Deep color with a light, dark red hue. The scent is filled with dark berries, vegetables, tobacco and sweet licorice. The taste is elegant with a rich sweet fruit balanced by the fine acidity.
The grapes are picked manually on the old terraces and transported carefully to the vineyard, where approx. half are printed according to the traditional rules. The other half is pressed with a new revolutionary robot that creates a soft and uniform print. The grapes are fermented at 28-30 degrees, and as soon as the must has reached a satisfactory grape sweetness (after 48 hours), the fermentation is stopped by adding a 77% grape spirit in the ratio 1-5. The must is placed in wooden barrels for 18 months, where it is further developed.
Until 1820, Graham traded in textiles. However, a customer could not pay his overdue bill to the company’s branch in Porto, and he therefore had to receive 27 tubes (barrels) of port wine as payment. However, the wine was sold with such success that the company was even encouraged to repeat the business. Grahams quickly built a good reputation in port wine, and by the end of the 19th century it was not only one of the greatest senders, but also one of the most recognized. In 1882, the young Scot, Andrew James Symington, was hired, but after a few years, he moved on to the world of port wine. But – when Graham had financial problems in 1970 and thus a need for capital contributions, Symington’s grandchildren took the opportunity to buy the house. Today, the Symington family holds a very central position in port wine, as they now own a number of the best houses. Robert Parker also had the following comment to Grahams: “The most consistent producer of great port in the post world world 2 era”. Late Bottle Vintage differs from Vintage Port in two points. On the one hand, it is produced in both declared and black-indicated vintages, and on the other hand, it undergoes 4-6 years of storage in oak barrels before being bottled. This provides a more open and inviting gate, and unlike the Vintage Gate, it does not need additional storage space to show its full potential.
