Grahams Quinta dos Malvedos Single Quinta Vintage Port

Additional information

Origin	Douro, Portugal
Main grapes	Douro Field Blend
Vintage	2012
Bottle sizes	75cl
Viticulture	Vegan, Vegetarian Wines

Description

Grahams Quinta dos Malvedos is a Single Quinta Vintage Port produced in the Douro Valley. The quality of the wines from the Malvedos vineyard is such that in Vintage declarations these wines provide the main structure for Graham’s classic Vintage Ports. In most of the interim years, the wines from Malvedos will merit bottling as a single estate, or “single quinta” Vintage Port from a single harvest.

W & J Graham’s Port was founded in 1820 in Oporto, Portugal’s second-largest city, by brothers William and John Graham. For nearly two centuries, the production of Graham’s Ports has remained in the hands of just two families: the Grahams and the Symingtons. In 1970, the Graham family sold the company to the Symingtons, who brought their rich legacy in the Port trade. The exceptional quality and esteemed reputation of Graham’s Ports are built on the finest grapes, primarily sourced from five renowned Quintas in the Douro Valley: Quinta dos Malvedos, Quinta do Tua, Quinta das Lages, and two privately owned by the Symington family—Quinta da Vila Velha and Quinta do Vale de Malhadas.

The Quinta dos Malvedos vineyard is located in the Cima Corgo subregion of the Douro. This superb wine is a traditional Douro Field Blend of Touriga Nacional, Touriga Franca, Tinta Barroca, Tinta Roriz and Tinta Amarela. The vineyard is predominantly south-facing and the ample hours of sunlight provide even and complete grape ripening, resulting in very well-balanced wines. Malvedos still contains large areas of traditional vineyard laid out on terraces supported by dry-stone walls, built by hand in the 18th century. The Cardenhos and Port Arthur stone-terraced vineyards, in contrast to the other vineyards on the property, face northeast, east and west, giving the wines produced from those grapes a unique identity.

Grahams Quinta Dos Malvedos Single Quinta Vintage Ports admirably show Graham’s house style with their expressive floral characteristics, opulent blackberry fruit flavours and racy flair. They are usually more approachable when young than classic Vintage Ports, making an excellent alternative to the latter.

Read the Fareham Wine Cellar Guide To Decanting Port.

Tasting Notes

Grahams Quinta dos Malvedos has a deep, dark red colour with just a hint of fading along the edge. It has gorgeous black cherry and plum aromas, with a wonderful fresh fruit fragrance and distinct notes of eucalyptus and hints of mint and liquorice. It’s luscious and opulent flavours coat the palate with full, rich blackberry fruit, intense and compact.

Food Pairing

Decant to filter the fine sediment before serving, ideally a few hours beforehand. Drink over 2 to 3 days.

An excellent dessert wine to enjoy on its own or with dark chocolate and chocolate desserts like chocolate mousse.

A very good match with blue cheeses, such as Stilton or Roquefort.

Graham’s Vintage Port Bond

The Graham’s Vintage Port Bond is an innovative offering that allows individuals to purchase vintage port in the year of its harvest, making it an ideal gift for marking special occasions such as births, weddings, or graduations. It is a “futures” option, a bit like “en primeur.”

Traditionally, vintage port is declared and released approximately 18 months after the harvest, but with the Port Bond, you can secure your allocation in advance. You can choose between a single bottle or a case of six bottles of Graham’s Vintage Port, and in years when only a Single Quinta Vintage is produced, the bond entitles the holder to magnum bottles of Grahams Quinta dos Malvedos instead.

Visit The Grahams Port Bond Website for more information.