Graham’s Six Grapes Reserve Port
Port is by far the best-known wine made in Portugal. Coming from the Douro Valley in the Northern part of the country, this is one of the oldest demarcated wine regions in the world.
The grapes grow along the Duoro River on terraced vineyards, beginning 40 miles east of Porto and continuing to the border with Spain.
Port is typically made from a blend of 5 grapes; Touriga Nacional, Touriga Franca, Tinta Roriz (Tempranillo), Tinta Barroca, and Tinto Cão.
Traditionally the grapes were foot trodden in low troughs called ‘lagares.’ Groups of men in a line would arm in arm trod back and forth through the trough to crush the grapes. Today, most of this is done mechanically.
The best views of the vineyards come from the river, and there are beautiful cruises on the upper Douro. Some of these are in the traditional “barcos rabelos” flat-bottom boats that were used to transport the wine.
Graham’s Six Grapes Reserve Port, Douro Valley, Portugal
The bunches of grapes on this label are a historical indication of quality. In the 1800s, the winemakers at Graham’s would rate the Ports from 1 to 6, with 6 having the most complexity and balance.
In the 1900s, they used their 6 grape Ports to create a reserve Port that became their signature.
It ages for two years in cask before bottling.
This wine is sweet, with blackberries, licorice, and cassis on the nose. The dark fruit on the palate makes it perfect to pair with chocolate.
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