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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
GRAHAM’S 2007
Quinta dos Malvedos, one of the Douro’s greatest vineyard properties, has always been the heart of Graham’s Vintage Port, where most of the grapes are sourced. Over time, Quinta da Vila Velha and Quinta do Vale de Malhadas (both privately owned by a member of the Symington family), as well as Quinta das Lages, have contributed to the Graham’s unique style.
The latest acquisition, Quinta do Tua, perfectly complements Malvedos and adds a further dimension to Graham’s Ports.
THE VITICULTURAL YEAR
2007 will be remembered particularly for its cool, damp summer. A nice long period of sunshine in September and October allowed ripening to proceed normally, and although a bit later than usual, the vintage took place under perfect conditions, the fruit being beautifully balanced.
Picking at Malvedos began on the 17th September, some 10 days later than the historic average. The robotic lagares at the Malvedos winery were used to crush the majority of the estate’s production, with the remainder made by traditional foot treading.
A lot of extra lagar work was needed to get the skins to give up their colour. For the first time ever, some wines made from the Quinta do Tua vineyard were included in the 2007 blend. This famous Quinta, which counts among its previous owners Dona Antonia Ferreira and Cockburn’s, was acquired by the Symington family in July 2006 and assigned exclusively to Graham’s.
Some magnificent lots were made in 2007 from Quinta das Lages in the Rio Torto, as well as from the south bank River Quintas of Vila Velha and Vale de Malhadas, and these make up about 10 and 12 %, respectively, of the final blend.
WINE DESCRIPTION
GRAHAM’S 2007 VINTAGE PORT
Vintage Overview
An excellent Vintage in the Douro which proved one of the exceptional years where the weather, combined with the work of the viticulturists and the winemakers, produced stunning wines. General declaration.
