Port

Grahams is one of the top producers of Port.  It tends to be a bit more on the sweeter side than the other top houses.  At age 41, this may have lost a tad of that sweetness but is drinking quite well.  Decanted for sediment and allowed to breathe for about 40 minutes.  Ruby in color, mostly clear and bright.  The nose is great with black raspberries, chocolate, slight figs and a hint of walnut.

This had been opened for a few day but it is basically a single vintage tawny port, so it drank fine.  This was a new winery for me.  Deep iced tea color, mostly clear and bright.  The nose is nutty with a slight fig but also a quince/orange citrus.  Good acidity.  On the palate, nutty, quince, slight coffee.  Blind, I might have guessed Madeira.  Drinks well if not a lot of complexity.  This was good on its own but would work well with dried fruits or nuts.  

This seems to be about at peak, at least from the 375ml bottle.  Garnet in color, mostly clear and bright.  The nose is nice with chocolate, raspberries, and slight raisins.  Full bodied.  Sweet.  Viscous.  Complex.  Liquified chocolate covered raisins.  Good acidity.  Nice finish.  This needs about 30 minutes of air to blow off bottle stink and good to go.  It should easily drink well for another ten years.  great on its own, this will work well with a chocolate dessert.  

This was decanted for about 2.5 hours prior to serving.  Very nice showing.  Ruby in color with just slight browning, clear and bright.  The nose shows some age but also some youth left.  Cherries, chocolate covered raisins, and a bit of dust.  Medium bodied.  On the palate, this has a nice layered complexity.  Drinking mature but not over the hill.  Layers of cherries and cranberries with slight milk chocolate.  Tasty.  This is the kind of Port that is probably better to drink on its own and contemplate life, but it did work well with chocolate tiramisu.  It probably should be consumed in

Decanted for about 6 hours prior to drinking.  This is a good if not great declared vintage.  Deep ruby in color.  The nose has milk chocolate, cherries, and raspberries.  Full bodied.  On the palate, this is sweet with chocolate covered raisin notes.  Very tasty.  Some complexity.  Solid finish.  This is drinking very well now and should probably be consumed over the next decade though it will certainly have something ot offer after that.  Drinks well on its own, it would work well with a chocolate cake.  

From a 375ml bottle.   At age 20, even from a half bottle, this is drinking great.  No hurry though, especially from a full sized bottle.  Purple in color, opaque and bright.  The nose is great with chocolate covered cherries and raisins.  On the palate, this is sweet but not cloying.  Slightly viscous.  Lots of cherries cordial candy flavors.  Some warmth if not heat.  Deep and complex, it slowly unwinds in the glass.  Long finish.  Delicious on its own, this worked with blue cheese but chocolate is another fine choice.  It will easily last another fifteen to twenty years if well stored.  

This was a new Port house for me.  Purple in color, some brown swirls.  The nose is dusty with cherries and slight milk chocolate.  On the palate, more black cherries.  Slightly sweet.  Viscous.  Some warmth, not hot.  Nice finish.  This worked very well with a molten chocolate cake for dessert.  

This is drinking quite well.  Opened (it needed a Durand) and poured.  Deep ruby in color.  The nose is great with black raspberries, slight coffee grounds and dark chocolate.  On the palate, this is slightly sweet.  Chocolate covered raisins with raspberries and black raspberries.  A touch of char.  Full bodied.  Deep and complex but most of all delicious.  Slight warmth on the finish.  It went quite well with a brownie.  No hurry, this has at least a decade.  

This is a great value in Port wines.  Is it an amazingly complex Port?  No, but its also less than $20.  It is a tasty and warming beverage that is a crowd pleaser.  Purple in color.  The nose has chocolate, raspberries and slight raisins.  On the palate, this is more like chocolate covered cherries.  It is viscous and slightly sweet.  There is some depth and complexity.  Warming on the finish.  This is great on its own, but use a small pour as there is a lot of alcohol.  It will also work great with a chocolate dessert.  

This was a new producer for me, but 1970 was an excellent year for vintage Port and they need to be drunk.  Garnet in color with some browning, a bit hazy and dull.  The nose is nice with tart cherries.  A little bit of smoke as well.  On the palate, this is nice but past prime.  Cherries with some alcohol.  A hint of raisins.  OK finish.  Certainly worth drinking and a nice wine to have a small glass of at the end of an evening.