Graham's "The Tawny" Tawny Port

[Derek T.]

This wine has started appearing in UK supermarkets recently, priced at around £15 ($30). It has no indication of age so is officially just a simply Tawny port. It come in a very impressive wide, squat bottle (as wide as a magnum but as short as a 375ml) with a nice expensive looking label.

However, it tastes like no other simple tawny I have experienced. To be honest, I found it quite bland. No intense nutty or oak flavours that I would expect from a good tawny port. What I did notice was that the wine has a very thick viscous mouth feel, much like a 40 yr old or an old Colheita. It's also as hot as the fires of Hell

Does anyone know what this stuff actually is? It's 3 times the price of a normal tawny and tastes (to me) like a very old wine that isn't good enough to be sold with a label that describes what it is.

Are Graham's trying to get rid of some bad stock here in the guise of some fancy packaging? :twisted:

Derek

[Tom Archer]

Are Graham's trying to get rid of some bad stock here in the guise of some fancy packaging?

Quite possibly.

What comes to mind are the vast stocks of port that were bought up by the Casa do Douro to protect the industry after the alcohol scandal in the early seventies, which they are now reported to be selling off.

Putting it in a fancy bottle and flogging it as an undated tawny would seem a logical move.

Whether it is wise for the Sym's to risk the reputation of the Graham brand is another matter!

Tom

[Mario Ferreira]

I'm not very sure here but I guess this topic is about Graham's New Product, a Reserve Tawny.

I wonder whether you are referring to "The Tawny". You may click here to check it out:
http://www.grahams-port.com/newsfr1.htm

The "The Tawny" is a premium Reserve Tawny, which the law requires to have the minimum age of 7 years maturation in oak casks.

The category of Reserve Tawnies fits between the Regular/Standard Tawny, which is about 3-5 years old (if I'm not mistaken), and the 10-year Old Tawny.

I must confess a couple months ago I was also trilled when I saw this bottle for the first time. Since I haven't tasted "The Tawny" yet , I'm not able to provide additional notes on the quality of the wine itself.
The bottle no doubt is a fancy one and, because of the cool package only, 8) I'm willing to keep one on the shelf at home. :)
/MF.

[Derek T.]

Mario,

Yes, this is the one. Once I force myself to drink what is left of this I plan to use the nice bottle as an everyday decanter 8)

Derek

[Andy Velebil]

Do what I did after trying the Croft Distinction last week. I used what was left for a port reduction sauce with a Filet Mignon. Tasted much better as the sauce than on its own

[Mario Ferreira]

[...] I plan to use the nice bottle as an everyday decanter 8)

8) 8) Good idea :idea: . Now that you said that, I guess I will do the same when I get an empty one too :)

[Roy Hersh]

Let me shed a little light on this "project" by Graham's. Earlier this year, (you can find the first ever English translation by Mario in the June FTLOP newsletter ... in the Archives) the IVDP or Port & Douro Wine Institute adopted new regulations for special categories of Port. "Special Categories" is a legal Port definition which encompasses Vintage, Colheita (also now known as: Port wine with date of harvest), Garrafeira, Crusted, Reserve Ruby/Tawny, Tawny with an indication of age etc. For example, Fonseca Bin 27 or Graham's Six Grapes used to be categorized as, "Vintage Character" Port. With the new laws that were enacted earlier in 2005, the nomenclature for that category has changed to Reserve (or Reserva) Ruby.

Ultimately, not only the name changed with the Ruby style. But ... with the new Reserve (or Reserva) Tawny, an entirely new type of Port could be made for the very first time. Here are the specifics of the regulations:

If the Port wine “Reserva” or “Reserve”, made from red or white grapes, is matured in wood for a minimum period of seven years, it can use the term “Tawny” or “Branco” or ”White” respectively.

To the specific designation of “Reserva” or “Reserve” one and only one of the following terms can be added: “Especial” or “Special” or “Finest.” (Roy’s Note: for example, “Special Reserve” or “Reserva Especial” or “Finest Reserve”.)

With THE TAWNY, Graham's is the first company I know that has taken advantage of the new regulation re: Reserve Tawny Port, creating what is an entirely new product and niche in the marketplace. Bravo for their astute marketing, packaging and product placement.

I have looked around the web to see if I could find other TNs on this wine as I did not get to try it in Portugal, which is a darn shame. I found only two and neither mentioned the heat/alcohole but these notes were also from retailers. One scored it a 16.5/20 while the other only had a one brief sentence description.

I have now seen the package and it is pretty cool. Speaking of cool, since you still have some left, try lightly chilling this Port and see if it does not help integrate the alcohol. I typically find Graham's the most spiritous producer of Port but also believe that in almost all cases, the alcohol (in Vintage Ports) will integrate with time in the bottle. Even though the press release says it does not need decanting, I'd pour a few ounces in a glass and see what happens after six hours.

I look forward to your further impressions Derek and I hope you will try these two suggestions above.

[Derek T.]

Roy,

I have been sipping a glass or two of this each day since Christmas Day and it has changed. I put the bottle in a cool cupboard after opening and chilling it down does help with the alchohol.

I also have to confess that I first tried it un-chilled and immediately after drinking Bolinger and Krug Champagne so my taste buds (and all other parts of the body) may not have been at there best :?

In the interest of research I will buy another bottle and try it again, chilled from the start and without the benefit of a Champagne starter

happy New Year to all

Derek

[Frederick Blais]

When I was at Graham's, they made me taste their Tawny Finest Reserve. It is a blend of 5-7 years while "the tawny" is 7-9 years. Nevertheless, my tasting notes for this one is very similar as Derek's one. No freshness, lots of figs, molasse and dry plums flavor. The mouth is dull with figs and molasse flavor. Nothing of what I would expect from a young tawny. I wrote serve it chill! 13/20

Maybe they are picking the 7-9 years old blends from the same barrels.

[Roy Hersh]

Thanks for reporting back Derek. THE TAWNY should not "have to be" chilled to be enjoyed, but I thought it would be a saving grace if after a couple of days the alcohol did not integrate. Glad to see it did.


Frederick, it is not nice to think that the Symington's would do something like that, which is illegal, not to mention what it would do to their reputation. Knowing them well enough, this would NEVER happen, no less enter their minds.

[Frederick Blais]

Roy, let me clarify my point. What I meant is that they are not taking the same barrels to do the same blend and then sell it under different brands. Let say the Symington put aside 50 barrels. Well, these barrels at 5-7 years would be put in the finest reserve and 2 years later, the barels that where not put in the reserve would be put in "The Tawny".

I respect a lot what the Symington are doing but I have to say that I was disapointing by this Finest Reserve, by the way the only bottle I was disapointed from what they make me taste.

[Roy Hersh]

Frederick,

Thanks for the clarification. Fortunately, that is only a $15 USD bottle.