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Graham's

The Graham family originally traded in something other than Port - in their case they were in textiles - although they did have offices in the Douro. The location of such a firm in the Douro should come as no surprise - many such businesses had offices in Portugal following the signing of the Methuen Treaty, an agreement between Portugal and England to trade English woollen goods in exchange for Port, that was signed in 1703. 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. The seed had been sown.

Graham's Port developed a good reputation, the jewel in its crown being the Quinta dos Malvedos estate, which was acquired by the Graham's in 1890. When times were hard, however, Quinta dos Malvedos was sold off by the Graham family, and in time the whole lot had to be sold. The buyers were the Symington family (who also own Dow's and Warre's) who purchased the business in 1970. The Symington family subsequently also purchased Quinta dos Malvedos, reuniting it with the name of W & J Graham. Today, Graham's remains one of the top Port houses, with the vintage Port a frequent contender for best wine of the vintage. Graham's vintage Ports are excellent wines, but in non-declared years the produce of the Quinta dos Malvedos estate is bottled separately and can offer extremely good value. The estate also produces excellent tawny Ports, with the 20 year old being widely distributed. The 30 and 40 year old tawnies have a much more select distribution, but can be brilliant, and are therefore worth seeking out. For value, the crusted, LBV and Six Grapes, a full bodied, fruity-toasty ruby Port, both fit the bill. This is a thoroughly admirable range. (27/11/03)

Contact details:
Address: Travesa do Barão de Forrester, Apartado 26, 4401 Vila Nova de Gaia
Telephone: +351 22 377 6300
Fax: +351 22 377 6301
Internet: www.grahams-port.com

Graham's Port - Tasting Notes

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Graham's Vintage Port 2003: Another pop at the 2003, tasted last only six months ago. It still has, like all the 2003's, an amazing colour. And the nose is stunning, simply bursting with summer fruits. The palate has a massive concentration of tannin, acidity, spices and fruit, all wrapped up in a seductive texture. Superb richness and vibrancy. Excellent wine. Needs 15-20 years. I'm glad to say a consistent score. 19+/20 (November 2005)

Graham's Vintage Port 2003: Dark chocolate. More masculine in style here. Smooth, great appeal. Seamless. Spice-laden, grippy structure. This is superb. Approachable and seductive, and a bit of a crowd-pleaser at present. Should be brilliant with time, and another contender for wine of the vintage. From a 2003 Vintage Port assessment. 19+/20 (May 2005)

Graham's Vintage Port 1997: The first of a case which I think I will be enjoying greatly over the coming years. Unsurprisingly this has an opaque, red-black hue. The nose is simply delicious - a panoply of dark blueberry and raspberry fruit, backed up by little seam of wood, and the faintest spirity hint. It has a very pure, lively, fresh style which is matched on the palate by a rich, creamy, very sensuous texture on entry. This is before the arrival of a very appropriate wall of tannin, spiced with pepper, blueberry and vanilla, again with a little woody edge. Full and heavily styled, more like double cream than single such is the richness and texture, which melds with the grippy, tannic finish. Very well composed, full of vigour and life, balanced and brimming with potential. A great wine. From a tasting of the 1997 Vintage at ten years of age. 19+/20 (December 2007)

Graham's Quinta dos Malvedos Vintage Port 1996: A dark, concentrated, youthful red-black hue. There is a lovely nose, of smoky and creamy black fruits, blackberries and blueberries, with little notes of ash, juniper berries and bay leaf too. Pure, well defined and quite a direct style on the palate, rich and a touch creamy, with plenty of ripe fruit and extract. Good body and grip, a touch of fiery alcohol in the finish that I didn't note last time, but overall really good style, with an elegant depth and composition. Lovely. 17/20 (November 2007)

Graham's Quinta dos Malvedos Vintage Port 1996: A dense, youthful, opaque colour. Immense concentration in the nose, piled high with creamy black fruits, which carry through onto the palate which has an expansive, creamy, seductive melange of forest fruits with a touch of cigar and spice. This has lovely style. Full, persistent finish. Very good indeed. Should live on well in the cellar. 17+/20 (November 2005)

Graham's LBV Port 1996: Quite a rich, deep colour. The nose is muted at first, but with time in the glass it reveals aromas of toasted black fruits, together with a stylish note of oil of oranges. Warm, rounded, and nicely put together on the palate. This has appropriate texture and weight. Correct acidity. For an inexpensive LBV this offers good value for money. 15.5/20 (November 2003)

Grahams Quinta dos Malvedos Vintage Port 1995: Having not been greatly impressed by the Dow single quinta wine for this vintage, but this Port turned out to be just fine. It has a good, deep, vibrant hue. On the nose there is woody, musky fruit with a sweet, almost raisined quality. Deliciously balanced palate, with sufficient fruit, soft ripe tannins and correct acidity. A good kick from the alcohol and more than a touch of substance here. Stronger on fruit and impact than complexity. Nevertheless, this makes a delicious although simple and fruit-dominated Port for drinking now. 17+/20 (February 2004) Label

