Bottled in 2007. Filtered. Short T-cork. I was surprised to see the 2001s on the shelf labeled as having been bottled in 2007, so I picked one up to compare against some of the 2000 TNs that I have had this year. I can’t admit to having been overly impressed with the three bottles of Graham’s LBV I have had (all from 2000, bottled in 2005.)
Opened early on New Year's Eve. Dark purple with deep, burgundy red towards the outer rim of the glass. Upon decanting a whiff of strong alcohol on the nose but some cherries and grapes show up as well. Stealing a small sip, a harsh greeney tannic bite overshadows what I can already tell is a sweet Port. Structurally, this is nice, much nicer than any of the 2000 LBVs that I have tried. It is much more complex with some stuffing that I hope to see through once the spirit blows off.
+2 hrs
The spirit seemed to blow off rapidly and after 45 minutes it was a struggle to not simply start glugging this down. Perhaps it has something to do with the fact that it has been a few days since I have had any serious Port consumption, but this is great juice.
As suspected, a very sweet elixir. Grapes and cherries are dominant. A bite of bold tannins continue to stand out and throttle the back of the palate, but it is very good, if not a bit short on the finish.
+6 hrs
Chocolate has moved into the mid- and end-palate and the Port is really starting to show what others have described as the ‘typical Graham’s sweetness.’ Rich and inviting, I find my way back to this decanter time and again, and I am having to restrain myself so there is something to compare at later timepoints… like the 8 hour mark!
+11 hrs
At this point the champagne has been finished, and this is finishing off the night for me and welcoming me to the new 2008. Although I have made a resolution to eat and drink much healthier in this new year (surprisingly enough, Port is filled with all kinds of empty alcohol calories… go figure!) I will still be enjoying Port… albeit at a slower rate of consumption than at present.
Not a lot of change, but the jammy, juicey grape juices are prevelant in this Port, followed by chocolate with some strong tannic structure on the back side. A touch of nice cherry and black raspberry too.
2+ days
Over the next two days, small sips showed this Port going downhill and tiring out, but that is it be expected. Overall, this wine showed a very decent tannic structure, like an underlying, yet silent, framework that gives the Port a bit of backbone. Sweet, as one expects from the Graham’s style. IMO, much better than the 2000 LBV, this one will make it into my cellar in the form of a six pack for short-term drinking. I may also try to ‘lose’ one of these at the back of the cellar to see what it is like in 10-15 years. I think with the tannic structure it has, it could evolve a small amount. Whether it holds itself together or not remains to be seen, but it will make for an interesting experiment!
