Tasted at a vertical of drinkable Graham's Vintage Ports from the past 50 years, held on the ever auspicious Friday the Thirteenth (February 2009) and hosted graciously by jfacciol.
Links: Review; 1960; 1963; 1966; 1970; 1977; 1980; 1983; 1985; 1991; 1994; Planning
1985 Graham
- SushiNorth
- Martinez 1985
- Posts: 1341
- Joined: 07:45 Mon 18 Feb 2008
- Location: NJ & NY
Re: 1985 Graham
Graham’s 1985: decanted 14:40. Dark red, no brown, no blue, 50% translucency. At D+0 some astringency in the nose, but also sweet cranberry. To taste likewise, with mouthfilling sweetness and nice length. Tannins too strong: will be fixed by the passage of time. Bodes well.
Re: 1985 Graham
Graham’s 1985: I might have thought it boded well, but this bright-red port had a foul and ’orrible bottle stink. Attempting to ignore the stink I found a taste that I could only describe as ‟heat; nice weight”. The stink diminished with time, but not enough.
Bizarrely, Anthony liked this.
Bizarrely, Anthony liked this.
- RonnieRoots
- Fonseca 1980
- Posts: 1981
- Joined: 08:28 Thu 21 Jun 2007
- Location: Middle Earth
Re: 1985 Graham
What kind of stink was it? I've never tasted this port, but LadyR has, and found hints of VA.
Re: 1985 Graham
Heavy stink of evaporated milk that turns a little nail polishy. (I definitely smell the VA here)
The taste of VA is overwhelming, noticeable tannins and a celery bitterish finish.
Later on in the night, this started picking up body and flavor. Still stunk, but some stewed plums backed with a full bodied spirit started appearing.
Withheld rating.
The taste of VA is overwhelming, noticeable tannins and a celery bitterish finish.
Later on in the night, this started picking up body and flavor. Still stunk, but some stewed plums backed with a full bodied spirit started appearing.
Withheld rating.
Disclosure: Distributor of Quevedo wines and Quinta do Gomariz
- SushiNorth
- Martinez 1985
- Posts: 1341
- Joined: 07:45 Mon 18 Feb 2008
- Location: NJ & NY
Re: 1985 Graham
+5 Dark semi-clear ruby. My first whiff of this was a big screaming Garbage Bin, with some raisins at the bottom. Sure enough, in the mouth there's a baked, stewed raisins flavor. It's hot at the start, but lightens up rapidly. The tail is light in flavor but very very hot.
It improved a bit over the course of the night, the garbage bin faded and the raisins mellowed out, but I'm only giving this an 87. Maybe a different bottle would have been better.
It improved a bit over the course of the night, the garbage bin faded and the raisins mellowed out, but I'm only giving this an 87. Maybe a different bottle would have been better.