1977 Graham

[Alex Bridgeman]

In celebration of the fact that I have just agreed to buy some more of these, I decided to open a bottle of Graham's 1977 vintage port for enjoyment and delictation tonight. Decanted at 6am. The bottle was sealed with a lead capsule (stamped as "Graham's 1977") over the sello, itself placed over the aluminium cellar capsule. The cellar capsule was corroded but the cork in very good condition. The bottle showed signs of mould on the label, which I took to be an indication of storage in humid conditions. The cork was extracted using a long-thread T-bar style corkscrew and came out almost in one piece. The cork was sound and branded "Graham's 1977 Vintage".

The wine was pale when decanted and smelt oddly of petrol. I did not try any of it, not sure why. Most of the sediment was left in the bottle, which had been stood upright for 3 days.

More notes later.

Alex

[KillerB]

I did not try any of it, not sure why.

Maybe because:

The wine was pale when decanted and smelt oddly of petrol.

A pale Graham's 1977 would worry me too. Petrol?

[Alex Bridgeman]

I'm assuming that the paleness is only a feature of the immediate colour on decanting. I'm now in the office and will be unlikely to try this any earlier than 5pm, by when I would expect it to have taken on the typical thick, black colour.

The petrol nose worried me, but perhaps is just a very mild bottle stink.

I will find out in 8 hours and 12 minutes and 38 seconds...

[Alex Bridgeman]

Now (15½ hours after decanting) a mid-red colour, not as dark as I was expecting but still strongly coloured although quite transparent.

A very fresh nose, lots of cut grass and black pepper over the top of some blackberry juice. Lovely and sweet in the mouth with lots of dark cake and huge amounts of fruit. Fabulous layers and complexity and the texture thickens up the more you swirl it around in the mouth. Just so lovely and caressing. Aftertaste is long, lingering and just doesn't stop changing. Little by way of tannins, these seem to have all resolved themselves.

Absolutely fantastic wine. Probably not going to improve much with more time in the cellar - but then it doesn't have anywhere to go anyway! 9/9 or 95/100.

Superb.

[KillerB]

TGFT - I was ready to tell Julian to keep 'em.

[DRT]

TGFT - I was ready to tell Julian to keep 'em.

Me too!

[jdaw1]

Julian’s enthusiasm for selling so many has diminished. Quite a lot.

[DRT]

The wine was pale when decanted and smelt oddly of petrol.

I think Julian should focus on this observation from AHB.

Derek

[RonnieRoots]

Julian’s enthusiasm for selling so many has diminished. Quite a lot.

How did I miss out on this deal?

[Alex Bridgeman]

Oops, sorry. Clearly my mistake.

This wasn't a Graham's 1977 I opened. It was a Churchill Graham's. Here's the tasting note on the Graham's I opened in a hurry to correct my error.

5 hours decanting time.
Horrid. Smells of cat-puke and VA. Tastes like petrol in a nasty way. Aftertaste is revolting and has you retching before you reach out for your toothbrush. The rest of the bottle was used as toilet cleaner. 0/0 or 0/100. If you have any of these, sell them as fast as you can to people you call "friends".

[RonnieRoots]

Wow, a Churchill Graham from 5 years before the first official declaration! And a 95 pointer nonetheless!! You lucky b#stard.

[uncle tom]

I last opened one of these in January last year (and have just put another bottle on death row)

I noted that it took a long time to come round, and needed 24hrs+ in decanter. After that, it was much improved.

Tom