1948 W & J Graham's Vintage Port
Estimated value
Buying options
Tasting notes
This was a beautifully heady liqueur sort of port but with miraculous freshness on the palate. Hedonistic. Extremely rich and yet spry. Wonderful intensity and still some firmness. Beautiful persistence. I gave this 19.5 when tasting it at Quinta do Vesuvio but in retrospect I cannot remember anything wrong with it. (JR)
Critic scores
Jancis Robinson MW
Neal Martin, Wine Advocate
More reviews and scores
The 1948 Graham Vintage Port was tasted alongside the behemoth that is the '48 Taylor's and to be honest, there was mere cigarette paper between the two. The difference was more in personality, this Grahams more feminine and understated, prioritizing finesse and elegance over horsepower. The nose is utterly seductive with vestiges of brambly red fruit, cigar box, dried herbs and just a touch of VA importing fieriness after a few minutes in the glass. The palate is very refined with subtle tannin, detailed and poised with faded but filigree tannin. There is something a little foursquare about this Graham: correct but nuanced. There is not a hair out of place on the finish, a Vintage Port this is utterly composed, self-aware of its grace. This postwar Port will continue to give pleasure for a number of years yet depending on provenance. Tasted May 2015.