W & J Graham's Late Bottled Vintage Port

W & J Graham's Vintage Port from Portugal, Douro by W & J Graham's (12 x 75 cl)

W & J Graham's Vintage Port from Portugal, Douro by W & J Graham's (12 x 75 cl)

W & J Graham's Vintage Port from Portugal, Douro by W & J Graham's (12 x 75 cl)

W & J Graham's Vintage Port from Portugal, Douro, Oporto by W & J Graham's (12 x 75 cl)

W & J Graham's Vintage Port from Portugal, Douro, Oporto by W & J Graham's (12 x 75 cl)

W & J Graham's 2003 Vintage Port from Portugal, Douro by W & J Graham's Port (12 x 75 cl)

After the harvest, wines of Vintage potential are put into oak barrels called 'pipes'. Some eighteen months later a careful and painstaking series of tastings is held to judge exactly which wines of different vineyards merit inclusion in the final blend. If the ideal blend is achieved, the wine is then bottled without any filtration whatsoever approximately 24 months after the original harvest. It was immediately evident during the vintage that the wines would be very intense and fruity. This has been borne out by their development and Graham's 1994 Vintage is rich, deep coloured and packed with fruit. It is distinctly reminiscent of the Graham's 1970. One of the top wines of the Vintage, to keep. (12 x 75 cl)

Vintage Ports are only made on very exceptional years . The principal determining factor is the weather in the vineyards which must be ideal throughout the viticultural season and subsequently during the harvest. Only a few exceptional vineyards in the Upper Douro region produce wines of sufficient body and style to make a true Vintage Port. After the harvest, wines of Vintage potential are put into oak barrels called 'pipes'. Some eighteen months later a careful and painstaking series of tastings is held to judge exactly which wines of different vineyards merit inclusion in the final blend. If the ideal blend is achieved, the wine is then bottled without any filtration whatsoever approximately 24 months after the original harvest . Vintage Port must then be matured for some ten to twenty years in cool dark cellars as it gradually achieves the outstanding style of a great wine. The bottles should always be stored lying down. Vintage Ports deposit a heavy sediment or 'crust' in the bottle while maturing and must be decanted prior to serving. A very few Port companies, through having consistently produced great Vintage Ports over many years, enjoy outstanding reputations. Graham's is universally acknowledged to be a leader in this field. (12 x 75 cl)

The Graham family entered the Port trade in 1820, when William and John Graham, manning the Douro office, accepted a consignment of Port as settlement of a bad debt. The Port was sent on to their main offices in Glasgow, Scotland, where it proved very popular, and the seed had been sown. This vintage has been considered: 'Lovely withdrawn nose with underlying concentration. Lots of bitter chocolate. Powerful, concentrated with lovely purity of fruit and ripe tannins, very fine. Lovely now, with a long way to go.' Richard Mayson, Decanter Magazine. (12 x 75 cl)