NV W & J Graham's Six Grapes Port Reserve Ruby

The NV Six Grapes Reserve Port (Special Vila Vela Edition) is a 56/36 Touriga Nacional and Touriga Franca filtered blend, with 8% Alicante Bouschet filling out the blend. It is mostly from the 2019 and 2020 vintages. These are aged for two to three years in oak vats and come in with 98 grams per liter of residual sugar. This single-quinta Reserve comes from one of the four estates supplying Graham's Port, although this one has only been in Symington hands since 1987. Beautifully done, this is lighter styled in the mid-palate, at least compared to wines in this price category, but textured with velvet and quite sensual. Then, it adds classic aromatics, including a little cistus, plus some plums on the finish. There is firmness on the finish but not off-putting power. That said, it was vibrant and gripping the next day, with some appealing pop. Even at this level, Ruby Reserves are meant to be drunk young, but there is no reason this can't hold a bit, if you must hold it. This is simply delicious today, though. It seems to lack the ability to develop much, and I was less happy at how it looked a couple of days later. Then, it seemed a little clumsy and more monolithic. That is ultimately a key differentiator between this and a Vintage Port or a good traditional LBV. The structure became far more interesting than the fruit. It is certainly one of the bigger and more powerful Ruby Reserves you'll encounter, as it eventually showed. It did seem sometimes to try too hard to be something it just isn't. In the context of the Ruby Reserve category, it is terrific. At the price point, I'm a bit less enthused. Although a non-vintage wine, this is specifically identifiable by its name and also comes with the lot number L223225 on the back. There were 1,000 cases produced, 600 headed to the USA market.

The NV Six Grapes Reserve Port is a blend of typical grapes aged in used wood for up to three years. It comes in with 114 grams per liter of residual sugar and was bottled with a bar-top cork in August 2018. In the Symington lineup this issue, this iconic brand is the polar opposite of the Dow. In comparison, the Dow is rounder and bigger but also a bit flatter and with less well-defined fruit, while this is more lifted and fresher, with better focus and more intensity on the finish. It has a beautiful expression of fruit as well. I've seen it available on the street for a lot less than that "suggested" release price, so don't hesitate to look around.