ThePortForum.com

On Wednesday 2^nd April 2014 six of us gathered in The Bung Hole to taste a six-pack of Graham 1980 (the previous tasting of this shape having tested Taylor 1985).

Links:

• Review of the event as a whole;
• 1980 Graham:
  • G80 (α alpha);
  • G80 (β beta);
  • G80 (γ gamma);
  • G80 (δ delta);
  • G80 (ε epsilon);
  • G80 (ζ zeta);
• 1977 Graham (CPR);
• 1977 Graham (MPM);
• 1965 Graham Malvedos (DRT);
• Placemats (and parameters by which made);
• Planning and arrangements.

Brand new cork, barely even stained.

Flash was very pleased with his water consumption.

Many thanks to Magnus for the great organisation, decanting, setup and everything. All in all, a table graced with fine port with the exception of one problematic bottle being γ. With regard to the six Graham 80s, these certainly opened out somewhat as the evening progressed and were on the whole thoroughly enjoyable. Of the five undamaged bottles had any been opened individually in a flight of various other ports it would have been considered more than competent. While there was some variation between these 5, this was really rather minor. The G80s were accompanied by three fine additional bottles and although the MPM G77 was slightly corked, some of us were less perturbed by this than others.

My preference for the G80s in sequence was alpha by a whisker over epsilon, followed by beta and delta neck and neck, then zeta finally. Gamma was bad.

Thank you, Magnus, this was a splendid evening.

It is very interesting that our first two attempts at 6-pack tastings have revealed such variability.

Thanks to all of the attendees for sharing my birthday bottle. I am safe for another year

DRT wrote:Thanks to all of the attendees for sharing my birthday bottle. I am safe for another year

Thank you for sharing your birthday bottle. very fine it was indeed.

I felt that there was less variation between the G80s than there had been between the T85s we tasted about a month earlier. Despite one bad bottle, on the whole I was very pleased to have been able to share some great port with a small group of people, even if I did have to leave before anyone else.

Incidentally, G80 is mighty fine port - I preferred it to the G77 on the night.

But my wine of the night had to be the splendid bottle of GM65 - thank you DRT.

Thank you to Magnus for arranging a second very interesting tasting of the new shape.

The G80s were more consistent than the T85s, but still not identical. The worst was γ, which was damaged. Next-worst was ζ, slightly acidic. The other four were excellent, even if we found an ordering amongst them.

But all were well beaten by DRT’s immortality juice, the GM65.

Also interesting, and in the theme, were the differences between the two G77s.

Sadly due to work comittments I could not make it. G80 or Symmington's vintage port made in 1980 are fantastic. But by far to young! I refrain from opening any bt from my stash of bts. Maybe in 20 years when they start to become ready.

regards

WS1

I find it reassuring that MPM and CPR each recognised the other's G77, even though they were reportedly very different.

I had the slight advantage when CPR guessed first and guessed G77 for my bottle, which made me think "maybe he thinks mine tasted like his also, so he will have guessed what he brought". Clear as mud? Or tasty as G77??