The 1997 growing season in the Douro was unusual. An incredibly cold winter saw snow settle right across the Douro Valley followed by unseasonably hot and dry weather in February and March. High temperatures in the lead up to the harvest brought about an excellent final ripening period resulting in a year with low yields but incredible concentration and balance.
Reviews
Salted caramel, salted almonds, dried blood orange, saffron and dried flowers. Beautiful texture with full body and delicate sweetness. Deep and generous, with a long and firm but rich finish. Lots of butterscotch. Dense at the finish. Drink or hold.
This Port, blended with grapes grown in a single year, is dense, smooth with toffee and dried fruits. The spirit is just there, giving a tight bite at the end. Drink this memorable wine now.
Suave and tawny, with stylish caramel, dried cherry and green tea notes gliding through. The flattering, sneaky long finish is underscored by hazelnut and dacquoise accents. Fresh enough for an aperitif, hedonistic enough for dessert.
- James Molesworth
The 1997 Single Harvest Tawny Port (that's called a "Colheita" traditionally, but some producers have decided to translate) is a field blend bottled in May 2018 with a bar-top cork and 108 grams of residual sugar. This is a somewhat different Graham's, drier, sterner and showing more power while deemphasizing its sugar. It is still quite good, to be sure, but not the sexy beast I expected. The complexity is still there, though, and this has a powerful finish.