Graham's LBV Port 1994: Inky purple colour, with good legs. Primarily a fruit nose, with plummy, black cherry aromas, but there are some figgy, chocolaty notes, as well as obvious oak. Well structured palate, with good tannins, slightly aggressive alcohol, but pleasant lemony acidity. Black fruits again. Finishes a little harshly, but with good length. Certainly drinkable. 15/20 (September 2000)

Graham's Quinta dos Malvedos Vintage Port 1987: From a half bottle. A pale red wine, with no great intensity of colour - not at all like my last tasting of this wine. Mature nose, with baked fruit, with leather, apples (oxidation?) and molasses. Good texture immediately apparent on the palate, with a decent spirity kick and some tannin. Pleasant yet surprisingly mature - it bears no resemblance to the wine I tasted just a couple of years ago which was dark, masculine and brooding - I can't help thinking this would have fared better in a 750 ml bottle. Or possibly, in view of the lovely 1986, also from a half bottle, this deterioration may be storage related. 16/20 (November 2003)

Graham's Quinta dos Malvedos Vintage Port 1986: From a half bottle. Lovely colour - this wine still has plenty of life left in it despite bottling in a smaller format. Sweet fruit, with floral notes, and a darker, tarry, background nuance on the nose. No disappointment on the palate which offers plentiful fruit, good tannins and a well integrated slug of alcohol bound together in a smooth and creamy texture. Straight down the line, sweet, rounded almost creamy Port. Approachable now but will keep for several years in the cellar. 17.5/20 (November 2003)

Graham's Quinta dos Malvedos Vintage Port 1986: A good dark hue, with a moderate depth of colour. The nose and palate at first seem unexciting, but this wine simply needs some aeration to get going. Like other 1986 single quinta Ports I have tasted this has plenty of fruit on the nose, together with a tarry, slightly herby, sweet edge. On the palate there is plenty of fruit, structure and grip. Good, sweet chewy fruit and sweet, round texture. The tannins really dominate the finish. This wine isn't quite ready, and, although quite approachable now, would benefit from a few more years in the cellar. Nicely balanced. 17+/20 (April 2003) Label

Graham's Quinta dos Malvedos Vintage Port 1984: It is quite a few years since I have touched one of these, and this is my last. A moderately deep hue, dark red and black, muted and matt, but not a hint of tawny to be seen. The nose is complex, with fleeting nuances of red apple skin, raspberry, toffee, together with a woody-figgy element although this blows off, leaving a body of pure fruit, cherries and black pepper. Overall the aromas are bright and open, and on the palate it is cool, elegant, textured but fresh. There are cherry and black fruit flavours, nicely integrated, firm but not spirity, underpinned by rather woody tannins although they are well covered by the rest of the wine. A gentle sweetness persists, although the finish is fairly short. But a very good wine, nevertheless. 17.5/20 (January 2008)

Graham's Quinta dos Malvedos Vintage Port 1984: Excellent colour here - red-garnet, with an earthy tinge throughout, but not advanced maturity. Just a little pale at the rim. Not giving too much away on the nose, just some appealing, delicate floral-tinged fruit. Good rounded sweetness immediately apparent on entry. Plenty of power, with fairly well-integrated alcohol, and the tannins have faded nicely. Sweet, slightly toasty, macerated black fruits. 17.5+/20 (November 2003)

Graham's Quinta dos Malvedos Vintage Port 1984: Lots of toast and black fruits on the nose, developing aromas of spice, tobacco and toffee, with some animal fur notes coming through. Wonderfully textured on the palate, with a great extract of charred, tobacco fruit sitting very well with integrated alcohol and tannins still somewhat prominent. A spicy sweet finish. Certainly moved on from my last tasting, almost à point. Very drinkable. 17.5+/20 (January 2002)

Graham's Quinta dos Malvedos Vintage Port 1984: Lots of wafty spirit at first, which disappears after some time. It then displays a heap of blackcurrant fruit, together with some prunes and preserved fruit aromas, and pleasant oak. Tasted blind I would have said this port was much younger than sixteen years. Fresh palate, and good acidity to back up the rich black fruit. Warming finish. 17.5+/20 (September 2000)

Graham's Vintage Port 1983: This wine has an amazing colour for it's age - it looks barely ten years old. The nose gives a similar impression, as it is still densely packed with lovely, chocolate-tinged fruit. The palate is big and sweetly textured, with a fantastic, harmonious structure, provided by a seam of ripe, integrated tannins which never dominate. This is delicious stuff. Needs another 5-10 years. From a 1983 Vintage Port blind tasting. 18.5+/20 (November 2003)

