Graham’s 20-year-old Tawny Port 0.75
The monk that time forgot – Port, the rich, sweet, fortified wine that is enjoyed across the world owes its existence to one monk, forgotten by history, in the remote Douro Valley.
It is alleged that two wine merchants in the seventeenth century exploring Portugal’s Douro valley discovered the Abbot of a Lamego monastery adding grape spirit to his wine early on in its fermentation to preserve its sweetness. This was embryonic Port.
They decided to use this method of ‘fortification’ to preserve their wines for the long sea journey back to England. This wine took its name from the city where these traders had their base: Oporto (Porto), from where it is to this day shipped to the world.
Port is still produced in this way, by intentionally interrupting the fermentation of the grape must (or juice) by the addition of a clear grape spirit calledaguardente, generally referred to as ‘brandy’. This preserves a large amount of the grapes’ natural sugars, thereby giving Port its characteristic sweetness and richness.
The grapes that are used to make Port must be grown in the mountainous Upper Douro region of Northern Portugal, the world’s first officially demarcated wine region in 1756. This protected region is the only place in the world that can produce authentic Port.
The story of two families across three centuries. For almost two hundred years W & J Graham’s has been an independent family business renowned for producing the finest Port wines.
Graham’s has always been a pioneer. Graham’s was one of the first Port companies to invest in its own vineyards in Portugal’s Douro Valley in 1890 and is now at the cutting edge of innovation in winemaking techniques. Today, five Symington cousins share responsibility for every aspect of the company and personally make the Graham’s wines. They too have been involved with Port and the Douro for many generations, with ancestry dating back to the mid-17th century.
Region: Doro, Portugal
Graham’s 20-year-old Tawny Port 0.75 is aged an average of 20 years in oak barrels to bring delight to true connoisseurs of superb port. Each of the gates involved in the blend carries its own individual character, originating from one of the four estates from which the grapes come. All are aged in the winery built in 1890 in Vila Nova de Gaia.
Varieties: Toriga Nacional, Toriga Francesa, Tinta Baroca, Tinta Rorish, Tinta Cao
Tasting Characteristics: The drink has an extremely complex haacter with intense notes of hazelnut and dried fruits, delicately complemented by orange peel.
Graham’s 20-year-old Tawny Port 0.75 offers a wealth of flavours, wrapped in softness and well balanced by a long and elegant finish оn the palate. Perfect combination with fruit and cream desserts, as well as tiramisu, crème brûlée, soft cheeses and nuts. Serving temperature – 12-14°C. It can keep its freshness between 4 and 6 weeks after opening the bottle.
