W. & J. Graham’s Late Bottled Vintage Port 2020 in Gift Box

Graham's Late Bottled Vintage 2020 is a single-year red Port from one of the founding houses of the Douro Valley, blended from grapes grown at Quinta dos Malvedos, Quinta do Tua, Quinta da Vila Velha and Quinta do Vale de Malhadas. The 2020 season brought high temperatures and low yields, giving fruit of pronounced concentration.

Like all Port, the wine is fortified mid-fermentation with grape spirit, arresting the yeast and locking in natural grape sugar. The blend leans on Touriga Franca and Touriga Nacional with Sousão, Tinta Barroca and Tinta Amarela in support. Ageing runs about four years in cask before bottling, a shorter oxidative window than Tawny, so the wine keeps its deep colour and primary red fruit while softening the tannins.

Expect scents of rose and orange blossom over blackberry and cassis, with a full, juicy palate of ripe dark fruit, mint and cracked black pepper closing on fine, gripping tannin. Serve at cellar temperature after dinner, alongside dark chocolate, mature hard cheese or a plate of dried figs and walnuts.