Graham’s Bicentennial Wines

Graham’s, founded in 1820, celebrated its bicentennial rather quietly at the end of 2022 after the threat from Covid went away. We all sat down to dinner in the atmospheric cellars of The Stafford Hotel in London two years later than anticipated. But very good things come to those who wait and the dinner concluded with two magnificent Graham’s Vintage Ports. The dinner served as the launch of Graham’s Bicentenary Collection Cabinet, a remarkable piece of furniture containing Single Harvest wines from 1961, 1976, 1982, 1995, 2000 and 2006 and well as Vintage Ports from 1963, 1970, 1985, 1994, 1997 and 2011 at a cost of £25,000. Click here to register your interest: bicentenarycollection@grahams-port.com

Graham 1994 *****

A watershed vintage for the Port shippers that most got right: still very deep and youthful in colour (though assessing colour in a cellar is never very easy); lovely ripe, minty-berry fruit aromas emerging from the glass with typical Graham’s voluptuousness on the palate (1994 was a ripe vintage and it shows), sweet and minty, cherry fruit with eucalypt too backed by ripe, supple tannins and a soft but full finish. Only just at the start of a long life ahead. 19

Graham 1963 ****

Showing its age with a pronounced tawny hue and, strangely reductive on the nose which was a bit stinky in my glass; however on the palate the wine redeemed itself with wonderful freshness, a curious combination of fresh mint and leathery complexity and an elegant finish that goes on and on. Not quite as good as last time I drank this, possibly a just the individual bottle. 18