SAN FRANCISCO, Calif. – June 27, 2024 – Symington Family Estates, producers of some of the finest Ports in the world for five generations and owners of several renowned Port brands, is introducing a new approach to how they re-release the limited quantities of Vintage Ports that they hold back for long-term aging. Releases of Vintage Ports between 20 to 30 years of age have been given the term ‘Library Release’ to indicate that bottles have matured in perfect conditions in the family’s cellars. Limited quantities of Dow’s, Graham’s and Warre’s 2003 Vintage Ports and Quinta do Vesúvio 1995 Vintage Port are being released from the family’s cellars in a new presentation reflecting the provenance and care of the wines as they aged over several decades.
The labels of these Library Releases have been redesigned to distinguish them from the initial en primeur release. Each Port house has drawn on its heritage and historical aesthetic to create distinct labels and gift boxes that convey key messages about the wine. For the very first time, these labels state the number of years that the wine has spent aging in bottle in the family’s cellars. This is shown together with the bottling and release dates. There is also an indication that this is the second time the Vintage Port is being formally released, following the initial launch 2-3 decades ago. As part of the family’s meticulous approach to aging Vintage Port, these Library Releases have been carefully recorked to guarantee quality, and the labels display the year in which the process was completed.
The family has chosen to launch Library Releases of one of the finest classic Vintage Port years this century – 2003 Dow’s, Graham’s and Warre’s, which were widely acclaimed at the time of release. The very hot and low-yielding year produced exceptional wines with incredible body and depth. With almost 20 years aging in bottle in the Symington cellars, these wines have developed greater complexity and are exciting to enjoy now, whilst retaining considerable aging potential.
The 2003s are being launched alongside a Library Release of Quinta do Vesúvio 1995 Vintage Port – the seventh harvest for the family since their acquisition of the magnificent Douro estate in 1989. Peter Symington, Head Winemaker at the time, is particularly proud of this wine and believes it is one of the finest he made in the early years of the family’s ownership. 1995 also marks the year his son, Charles (now Head Winemaker) joined the family company. Now with 27 years of bottle age, the Vesúvio 1995 is showing beautifully with great finesse.
“We are thrilled to be launching our new Library Release concept with four exciting Vintage Ports from Dow’s, Graham’s, Warre’s and Quinta do Vesúvio. Following each Vintage Port en primeur release, our family has always held back a small quantity for aging in our cellars and releasing decades later. What we are doing differently now is distinguishing these Library Releases from the first launch and emphasizing that these bottles have matured in perfect conditions in our own cellars. Our third phase of Vintage Port release is when the wines reach extraordinary levels of maturity after 40-60 years of aging and we launch a handful of numbered bottles in what we term our Private Cellar Release.”
– Harry Symington, Vintage Port Manager.
These Library Release Vintage Ports will be available from September 2024.
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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