Grahams 2020 Vintage Port Bicentenary Limited Edition

Description

Grahams 2020 Vintage Port is a Bicentenary Limited Edition released to celebrate the Graham’s 200th Anniversary. The 2020 vintage was the smallest harvest of the 21^st century and produced incredibly concentrated, well-structured, intensely coloured wines in very low quantities. 

After reviewing the best wines from their finest properties, Head Winemaker Charles Symington concluded that the Cima Corgo sub-region of the Douro produced the most outstanding wines. The family have therefore chosen to do an exceptional bottling and limited release of two special edition Vintage Ports from Graham’s and Warre’s – drawn exclusively from a few of the best performing parcels from their estates in the Cima Corgo. These special Vintage Ports mark the historic milestones in 2020 of Graham’s 200^th anniversary and Warre’s 350^th anniversary.

“2020 was an especially challenging year in the Douro. The region saw record heatwaves which substantially reduced yields compared to our initial forecasts – around 40% down. Grape varieties that usually ripen sequentially needed to be picked at the same time. We adapted to the conditions and picked parcels by their altitude and co-fermented select varieties together, producing incredibly complex and concentrated wines. I am very proud of the two limited Graham’s and Warre’s 2020 Vintage Ports. These wines demonstrate the benefit of our family’s multi-generational knowledge of our estates and their microclimates, allowing us to produce such elegant wines in a year like 2020. I believe they are a fitting tribute to Graham’s 200 years and Warre’s 350 years and are destined to take their place among the greatest Vintage Ports from these two historic port houses.” – Charles Symington, Head Winemaker.

Grahams 2020 Vintage Port is a unique blend of co-fermented Touriga Nacional & Sousão (from the prized Stone Terraces at Quinta dos Malvedos), co-fermented Touriga Nacional & Touriga Franca, old mixed vines, and Alicante Bouschet. Opulent, intense, and fresh, it has the classic Graham’s hallmarks, together with a unique aromatic complexity and beautifully layered fruit. Just 3,000 bottles (75cl) are being released En Primeur in 2022. The wine is available in a special commemorative edition wooden case of 3 x 75cl, with the bottles carrying the traditional Graham’s Vintage Port label, used for iconic 20^th century vintages such as the 1963 & 1970.

Provenance and variety make-up Only fruit sourced from Graham’s three Cima Corgo quintas were used for the 2020 Vintage Port blend, in the following proportions:

• Quinta dos Malvedos: 55%
• Quinta da Vila Velha: 25%
• Quinta do Tua: 20%

• Touriga Franca: 40%
• Touriga Nacional: 25%
• Sousão: 22%
• Old mixed vines (field blend): 7%
• Alicante Bouschet: 6%

Wine Specification

• Alcohol by volume – 20% v/v (20°C)
• Total acidity – 4.50 (g/l)
• Baumé – 3.80
• Bottled during May 2022 with no filtration
• Winemakers: Charles Symington, Bernardo Nápoles