Graham's Port, 1961

Grahams Single Harvest
The cellar masters trilogy collection
contains 1961, 1974 and 1997 Releases of Grahams Single Harvest
ADVANCE ORDERS FOR DECEMBER DELIVERY

Description and Reviews:
Only 15 packs allocated for the UK. This is the only way to obtain the new release of the Graham's 1961 Single Harvest.

Graham’s Single Harvest Tawny Ports are limited release wines selected from outstanding, individual harvest years. These wines from Graham’s ‘A’ grade
vineyards are set aside for long term ageing in seasoned oak casks over decades.

Charles Symington, Head Winemaker and Master Blender, continuously tastes the wines as they mature and identifies when a Single Harvest is ready for bottling, showing extraordinary character both on the nose and on the palate.

Graham's Cellar Master, coopers and tasters play a vital role in accompanying the ageing process of all the wines in the Trilogy.

The Cellar Master’s Trilogy therefore pays homage to the skills, experience and craftsmanship honed by only a few over generations to perfect these Graham’s Tawny Ports.

1997 Grahams Single Harvest (The Apprentice).
This wine captures the beginning of a journey – from apprentice to cellar master. It celebrates the profound knowledge of the vineyards and the mastery of tasting, which are essential requisites for crafting Graham’s exceptional wood-aged ports. At the time of the 1997 harvest, Graham’s current Head Winemaker, Charles Symington, was apprenticed to his father, Peter. While the year produced outstanding wines, which were bottled as Vintage Port, Peter chose some of the finest for extended wood-ageing. Over 25 years later, Charles has selected the remaining casks for limited bottling.

After two-a-half decades of ageing, the wine is beautifully rounded and balanced. There are aromas of quince preserve with traces of vanilla, soft caramel, and raisins. It has bright red fruit flavours, which are still fresh, with an underlying citric acidity. The aftertaste is long and satisfying with subtle combination of walnuts, tea, and tobacco.

1974 Grahams Single Harvest (The Artisan).
1974 was a pivotal year for Portugal. On 25th April, a coup overthrew the dictatorship, leading to democracy. Although the harvest produced some exquisite ports, winemaker Peter Symington chose not to bottle any Vintage Port due to the turbulent climate. Instead, he set aside the very best wines for long-term ageing in seasoned oak casks. The wine has since spent nearly five decades maturing under the watchful eye of successive Graham’s cellar masters, coopers and tasters. Reflecting the importance of complementary skills and expertise when ageing wines for decades, The Artisan is a celebration of the true craftsmanship required to achieve the complexity, balance, and elegance of this port.

Tasting Notes: Coppery centre with a pale bronze edge. The broad range of aromas reveals sultanas, quince preserve and a combination of subtle caramel, vanilla and ginger notes. The palate is silky and sensual, with a zest of soft, tingling tannins which continue to underpin the structure and the wine’s vitality. The long finish provides reminiscences of peppery spice, tea leaf and thyme.


1961 SINGLE HARVEST THE MASTER
Paying homage to three generations of Cellar Masters who shaped itsprolonged ageing, Graham's 1961 Single Harvest Tawny Port embodiesa legacy of timeless tradition and craftsmanship. Emerging in the dawnof the 1960s, an era marked by profound cultural shifts, this wine hasthrived for over six decades in the seasoned oak casks of the Graham's Lodge. Each Cellar Master has left an indelible mark on its character, imparting an extraordinary depth and balance. In this edition, Head Winemaker and Master Blender, Charles Symington, unveils the meticulously chosen cask for limited release under The Master label, an exquisite testament to the Cellar Master's Trilogy collection. This 1961 Single Harvest captures the essence of an iconic era and a lineage of craft that has withstood the test of time.

Tasting Note: Deep orange-brown core with red-brown rim and beautiful gradations of pale amber and green along the surface edge of the wine. Extraordinary aromas of marzipan and demerara sugar are complemented by a touch of honey and traces of mint and eucalyptus. The incredible, multi-layered, creamy palate reveals finely textured flavours of soft caramel with a counterpoint of citrus and apricot preserves and finely polished tannins, which hint at tobacco and tea. Whilst sumptuously rich and concentrated, there is still quite remarkable freshness from subtle, almost imperceptible acidity that holds everything exquisitely in balance. A wine redolent of age, elegance, and refinement.
Charles Symington