1983 Graham Vintage Port

[Glenn E.]

This bottle had a 4.5 hour decant, which was probably insufficient. The Port opened up and became rounder with time in the glass. Served blind.

1983 Graham Vintage Port

Color: Medium dark garnet with a purple overtone. Wide rim that faded through pink, but more than just an opaque center. It was probably 60-70% of the glass.

Nose: The white part of a vanilla-caramel swirl candy, blackberry, and some very faint sour VA.

Palate: Warm, somewhat dry, with reddish fruits and gritty tannins. The fruits showed round and ripe before the dryness of the palate hit, but even then there was tension between full, round fruit and a seemingly dry texture. Some milk chocolate, and later some stone fruits like plum.

Score: 94 points. I guessed an '85, toying with either Dow or Smith Woodhouse before settling on the latter. A very nice Port, but I would have never guessed it was a Graham due to the dryness on the palate.