For The Love Of Port

I think the other TN I had on this is in the Virtual Tasting forum. If I can find it, I will link it back here.

Graham’s Six Grapes Reserve Port [NV]
Double-decanted – into decanter and then after 20 minutes or so, back into bottle. This was just to give it a bit of aeration, but the decanter has other uses shortly.

Deep purple, with thin, clear meniscus. Clear and inviting. Dark purple, slow-running tears down the sides of the glass. Nose of grape juice.

Tasted 20 minutes after opening, after double-decanting procedure described above. Nose of some berries, but with a green, raw undertone that I don’t find offensive at all. This wine seems to have some kind of fantastic structure that you just don’t find in the normal ruby/reserve port and I find myself time and again wondering how it is that this port has come to be classified as such. Most Ruby/Reserves seem very thin, almost watery on the palate, but this has true port structure. It’ll never be confused for a low-tier VP, but I would argue that it is better than several LBVs that I have had.

Editted to add name (seeing as how name isn't showing up in post just yet!)
Todd

Todd?

I agree. Graham's 6G's is always on hand in my house for daily drinking.

Scott

As I've mentioned before, it is a very good bottle and worth every penny.

I totally agree Todd, open at my house as of last night is a bottle of Graham's six grapes and 2000 Osborne LBV. The graham's is significantly more structured and the osborne is weak thin lighter in color and very spirity on the nose palate and finish. I have tried most rubies available here in the US and have found all but the 6 grapes watery thin and unsatifying except the 6 grapes. I'm trying it (6 grapes) again as possibly the port for me to drink cooled down this summer.

Raj, and all others...
What is the price of the Six Grapes like compared to most other Reserves/Rubies (relative to your area?) I am curious because here in Canada, particularly in Edmonton, the Six Grapes is anywhere from 15-35sh% more expensive than all other types of Reserve/Ruby ports. (I have seen it for as little as C$19 bottle in multiples of 6 and as high as C$28/btl at other places - mainly the hole in the wall "beer stores" that stock wine and port only because they have to accomodate the hotel/motel/hockey rink/conference center/office building next door!)

I'm curious if this is just the local folks taking advantage of the Graham's name as they do with the Taylor Fladgate name (the First Reserve is IMHO, WAY overpriced for the product and is playing on the name "Taylor" moreso than the quality of the product) or whether it may be more expensive coming from the shippers themselves because they realize the product is so much more superior when contrasted with almost all other Reserves?

I know I can look up prices on wine-searcher - I'm not actually looking for hard prices, but whether (in your experience) Six Grapes is priced higher than almost all other rubies/reserves, and by how much. :)

Thanks,

Todd

Todd,

The price around me varies quite a bit. From as low as $13 to as high as $20, depending on what store has it.

Todd, I've seen that same 15-35% premium charge. I've seen it as high as $23.99 and have bought it on sale as low as $13.99 (hence my current bottles) I think it is a good port for $14, but would rather have a solid LBV in the $19+ range.