Orange-tinted amber-brown color; medley of dried fruits on impressive nose; dried cherry, orange peel, plum, fig, candied fruits, honey, burnt caramel, butterscotch, bitter dark chocolate, almond, hazelnut on the nose and palate.
Sweet (125 g/L residual sugar); excellent acidity (4.8 b/L tartaric acid). Rich, bold; medium-plus body. Grapes primarily sourced from five iconic Douro Valley quintas: Quinta dos Malvedos, Quinta do Tua, Quinta das Lages, Quinta da Vila Velha, and Quinta do Vale Malhadas (the last two privately owned by the Symington family). Years-old tawny porto—Graham’s makes 10, 20, 30, 40, and 50-year old versions—involve three arts: the art of blending, the art of cooperage, and the art of aging. All three come together brilliantly with this effort.
Graham’s, owned by the Symington family, is one of the last porto makers with its own cooperage team that tends to each cask individually. During aging some alcohol and some water is lost through evaporation—the “angel’s share”—and the liquid is replenished. A 30-years tawny does not mean the wine aged in a cask for 30 years, it means the average age of the liquid is 30 years, with some fewer years, some more. The designation is more a definition of style rather than a chronological one. Amazingly long, delicious finish that is not too sweet and shows late hints of bitter dark chocolate. Superb accomplishment.
Brothers William and John Graham originally established their firm in northwest Portugal to trade in textiles. In 1820, they accepted 27 barrels of porto in payment upon a debt. Shortly thereafter, they decided to devote all their energies to making porto. W. & J. Graham’s became one of the great porto houses.
In 1970, the Symington family, who had produced porto since 1882, purchased the Graham’s winery. The purchase represented an interesting twist since a century before the founder of Symington, A.J. Symington, began his porto career at Graham’s. The Symingtons now control Cockburn’s, Graham’s, Warre’s, Dow’s, Smith Woodhouse, Gould Campbell, Quarles Harris, and Martinez—by far the world’s strongest porto portfolio. They have the largest vineyard ownership in the Douro.
People unfortunately pigeonhole porto as winter wine to be sipped around blazing fireplaces while cold winds whistle outside. That is wrong. Porto is an all-the-year libation. Portos usually are served chilled, which knocks down the heat on the finish and makes them a nice warm weather drink, too. Dessert in a glass.
This is sealed with a T-cap. Because it is a fortified wine, it can remain fresh after opening for two months or more if stored in a cool, dark place. Graham’s portos traditionally are sweeter and more fruit-driven than others, and this qualifies just barely. This is sensationally smooth on the palate and delivers a remarkable sensory journey. Each sip virtually commands you to take another sip—although at 20% ABV, some resistance is advised so the bottle can live to give you pleasure another day.
W. & J. Graham’s 30 Years Tawny Porto is sleek, sexy, complex, balanced, mellow, luxurious. And still fresh after three decades averaged in oak. Remarkably delicious and long finish. There is ongoing debate whether 20-year old or 30-year old tawny’s are the pinnacles of tawny porto. The 20-year delivers more fruit, while the 30-year old delivers extraordinary depth and complexity. Each is magnificent; the winner is the person drinking either or both. Enjoy this on its own; it is fabulous dessert in its own right. Pair with sweet desserts, chocolate desserts, nutty deserts, dried fruits; crème brûlée. Cheese—blue cheese is classic, stilton, roquefort, gorgonzola; aged gouda, aged cheddar, smoked cheddar; aged pecorino, aged manchego, parmiagiano-reggiano. This particularly lends itself to pairing with a selection of cheeses and walnuts, almonds, dried figs. $135-175
