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Uutiset
Very good youthful colour, still dark garnet and only just beginning to brown on the rim; dense, solid, foursquare aromas, fine, rich and scented with lots more to give; similarly dense and rich on the palate, remarkably youthful, wonderful multi-dimensional bitter chocolate fruit, solid backbone, lovely structure and ripe tannins. Goes on and on in the mouth. UK bottled.
Viinin Kuvailu
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
Vintage Overview
An outstanding vintage of exceptional
quality. Rather unjustly overshadowed
by the 1963. In recent years 1966 has
become recognised as being one of the
very best post-war Vintage Ports.
Declared by most of the major Port
houses.
The Viticultural Year
1966 was a wet winter in the Douro. May
brought storms and low temperatures, fruit
set was reduced as a result. July was fine
and hot, but plenty of leaf growth
prevented damage to the grapes. August
was also very hot, but the vines resisted
well due to the good water reserves in the
soil.
When young these were big, solid and
well-built wines, with a perfect balance
of tannins, fruit and acidity.
Contemporary Family
Comments
"August was exceptionally hot, twice
45°c. was recorded. Fortunately the
month ended with cooler weather and a
little rain fell, but the first week saw a
return to fine hot weather. The
exceptionally wet winter left good
reserves of moisture in the soil and leaf
growth is above average, the prospects
for quality are good."
Michael Symington
6th September 1966
Wine Specification
Alcohol by Volume: 21% v/v (20ºc)
Total Acidity: 4.35 g/l tartaric acid
Baumé: 4.0
MARKETING@SYMINGTON.
