2015 Graham Stone Terraces

The 2015 The Stone Terraces Vintage Port is a field blend, heavy on the Touriga Nacional, although not so listed, from two vineyards with stone terraces at Graham's Quinta dos Malvedos. It comes in with 106 grams per liter of residual sugar. The last time this was seen, it was pretty brilliant. It's a good example of how ports can change steadily and flip flop. On my last tastes of each, I clearly preferred the 2016 by a long margin. In this tasting with the Symingtons, they were about equal, and this might've been better. Surprisingly dense—it has fleshed out—this doesn't surprise in its pure power or aromatics. It is, however, the least lifted of the 2015-2017 trilogy. As it sat in the bottle, it became more about muscle and density. It is a long way from ready, but it is round enough to be somewhat approachable. I'd really recommend that you hold this at least another decade, however, even if it will theoretically be approachable younger. It is too powerful and too tightly wound to take chances with.