SAN FRANCISCO, April 13, 2017 – Symington Family Estates, owner of the world renowned Port brand W & J Graham’s, is pleased to announce the declaration of The Stone Terraces 2015 Vintage Port (SRP $200 750/ml). Founded in 1820, Graham’s is one of the world’s most celebrated Vintage Port producers.
The small seven acre Stone Terrace vineyard at Graham’s famed Quinta dos Malvedos includes three parcels in a narrow curving valley; all are adjacent to one another, one facing north, another due east and one due west. In most of the vineyard there is just one row of vines on each traditional dry stone-walled terrace; the walls are between five to ten feet high. The warm surface stones in the soil and the walls play an important role in sustaining maturation of the vines throughout the cool evenings.
Graham’s The Stone Terraces Vintage Port is only bottled when this vineyard produces an incomparable wine that results from its unique location and layout. The 2015 is only the second time that this wine has been produced, the first being The Stone Terraces 2011. The Symington family believes that the 2015 The Stone Terraces will age superbly as a Vintage Port of remarkable elegance and complexity.
The Stone Terrace vineyard produced an extraordinary wine in 2015. The grapes were picked by hand in mid-September, shortly before substantial rainfall across the Douro Valley, and fermented in lagares in the estate’s winery. Yields were very low at just 0.82 kg per vine; several hours of treading over the following days delivered a magnificent wine with sublime floral aromas of violets. Only 400 nine liter cases of this rare wine will be produced.
About Symington Family Estates: The Symingtons have been Port producers for five generations since 1882 although their involvement in Port dates back fourteen generations to 1652 through their great-grandmother Beatriz Leitão de Carvalhosa Atkinson. The family company is the leading quality Port producer with brands such as Graham’s, Cockburn’s, Dow’s and Warre’s as well as being the leading vineyard owner in the Douro Valley with 1032 hectares (2550 acres) of vines and 28 Quintas. Many of the region’s finest Quintas belong to the family. For more information on Symington Family Estates, visit www.symington.com.
About W & J Graham’s: Founded in Porto in 1820, Graham’s is renowned worldwide for producing outstanding Vintage Ports. Graham’s also makes a range of Aged Tawny Ports, Late Bottled Vintage, Reserve and Quinta Vintage Ports. Graham’s success in the 19th century resulted in the acquisition of the famous Quinta dos Malvedos in the Alto Douro and in the construction of the imposing Graham’s 1890 Lodge. Overlooking the city of Porto, the Graham’s Lodge houses over 3,500 seasoned oak casks of Port, numerous large oak vats, an extensive Vintage Port cellar and Vinum – one of Porto’s premier restaurants. Graham’s is owned by the Port-producing Symington family. For more information visit www.grahams-port.com.
