Graham’s, Single Harvest Tawny Port 1994, 750ml

“….Showing lots of power and plenty of depth, this is a radically different style than the Otima (Warre’s) this issue. Intense, deep and packed with fruit, it lingers forever on the finish in the way a great tawny should—and this is a great tawny, flavorful, structured and deep. Not even 30 years old yet, it seems to be an overachiever for its relatively young age. For historical interest, this is one of the first Colheitas that winemaker Charles Symington made. He seemed to be a proud father when I tasted it.”-95WA, 2018-2060

1994 was an outstanding year in the Douro, acclaimed for producing one of the classic Vintage Ports of the twentieth century. Besides the exceptional lots chosen for bottling as Vintage Port, Peter Symington made a selection of other outstanding wines sourced from Quinta dos Malvedos and Quinta das Lages, which he earmarked for long term ageing in seasoned oak casks for future release as old tawny Ports. Peter’s son Charles, who joined the company in early 1995, worked with his father in selecting the wines, both for bottle-ageing (Vintage) and long term wood-ageing (old and very old tawnies). Since Peter’s retirement in 2009, Charles succeeded him as head winemaker and taster and having accompanied these wines’ development over the last 23 years he has now selected 19 casks that he identified as showing particularly fine structure and elegance, meriting their bottling as Graham’s 1994 Single Harvest Tawny.