s tawnies have a bit more age than the other Symington brands which was interesting. Their description of the VP was very much as expected (something like being a fruitier than Dow).

I thought all the samples were fine, condition-wise. I do wonder about the use of argon though, and whether it can linger in the glass or somehow constrain the nose? The reason for this is at the TFP tasting the 1970 Colheita had no nose whatsoever for the first hour before suddenly opening up and whilst there wasn’t anything as dramatic as that here, they did seem initially a bit more subdued than I might have expected. I wonder if the argon tends to pour out of the bottles with the Port and then sits in the glasses?

I posted my notes on :tpf: last night of each of the wines but, in general terms, I thought the tawnies were fine but unexciting: I wouldn’t go out of my way to buy either in future, although I would like to try the Graham 30-year-old and 40-year-old together at some stage since I was very impressed by the former when I had it in Portugal during the Summer.

Of the Vintages, I agree that the 1970 was perhaps just a touch under its usual world-beating performance but still very enjoyable. The 1985 and 2000 were both excellent. I was really impressed by the latter which I don’t think I have tried before.

I certainly thought the 2008 stood up to the classic blends. It’s obviously not from a classic year but you don’t get a sense than it is anything less than a Graham’s Vintage Port made in a lesser year. That is why I have always liked Malvedos: I just think it represents stupendous value for money.
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M.Charlton
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Re: Nickolls and Perks - Graham’s 200th Anniversary Virtual tasting 2nd December 2020

Post by M.Charlton »

I really liked the G85, too - I’ve only had it on a couple of occasions prior (via a Coravin) but it seemed to me that this G85 showed *considerably* better.
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Axel P
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Re: Nickolls and Perks - Graham’s 200th Anniversary Virtual tasting 2nd December 2020

Post by Axel P »

Thank you for the excellent feedback, gentlemen. "See" you tomorrow.
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