Graham’s is set to bottle six casks of its ‘revolutionary’ 1974 single harvest tawny Port as part of its Cellar Master’s Trilogy collection. In April 1974, the Carnation Revolution – a military coup in Lisbon – overthrew the authoritarian Estado Novo regime.
Due to the uncertainty caused by the coup that overthrew the authoritarian government in 1974, the Symington family, which purchased Graham’s in 1970, decided not to bottle and release any Vintage Port from the 1974 harvest, choosing to long-age the top wines from Graham’s Quinta dos Malvedos in seasoned oak casks instead.
As part of the Graham’s Cellars Master’s Trilogy, the 1974 vintage will be sold alongside The Apprentice – 1994 and The Master – 1940, replacing the 1963 Single Harvest Tawny whose last remaining cask has been released.
Head winemaker Charles Symington noted it was an emotional moment deciding to bottle an extraordinary wine with such historical significance.
“The 1974 Single Harvest Tawny was able to stay the course where other wines would not have been able to,” said Charles. “This is testament to the quality of the original fruit and the skilled care and attention that the wine has received since.”
On the nose, the port wine offers complex dried fruit aromas with notes of subtle caramel, vanilla, and ginger. The palate is described as, silky and elegant, with a zest of soft, tingling tannins which continue to underpin the structure and the wine’s vitality.”
For more information, head over to Graham’s official website.
In April, Symington Family Estates bottled six Quinta Vintage Ports from 2019, and will release two en primeur – Quinta do Vesúvio and Dow’s Quinta da Senhora da Ribeira. The release will be accompanied by two limited edition cases from both estates, each containing the 2019, 2009 & 1999 Vintage Ports.
The Fladgate Partnership, meanwhile, has four single quinta vintage Ports from the 2019 vintage under its Taylor’s, Croft and Fonseca labels. The four Ports will now be cellared for release at a later date.