Wine Critic
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W&J Graham’s “Ne Oublie” Tawny Port 1882
W & J Graham’s “Ne Oublie” Tawny Port 1882 is an extraordinarily rare single-harvest tawny Port, aged for 130 years in seasoned oak and released in 2014 to mark Andrew James Symington’s arrival in Portugal. It is a museum-grade fortified wine: intensely aromatic, remarkably fresh for its age, and built around dried fruit, citrus, honey, and tobacco.
Producer and history
Graham’s is one of the great Port houses of the Douro Valley, now owned by Symington Family Estates. “Ne Oublie” — “Never Forget” — takes its name from the original Graham’s family motto and commemorates the year Andrew James Symington began his work in Portugal.
Only 656 hand-numbered crystal decanters were released, each presented in a bespoke Smythson leather box with sterling silver detailing. The wine comes from one of just three remaining casks set aside from the 1882 harvest.
Winemaking and style
Style: Single-harvest tawny Port, aged in wood.
Harvest: 1882.
Aging: 130 years in seasoned oak.
Alcohol: 20% ABV.
Release: 2014.
Format: 75 cl, presented in a hand-made crystal decanter.
Tasting profile
Appearance: Bright orange-tawny with a pale, luminous rim.
Nose: Intense and pristine, with orange zest, candied apricot, baked lime, honey, caramel, toasted nuts, tobacco, dried flowers, and exotic spice.
Palate: Full-bodied and sweet, yet astonishingly fresh and vibrant. Layers of dried fruit, caramel, honey, citrus, and saline minerality unfold with remarkable density and purity.
Finish: Exceptionally long — several minutes — with bright acidity, citrus lift, and a clean, precise, almost weightless close.
Drinking window and serving
This is fully mature and should be enjoyed now. Once opened, it is best consumed within about nine months, though it will hold its freshness longer than most Ports.
Serve slightly cool, around 16–18°C, after gentle decanting. Pair with dark chocolate, caramel desserts, aged cheeses, or enjoy it alone as a contemplative after-dinner wine.
