Graham’s Fine White Port

Graham's Fine White Port is made by W. and J. Graham in the Douro Valley, using the region's native white grapes Malvasia, Rabigato, Viosinho and Códega. Graham's owns five quintas in the heart of the Alto Douro, where the white varieties grow on the same steep slate and schist terraces as the red grapes, the heat retaining soils ripening the fruit fully while altitude and the wide day to night temperature range hold acidity. The grape must is fermented for a shorter time than the drier Extra Dry style, which leaves more of the grape's natural sugar before grape spirit is added to fortify the wine to around 19 percent and halt fermentation. The result sits between dry and sweet, with the fresh fruit balanced by a savoury, lightly nutty character. The colour is pale gold. The nose offers honey, almond and citrus. The palate shows honey and nectar with a soft almond touch and a lemon and orange edge that keeps it balanced and fresh rather than cloying. Serve well chilled at 8 to 10 degrees, or long over ice with tonic and a slice of orange as an aperitif. It suits salted almonds and hard cheese.