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  • Country ranking ?

    35
  • Producer ranking ?

    9
  • Decanting time

    3h
  • When to drink

    now to 2040

The Tb points given to this wine are the world’s most valid and most up-to-date evaluation of the quality of the wine. Tastingbook points are formed by the Tastingbook algorithm which takes into account the wine ratings of the world's best-known professional wine critics, wine ratings by thousands of tastingbook’s professionals and users, the generally recognised vintage quality and reputation of the vineyard and winery. Wine needs at least five professional ratings to get the Tb score. Tastingbook.com is the world's largest wine information service which is an unbiased, non-commercial and free for everyone.

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Blended from wines sourced from Quinta dos Malvedos and Quinta das Lages as well as a small number of other top vineyards in the Pinhão and Rio Torto valleys.  Very small production, no more than 115 pipes, which would be 6,700 9 litre cases today.  Contrary to the usual practice of shipping in pipes for bottling at destination, the 1945 was bottled entirely here in Gaia, due to the shortage of glass in England after the war.

Alcohol by volume v/v (20º C): 21%
Total Acidity g/l tartaric acid: 3,90
Baumé: 3,8

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The Story

Graham's has a reputation as a producer of outstanding Vintage Port for well over a century. These wines are renowned for their remarkable richness, concentration and firm tannic structure: a combination which yields impressive longevity. Graham's Vintage Ports consistently attain the highest ratings in tastings and invariably attract very high bids at fine wine auctions.

Vintage Ports are only made in years of exceptionally high quality harvests, which on average occur two or three times in a decade. The weather in the vineyards is the principal determining factor: conditions must be ideal throughout the growing season, as well as during the subsequent harvest.

Graham's extraordinary quality is the result of the unique characteristics of the five vineyards that contribute to the Vintage Port.

Graham's declares a Vintage Port only in exceptional years, perhaps three times in a decade, and in the intervening years may produce a Quinta Vintage Ports from Quinta dos Malvedos or Quinta do Tua. These Quinta Vintage Ports are aged in our cellars in Vila Nova de Gaia for 10 years or more after harvest, before being released to the market, ready for enjoyment.

Graham’s Vintage Ports are outstanding for their consistent quality and long life. James Suckling’s series of notes for old vintages tasted in 1990 confirm this – how many wines, after 40 or more years, are rated so highly and noted as “will improve with age” ? 

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Wine Information

A superlative Vintage, the quality in the Douro Valley reflecting that of most other growing regions in Europe. This wine is one of the superb 'reference years' by which all other Vintages are judged. Declared by all the major Port houses, Cockburn being the one exception. Superb quality, small quantity. Notable for being the first vintage to be widely bottled in Portugal. This Vintage has been fully mature for years, but well cellared, the best wines will last for decades.

Full-bodied wines with fantastic structure, these are wonderful long lasting wines. After more than half a century the best 45's continue to be a revelation: elegant, still with fruit and backed by tannin. These wines are the example that all other Vintage Ports must match to earn top year status.

Viticultural and Weather Conditions

It was a dry year, with a very hot summer; it only rained at the very end of August. Weather conditions were perfect for a very early harvest at the beginning of September. The quantity was low, less than 1 kg of grapes per vine in the Upper Douro, but the quality was superb.

Winemaker's Overview

The vintage started on September 6th. The weather throughout was exceptionally hot. In spite of the heat it was only during two days that high temperatures were registered in the lagares, and the precautions had to be taken. The mostos (musts) seem quite good and the colour fairly good.

Ronald A Symington
17 September 1945

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Vintage 1945

Port Vintage Report: Classic Vintage, full-bodied, deep purple and sweet, with a large concentration of fruit and tannins. First post-War Vintage. Bottled in Portugal, owing to English restrictions. Almost all producers declared production. Low production year. Dry year, with a very hot summer, and only a few rains at the end of August. Early harvests, starting in the first half of September.

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Tasting note

color

Deep and Dark

ending

Long, Flavorful and Spicy

nose

Intense, Generous, Refined and Tempting

recommend

Yes

taste

Low in Acidity, Warming, Medium tannin, Balanced, Concentrated, Multi-dimensional, Full-bodied, Jammy, Medium-Dry and Silky tannins

Verdict

Impressive

Written Notes

What the 1948 has in power, the 1945 has in finesse.  It is still very concentrated but extremely well balanced and mellow.  Medium ruby with a garnet edge, ripe plum aromas, medium-bodied, with plenty of elegant, delicate plum flavours and a balance of rounded tannins on the finish.

  • 95p

Very hot, dry summer with some rain at the end. Not much bottled because the UK wine trade was on its knees. Bottled in sherry bottles. 7,000 cases made.
Firm fox red. Rich and heady. Sumptuous on the nose. Light and elegance. Really satin texture. This wine is a legend – Everest. Violets. Round and so nuanced. Edge of blossom. So seductive. Treated myself to a mouthful.

  • 100p
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Information

Origin

Porto, Douro

Vintage Quality

Outstanding

Value For Money

Good

Investment potential

Excellent

Fake factory

There is a possibility

Glass time

2h

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Inside Information

The Graham 1945 Vintage Port is a majestic thing. This example was bottled by W. & J. Graham & Co. in Oporto in 1947. It has a clear, almost lucid deep tawny colour. The nose is elegant, lace-like, refined with clove and spice box scents, dried blood with a subtle ferrous note. It is very delineated and poised. The palate is beautifully balanced with nigh perfect acidity, almost Burgundian in texture, poised with notes of raspberry preserve, dried apricot, a slight warmth of alcohol and bay leaf on the long sustained finish. It is a great Vintage Port befitting this great year. Tasted May 2015.

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