Maybe I spent too long in Biochemistry lab in school, but the 1977 Graham's Vintage Port has always struck me as having more of the acetic "nail polish" character than is welcome. This seems to be a general fault of the vintage, present in the Ports from lots of the houses who declared, but the Graham's style seems to throw it into bolder relief than in, say, Taylor.
So I was most pleased when I opened one of my remaining bottles of 1977 Graham's Port the other day and found that the nail polish element, while still there, wasn't as overpowering as in my past experience with this wine. It was a most pleasant and balanced mature vintage Port. Lots of complex aromas and flavors, soft, resolved tannins, still plenty of flavor and fruit.
So maybe this was an exceptional bottle, or maybe it's outlived the acetate problem. Either was it was a pleasant surprise and a good Port. It's not 1963 or 1970, but it's not a 1960 or 1975 lightweight, either.
-Paul W.