SAN FRANCISCO, Calif. – April 29, 2024 – Symington Family Estates, producers of some of the finest Ports in the world for five generations and owners of the renowned Port brand W & J Graham’s, is pleased to unveil its 50 Year Old Tawny Port (SRP $600), an exquisite blend that joins the 40 Year Old Tawny Port (SRP $300) as part of Graham’s prestigious Aged Tawny Collection.
Carefully watched over by two generations of Master Blenders – Peter Symington and his son, Charles, – Graham’s 50 Year Old Tawny Port is a testament to the unparalleled craftsmanship and dedication that has gone into nurturing the wines that comprise this blend. These wines were among the very first produced by the Symington family after acquiring Graham’s in 1970.
Charles Symington, Graham’s Head Winemaker and Master Blender, selected two main components for the 50 Year Old blend. The first is a wine from 1969 known as ‘CAS Reserve’, which was originally set aside by Peter Symington to mark Charles’ birth, giving the wine his initials. The second is comprised of wines from 1970 and 1973, which were blended in 1982. Since being set aside for long-term aging, these wines have lost over 50% to evaporation, resulting in astonishing concentration.
Charles Symington, a member of the fourth generation of the Symington family and Graham’s Head Winemaker, said, “This 50 Year Old Tawny Port is of particular significance to us as the blend comprises some of the first wines made by our family after the acquisition of Graham’s in 1970. Blending a wine that was originally set aside by my father to commemorate the year in which I was born feels particularly poignant. I am extremely proud of this 50 Year Old, it has the exceptional concentration and complexity that can only be achieved by prolonged wood aging.”
Graham’s 50 Year Old Tawny Port has a captivating deep orange-brown hue, framed by a dark walnut base and a pale green rim. It has complex aromas with layers of orange blossom, fruitcake and butterscotch, creating a balanced and concentrated sensory experience. The mouthfeel is substantial, rich and creamy with vibrant acidity, enchanting notes of seasoned wood, nutmeg, and cinnamon, and a lingering finish that endures on the palate.
The presentation of the Aged Tawny Collection is inspired by the age and scarcity of each of the 40 and 50 Year Old Tawny Ports. The illustrations, designed by Portuguese illustrator, Mariana Rodrigues, reflect some of the rarer flora and fauna found in the Douro Valley – a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 2001. Each wine’s wooden box, carefully lined with wallpaper and paneling on the back, helps to create a familiar sense of home and is reminiscent of British interior design dating back to the 16 th century.
Available in 75cl and 450cl in the US in Fall 2024.
About Graham’s Port:
W & J Graham’s was founded in Porto in 1820. Renowned worldwide for producing outstanding Vintage Ports, Graham’s also produces a range of Aged Tawny Ports, Late Bottled Vintage, Reserve and Quinta dos Malvedos Vintage Ports. Graham’s growing 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, numerous large oak vats, an extensive Vintage Port cellar and Vinum – one of Porto’s leading restaurants. Graham’s is owned by Symington Family Estates.
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About Symington Family Estates
The Symingtons of Scottish, English and Portuguese descent have been port producers in northern Portugal since 1882. For 5 generations they have combined their passion for producing fine wines and ports with a deep commitment to the region’s land and people. Today, ten Symingtons work across their four port houses: Graham’s, Cockburn’s, Dow’s and Warre’s, as well as their Douro wine brands – Quinta do Vesuvio, Quinta do Ataíde, Altano and Prats & Symington (of Chryseia fame). In 2017 they launched a new venture, Quinta da Fonte Souto, in the Alto Alentejo.
Symington Family Estates is a leading premium port producer and the leading owner of prime vineyards in the Douro valley, with 26 Quintas covering 2,233 hectares, with 1,076 hectares of vineyard. The family business is a founding member of Primum Familiae Vini – an association of 12 European wine families – and in 2020 was voted in 7th place in The World’s Most Admired Wine Brands list by a panel of over 200 international wine experts organized by Drinks International.
All Symington vineyards are sustainably managed under a minimum intervention certification and 130 ha are organically farmed – the largest area of organic vineyard in northern Portugal. The family have invested significantly in viticulture R&D to adapt to climate change and have an ambitious sustainability plan, with a series of public goals under the banner of Mission 2025. In 2019 the company became a certified B Corporation – the first wine company in Portugal to take this step – joining a global community of businesses audited for the highest standards of social and environmental responsibility. Symington was named Ethical Company of the Year in The Drinks Business 2019 Green Awards.
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