1985 Graham

[djewesbury]

I have been threatening to drink some port for a while now; I've felt that my membership of this forum was becoming a theoretical concern. I want to be considered a full member of the experimental community, not simply an end-of-the-pier amusement act.

That all being in mind, and the Irish rain lashing the house from every direction, the fire lit and the crumpets and cake digested, it was clearly time to decant a bottle. I opted for this warhorse on account of its topicality and plentifulness. It's a Sunday evening, I don't think I can really stretch to a 1970, a '55 or something pre-war.

So the G85 comes up and is decanted. The cork comes out cleanly with my Künstler-branded waiter's friend. Filtering through the tea-filter I always use (®©AW77), there is very little sludge, but some fine sediment is noticeable as the liquid comes into the neck of the decanter. The sommelier's sample gives me something thin, reminiscent of cherry boiled sweets, and acidity. Hope this calms down and opens up with a few hours in the decanter.

[djewesbury]

D+5. The cherries are still predominant but the body has filled out very pleasingly. It's still rather simple and there is a reasonable (but bearable) amount of VA. At present this is fine and drinkable, but it isn't much more complex than a good LBV, and there are some of those which could be better. Doesn't have that special something, that curl of cedar or spice, that needs to cut through the fat fruit.

[PhilW]

I have a fairly similar G85 here too, though no VA on this one: Hints of fresh cherry, but light and a fairly thin; ok/good but not great.

[LGTrotter]

Ooo, you little traitors.

[PhilW]

Ooo, you little traitors.

?

[LGTrotter]

Ooo, you little traitors.

?

I was upset by the badmouthing of Graham 85, one of my favourites. But of course you must speak as you find.

[djewesbury]

Ooo, you little traitors.

?

I was upset by the badmouthing of Graham 85, one of my favourites. But of course you must speak as you find.

I was disappointed too. I turned to this as a stalwart, a dependable, and it let me down somewhat. That said, I'm hoping that the half that's in the decanter will come round tonight (as should you, if you're passing).
It was not one of the bottles procured via you, I should add. Your reputation is intact, where it remains.

[djewesbury]

This was not improved by any great degree after 24 hours, and the end of the decanter is nothing special now, 48 hours later. This was not really a bad bottle; perhaps it was just a bit funky and it was having a bad week.

[djewesbury]

Actually I should have added that the VA did disappear after some time, and that tonight the forthright cherries are quite considerably softened; they are integrated into a more caramelised general taste, the mouthfeel is not bad and there is still some pleasant, lifting acidity at the end, and lingering in the finish, which gives cleanness, and even a slight ghost of menthol. But it's 2 days later and this has faded, clearly it doesn't have the wild gumption of the Fonseca.

[PhilW]

With apologies to Owen, mine also finished very average - weak for a declared year.

[PhilW]

I was upset by the badmouthing of Graham 85, one of my favourites. But of course you must speak as you find.

I understand; I would feel similar about someone decrying W77, despite knowing that it can vary considerably. Of course if someone was badmouthing F70 then I'd simply ignore the idiot

[LGTrotter]

I have only had one rather flat insipid bottle in the two-ish cases I have drunk. Which is a better strike rate than some people have had. And I am aware that I hold views vigorously that not everybody shares. Still, you've got to have somebody to disagree with .

[djewesbury]

I have only had one rather flat insipid bottle in the two-ish cases I have drunk. Which is a better strike rate than some people have had. And I am aware that I hold views vigorously that not everybody shares. Still, you've got to have somebody to disagree with .

This is the first time I've had an under par bottle.
Here, why am I trying to reassure you? Get your own bottle, stop hogging mine.