Graham's Vintage Port 1983: It's a few years since I last tasted this. A little more depth of colour here than the 1980; it has a little more youth, of course. Quite a creamy, primary fruit nose, and a lovely palate, full and textured, and still brimming with potential. Sensuous palate, draped over a firm tannic backbone, full and appealing. A strong flourish of tannin on the finish. Very good indeed. 18+/20 (November 2005)

Graham's Vintage Port 1980: A lovely colour for this, a forgotten vintage on the UK market. It has depth, with some age at the rim. Still showing good fruit on the nose, with a figgy character. Still quite firmly structured, textured, integrating very well, and almost ready; it has a little tannin to shed yet. Has an attractive freshness. Just reaching peak, and should drink well for ten years yet. 16.5+/20 (November 2005)

Graham's Vintage Port 1977: At a little over thirty years of age, and after exactly that number of years in bottle, this wine has a lovely colour, appearing quite mature in the glass, losing some depth of hue, although it is certainly not pale. The nose is divine, taking some time to open up naturally, but then it begins to reveal its perfumed beauty, with a blend of violet petals and raspberries on toast. These early and bright fruit characteristics are followed by notes of darker fruits, cloves, touches of white chocolate and a little spirit still, this latter element fading as I enjoy this wine over the course of three days, without any sign of significant deterioration. It has a lovely somewhat creamy texture on entry, then showing some structure through the middle, tannic, grippy and a touch spirity still, but with a gentle, caressing substance alongside. Savoury, sweet but aromatic, firm, but what is most impressive is its light footed nature, bright and yet substantial, elegant even. This is still certainly packed full of potential though, and although delightful to drink now this will undoubtedly continue to age gracefully in the cellar for a couple of decades yet, perhaps longer. For label images and more see my Wine of the Week write-up. 18.5+/20 (December 2009)

Graham's Vintage Port 1970: A delightfully maturing mahogany hue. Roasted raspberry fruit on the nose, even a little blueberry can be coaxed out, but there are rich complexities that mark this out as mature Graham's; notes of tobacco, freshly rolled cigars, with caramel and chocolate seduction. On the palate it offers a full, sweet, creamy attack, maintaining a lovely broad, expansive texture through the midpalate. Beautifully poised, through to the finish which is lengthy. Still developing, although great now and immensely impressive for 35 years of age, but should see out another ten or twenty years with ease. A Christmas Wine. 18.5+/20 (December 2005)

Graham's Vintage Port 1955: Another three-part moulded bottle claiming to hail from the 1851 vintage, resealed at 101 years of age. Again it is nonsense; the capsule suggests Graham's, and the cork confirms it to be of the superior 1955 vintage. The level is very poor though, down to bottom shoulder. The wine has a surprising tawny, orange-brown hue. The nose, however, is bright, obviously mature, with some appealing woodspice. An elegant palate ensues, very complete and appealing balanced, ethereal style, rounded, mature, forceful despite this, just a little vegetal note in the background. Not oxidised though, despite that low level, which is remarkable. This is certainly in keeping with the Graham's house style, evident despite the age of this bottle; I suspect that this is a rather advanced example though. I'm sure there exist other bottles of this wine in much better condition. From a tasting of Ancient Port. 16.5/20 (October 2006)

Tasting notes are ordered by date of tasting, most recent first. I have tried to indicate whether it is a tasting of a new release, or of a wine I have cellared.

Graham's The Tawny NV: Current release. This eight year old tawny (the age isn't declared on the label) has a fine, golden-orange-amber hue. A nose of baked earth, fig and spiced fruits. Good presence on the palate, firmly structured, with appealing texture and plenty of spicy flavour. A rounded earthy finish. This is youthful but very enjoyable. 16.5/20 (November 2005)

Graham's 'Six Grapes' Port NV: Current release. Purchased Autumn 2000. A good, deep, glossy hue. A powerful and impressive nose, which is packed with toasty black fruits with a brief waft of spirity alcohol. Full of texture and character on the palate, with ripe tannins, balanced power, and well integrated alcohol. In recent years this has always been one of my favourite ruby style Ports. 16/20 (November 2003)

Graham's Twenty Year Old Tawny Port NV: Current release. A rich, toffee-amber hue, tinged with red. Good Douro bake on the nose, with a sweet toffee and organic edge. Not too rich on the palate, nicely textured with good sweetness. Slightly bitter orange peel flavour, backed up by a lingering presence of tannins and correct acidity. 16.5/20 (November 2003)

Graham's 'Six Grapes' Port NV: Current release. Deep red-black colour. Toasty black fruit nose, leading to a rich black fruit palate with savoury, slightly bitter undertones. Plenty of alcohol and good acidity, keeping it fresh. Spirity finish with good length. Attractive wine. 16/20 (September 2000)

Graham's Crusted Port NV: Current release. Another impressive colour here. Sweet black fruit on the nose. Surprisingly rich texture on the palate, with plenty of fruit, but no great complexity. Good structure though. From a Majestic press tasting. 15.5/20 (November 2001)