The story of Graham’s is the story of two families, both of Scottish origin, the Grahams and the Symingtons. The company was founded by the brothers William and John Graham in 1820 and rapidly became one of the most highly regarded producers, as the brothers’ ambition from the outset was to make exceptional Port Wines. Their success culminated with the building of the famous Lodge in Gaia and with the acquisition of Quinta dos Malvedos in 1890, one of the finest vineyards in the Douro Valley and which remains to this day a cornerstone of Graham’s Vintage Ports. This property has been at the heart of such legendary Graham’s Vintages as the 1944, 1948, 1963, 1970 and, more recently, the 2000, 2007 and the 2011.

In 1882, Andrew James Symington sailed from Scotland to Porto to work for the Grahams, thus beginning his family’s long association with this famous house. Although he left Graham’s shortly after to establish his own Port business, his grandsons acquired the company from the Graham family in 1970 when it was offered for sale. Since then the Symington family have further developed and consolidated Graham’s superb Vintage Port reputation, starting with the first Vintage they made, precisely in the year of the company’s acquisition: 1970. This wine is widely regarded as one of the finest Vintage Ports of that year.

Graham’s Vintage Ports are known for their opulent style, complexity and balance. When young they are purple-black with expressive floral aromas of as well as eucalyptus and mint fragrance. On the palate, Graham’s Vintages are seductive and hedonistic displaying an array of black fruit and liquorice, underscored by polished, weighty tannins coated in focused, lithe fruit. Graham’s Vintages have impressive structure and poise and are long-lived wines.

Quinta dos Malvedos, acquired in 1890, is the heart and soul of Graham’s Vintage Ports. The 160-hectare property is particularly well-sited in a zone of transition from the Cima Corgo to the Douro Superior sub-regions of the Douro Valley, benefiting from the best of both; wetter than the Douro Superior but as hot as the latter. It combines some features of both temperate and continental climates. The vineyard is predominantly south-facing, the abundant sunshine providing even and complete grape ripening, resulting in very well balanced wines.

Malvedos conserves large sections of traditional vineyards laid out on terraces supported by drystone walls, built by hand in the 18th century. The ‘Cardenhos’ and ‘Port Arthur’ stone-terraced vineyards face north-east, east and west, and these multiple orientations yield wines that bring added complexity and structure to Graham’s Vintage Ports.

Separated from Malvedos by the Tua River, a Douro tributary, Graham’s other principal vineyard is Quinta do Tua whose impressive west-facing stone terraced vineyards were planted during the mid-20th century and provide outstanding wines that are a significant contributor to Graham’s Vintage Ports.