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Wine Description
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” ?
Wine Information
The history of W & J Graham’s spans three centuries and throughout that time this acclaimed Port producer has remained an independent family business. The story of Graham’s is the story of two families, both of Scottish origin – the Grahams and the Symingtons – whose commitment to the making of memorable wines has earned for Graham’s a reputation as a leader in the production of outstanding Vintage Ports.
W & J Graham’s was founded in Oporto, Portugal’s second city, in 1820 by the two brothers William and John Graham. The Graham family already had extensive business interests not just in their native Scotland but also in India. The success of their affairs led to them being described by a contemporary historian, as being “among the merchant princes of Great Britain.” The brothers formed the partnership of W & J Graham & Co. with the aim of specialising in the production of the finest Port wines. They channeled their considerable resources and energy towards the pursuit of this goal.