This week's blog is a bit off topic from Washington wines, but because it was such a great event and since some other partiipants asked me to post my tasting notes, I am reporting on last night's tasting of Graham Vintage Ports from 1963 to 2007 at the Marcus Whitman Hotel in Walla Walla. This event came about when Paul Gregutt emailed me and other participants in a Walla Walla wine tasting group. He found a 14 bottle collection of Graham Ports being offered on-line and asked if anyone wanted to buy into a tasting of them. Enough subscribers signed up quickly and a matchup for an agreeable date was worked out by Ashley Trout. So we all assembled on February 13th for a monumental tasting. The wines were tasted from oldest to youngest since Ports get drier with age, hence we went from dry to sweet. Here are my notes.

Graham's Port 1963 - 2007

Graham's is one of the leading first tier Oporto Houses, owning extensive properties ("Quintas") in the Douro, including Quinta dos Malvedos, Quinta do Tua, Quinta das Lages, and others. Owned by the Symington family which is connected to 13 generations in the Port trade, Graham's has an illustrous history and tradition in Oporto.

1963 - This is one of the great vintages of the 20th century. Graham's shows a copper color with considerable sediment. The nose is still spiritous, with notes of caramel and roasted berries, still a bit sugary. But the flavor and structure is fading from its earlier glory, although it still shows much elegance. 19/20 points.

1966 - This shows a copper color with brownish edges. The nose is somewhat volatile, with sensations of burnt sugar. Turns to roasted nuts on the back, with a somewhat hot finish. 19/20 points.

1970 - From a classic vintage, this showed a dark color with some crimson. The nose reveals scents of burnt sugar, orange peel and a bit of dried roses. On the back, the sugars have dried up a bit on the back, showing a muscular structure, with notes of roast coffee and mocha. Now at its peak, this was my second favorite wine. 19.5/20 points.

1975 - Graham's generally shows well even in lesser vintages such as this one. Lightish color, old Tawny Port like . Perfumed nose of dried orange peels. The flavors are almost feminine and fall off a bit on the back, although a bit of chocolate emerges, followed by a sweet-dry finish. 18.5/20 points.

1977 - This was a tannic, slow evolving vintage, one just now coming into its own. It shows a deep ruby color and a powerful, spiritous nose with scents of cigar box and dried roses. The thick flavors reveal loads of chocolate, roast coffee and earth, with superb balance and a long sweet-dry finish that goes on and on. For me, this was the top wine of the tasting. 20/20 points.

1980 - From anther lighter vintage, this showed a deep, almost opaque color. The spiritous aromas show notes of roast coffee and caramel. The flavors are full, cherry-like and chocolately, without great complexity, followed by a sweetish, nutted finish. 18.5/20 points.

1983 - Medium ruby colored, with a rose edge, this showed a floral nose of chocolate and orange peel. The palate shows lots of fruit at a stage of turning from sweet to dry, showing considerable elegance and charm, with notes of chocolate and toasted nuts on the lingering finish. My third favorite. 19.5/20 points.

1985 - This vintage has a reputation for classic elegance. Graham's shows a medium ruby color with a floral orange peel and caramel nose, with scents of crushed roses. The coffee and mocha accentee flavors are charming, but without quite as much complexity as the 1983. 19+/20 points.

1991 - This bottle showed a floral cherry nose, but with an odd, possibly volatile, odor of naptha. The flavors, however, did reveal fine fruit, with dried orange peel and nuts. 18/20 points.

1994 - This vintage shows a dark ruby color and a strong spiritous nose. But the flavors seem middleweight in this company, though with fine, elegant fruits. It may develop into a charming, elegant Port. 18.5-19 points.

1997 - Dark ruby colored, it shows loads of fruit and spice on the nose. At this point, it is dark and brooding, not particularly sweet for a releatively young Port. 19/20 points.

2000 - This displays an opaque ruby color with a spiritous nose of wild berries, orange peel and roast coffee. The sweet-dry flavors are classically styled and spread out on the back with chocolate and toasted nuts. A possible 20/20 points.

2003 - Opaque purplish colored, this shows a spiced blackberry and plum nose, with exquisite fruits that spread out on the back, alcoholic, but not hot. It shows much potential. Possible 19.5/20 points.

2007 - Still a baby, this Port shows a dark purplish young color. The alcoholic nose revals notions of wild berries, orange peel and attar of roses. Super ripe, it shows thick, macerated dark fruits, with a thick, though not super sweet finish. Time will tell with this wine. 19-19.5 points.

There was considerable discussion afterwards about the vintages of the 21st century (2000, 2003, 2007) which seem super ripe and super saturated. Some wonderd if Port styles are changing. Another decade or two of aging will tell.