For The Love Of Port

Graham's 20-yr Old Tawny Port
tasted 2/27/2009 at a casual tasting in NYC

Finally, a more classic Tawny color in the glass. It's clear and bright, as it should be.

Non-descript nose showing slightly too much alcohol. Red fruit medly.

Best body in the mouth by far - almost syrupy compared to the previous two 20-yr olds. Some dates, possibly also some light caramel. Very sweet, but still sufficient tannins to keep it in balance.

I noted after the Graham's that all three of the 20-yr Old Tawnies were really lacking that typical Tawny tartness. None seemed to be particularly well balanced in this regard, but the Graham's seemed closest during the tasting portion. Best tawny on the night.

Glenn - I totally agree - the Graham 20-years is - to sum it up - a waste of time! I was so disapointed! This is for sure a product, that doesn't match other Grahms products - they would be better of not making a 20-years I would say around 80p - maybe less...

Henrik Lilja wrote:Glenn - I totally agree - the Graham 20-years is - to sum it up - a waste of time! .

Sounded like Glenn liked it.

Actually, you're both right.

I enjoyed the Graham and thought it was - at least for me - the best tawny on the night, but in general I thought that all of the tawnies at that particular tasting were a little lackluster on that particular night. The Graham's nose was fairly bland, and (like the others) it seemed to be missing some balance. It also didn't seem to pair well with the food, which really surprised me as I expected it to be perfect in that regard.

I did enjoy it during the tasting portion of the night, though, and would happily drink another bottle. My guess is that the aromas wafting through the steakhouse where we held the tasting probably affected the noses on all of the Ports. I was also hungry - which wasn't being helped by the aromas! - and that might have affected my palate.

I did like the 1980 Fonseca that night... which might also tell you something.

You had us as believers ... until that 1980 Fonseca comment. :wall:

Now I have to wonder if that Graham's 20 year old was some bin end that one of the guys bought on sale thinking "what a great deal" as he spent $28 for it, but failed to read that it was bottled in 1995. You know those NY'ers!

Glenn E. wrote:
I did like the 1980 Fonseca that night... which might also tell you something.

:wall: :wall: You're killing me Glenn

In defense of the 1980 Fonseca, Jeff did say that it was by far the best showing bottle that he'd ever had, and I think he said something about having bought a case of it a while back.

It really was very nice... but no higher than the upper-80s range score-wise.

Ups wasn't my intention to interpret Glenn wrongly!
Still - I will probably not taste Graham 20-years again unless served by others

Ciao, Henrik