2003 Graham's LBV
Posted: Sat Nov 06, 2010 11:47 am
2003 Graham's LBV bottled 2008, filtered, T-stopper cork
I decanted, leaving about 1 ounce in the bottom of the bottle that I poured out into a convenient glass. Zero sediment in that glass.
Decant +3 hours: The Port was ruby and brilliant. Very shy bouquet. There was a gentle taste of tannin but very modest and giving a light spiciness and a moderate length aftertaste. Fruity and sweet, to an expected and appropriate degree. Taste of blackberry, blueberry, and strawberry. It seemed that the Port opened up and tasted better and revealed greater complexity as I drank through the bottle with some assistance from my wife, but perhaps this was due to my changing response to the Port rather than the Port itself evolving over the fairly short time duration of dispatching the bottle. I liked this a lot and am happy I've stashed 14 more bottles of the same for drinking over the next four years while waiting for some unfiltered LBVs to develop some age. 89/100.
We accompanied the Port with stilton cheese, walnuts, and figs. The walnuts seemed to be the happiest combination. In combination with the walnuts the Port tasted drier and more spicy, with more taste of blackberry. In combination with the figs the Port tasted sweeter and the fruit tastes were better represented by thinking of blueberries or strawberries. The Port went OK with the stilton, but I didn't really think this combination added much or brought anything special out of the Port.
I decanted, leaving about 1 ounce in the bottom of the bottle that I poured out into a convenient glass. Zero sediment in that glass.
Decant +3 hours: The Port was ruby and brilliant. Very shy bouquet. There was a gentle taste of tannin but very modest and giving a light spiciness and a moderate length aftertaste. Fruity and sweet, to an expected and appropriate degree. Taste of blackberry, blueberry, and strawberry. It seemed that the Port opened up and tasted better and revealed greater complexity as I drank through the bottle with some assistance from my wife, but perhaps this was due to my changing response to the Port rather than the Port itself evolving over the fairly short time duration of dispatching the bottle. I liked this a lot and am happy I've stashed 14 more bottles of the same for drinking over the next four years while waiting for some unfiltered LBVs to develop some age. 89/100.
We accompanied the Port with stilton cheese, walnuts, and figs. The walnuts seemed to be the happiest combination. In combination with the walnuts the Port tasted drier and more spicy, with more taste of blackberry. In combination with the figs the Port tasted sweeter and the fruit tastes were better represented by thinking of blueberries or strawberries. The Port went OK with the stilton, but I didn't really think this combination added much or brought anything special out of the Port.