1970 Graham's, Port, Portugal

Tasted as part of the Symington's event at the Portuguese embassy in London to launch the Graham's and Warre's 2020 anniversary ports and celebrate 650 years of Anglo-Portuguese friendship. A wet winter with a cold and dry March. Warm weather in April was ideal for flowering. Spring and summer were calm and settled. Rain fell in late August and early September. Harvesting started at Malvedos on 21 September. Good weather throughout the vintage. Winemakers James and Peter Symington. TA 4.05 g/l. 'Drinking history', says Johnny Symington. This was their first declaration of Graham's.

Browning core with tawny rim but still some red in the colour. It has a lovely herbal scent with hints of bitter orange, plus figs and complex-scented dried fruits but not at all raised; tannins still have a little bit of friction, but there's an incredible amount of fruit even now, and silky on the finish. Deep and gently chewy with the intense freshness of spiced bitter orange. Port expert Richard Mayson described it as 'one of the post-war greats'. Fabulous length and unfolds in the glass. Great freshness.

Drink 1990 - 2050

Tasted at John E. Fells portfolio tasting. A Porto bottling this, but with a definite Bordeaux-like nose! Well defined, foursquare at first, opening up nicely with maraschino cherries, cloves, burnt wood/embers and bergamot, gaining intensity all the time in the glass. The palate is very harmonious and elegant not dissimilar in texture to a ’63 opened a few months earlier). Fleshy, harmonious, and seductive on the palate, with allspice, nutmeg, and ginger sprinkled over the viscous finish and freshly rolled tobacco on the aftertaste. It has good length and is powerful like many of the 1970 ports continue to be. Superb. 

Drink now - 2020+