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1985 Graham

Posted: 00:30 Tue 04 Oct 2016
by LGTrotter
A tidy looking bottle, bought about 2 years ago. A bit weak when first opened, simple and sweet with a watery centre but it has filled out over 6 hours of being opened. The tannins have come forward, plenty of fruit and sweetness. All kinds of interesting backnotes, something spicy, which is not unusual, but also curry. Panch phoran to be exact. A very good port but it might be wandering at present.

Re: 1985 Graham

Posted: 08:58 Tue 04 Oct 2016
by richmills
I've had the Graham, Taylor and Fonseca 85s in the past year and been a little disappointed with all of them. None of them were bad, I just felt slightly underwhelmed with them all in different ways. Could this be a sign the 85s are in a bad place right now? Or is the vintage in general in danger of never quite stacking up against its rivals?

Re: 1985 Graham

Posted: 13:37 Tue 04 Oct 2016
by idj123
richmills wrote:I've had the Graham, Taylor and Fonseca 85s in the past year and been a little disappointed with all of them. None of them were bad, I just felt slightly underwhelmed with them all in different ways. Could this be a sign the 85s are in a bad place right now? Or is the vintage in general in danger of never quite stacking up against its rivals?
Certainly the 85 tasting we held last year didn't show them in the best light and the T85 we had at the premiere of 'A Year in Port' was clearly still in the development stage in my book and so only time will tell. However, as I have mentioned elsewhere, the Ch85 is drinking beautifully right now to judge by the bottle we consumed at the tasting last night.

Re: 1985 Graham

Posted: 22:22 Tue 04 Oct 2016
by LGTrotter
richmills wrote:I've had the Graham, Taylor and Fonseca 85s in the past year and been a little disappointed with all of them. None of them were bad, I just felt slightly underwhelmed with them all in different ways. Could this be a sign the 85s are in a bad place right now? Or is the vintage in general in danger of never quite stacking up against its rivals?
They seem to be on the turn. Some of the fat is coming off them and it will be interesting to see what is revealed. But the 85s have delivered so far and will continue to do so in their next incarnation. I love the eighties debate. Perhaps the eighties, as in music and fashion, only reveal themselves as something important after many wilderness years.

The Graham has got better tonight. Bigger, darker, plush.