Fully mature, orange rim. Cherry nose with added tinned strawberry. Lovely fruit washing across your tongue like a tide coming in. Just a hint of heat on the finish.
G42, having been decanted 20 minutes before first tasted. Red-pink, 40% opaque. Nose had no fruit. Initially palate intensely bitter, and oddly so, with spearmint and aniseed. Later it had softened and become gentler, but was still bitter, still powerfully so. It was good mature old Port, but not longer great. A previous G42 has been better.
Graham 1942, bottled in Oporto in 1945. Initially tasted Pop and Pour, which did the wine absolutely no favours. The bottle had clearly been rewaxed although the cork appeared to original. First tasting note taken 10 minutes after decanting: a wonderful copper-red colour, 30% opaque. Gentle on the nose with spiced fruit, tobacco and sweet redcurrant. Some bitterness on the palate, with the alcohol showing strongly. A nice, bitter kumquat finish. This is a glass to leave and come back to later, perhaps the palate will improve.
After 2.5 hours in the glass this had changed so much. Much better on the nose with so much more complexity and spice (although a little dry). Lovely fruit on the palate with the wine make in a slightly drier style. Elegant, if a little watery in texture but still very tasty. Lots of generous dried fruit on the aftertaste but the finish is medium length rather than a long finish. 94/100. Tasted 14-May-2024.
Top Ports in 2023: Taylor 1896 Colheita, b. 2021. A perfect Port.
2024: Niepoort 1900 Colheita, b.1971. A near perfect Port.
G42. Light strawberry with some fine sediment in the glass. Nose is slightly sour but otherwise smells like an old Port. The palate is soft, smooth, and very pleasant, but initially has a faint metallic note. That metallic note disappeared over time - it might have just needed some air. Still some serviceable, fully mature fruits to be found along with some faint baking spices. 95 points.