The 2024 The Stone Terraces Vintage Port is only the sixth declaration of this Vintage Port produced with grapes from specific plots in Quinta dos Malvedos, primarily a field blend, although there is a predominance of mature Touriga Nacional. There are also some small, relatively younger plantings of Touriga Franca, Sousão and Alicante Bouschet in the Port Arthur terraces. The grapes from these vines are often co-fermented (subject to their ripening dates overlapping to some degree) to enhance complexity, structure and freshness. They look for opulence with purity and refinement here. Right now, it's very dark and has exotic fruit aromas and some mintiness and a velvety palate with fine-grained tannins. It fermented in lagar with indigenous yeasts and matured in large oak vessels for 18 months. It started quite closed and austere. Charles commented, "It's the problem with very young wines; they miss behave." But there's great balance and a polished and sleek palate, with super fine tannins. It comes in at 20% alcohol, with a pH of 3.6 and 103 grams of sugar, slightly drier than the classical Graham's. But with plenty of time in the glass, it was the most aromatic, floral and refined of all the 2024s I tasted. More refined, less resiny, more elegant. Stunning. This is truly a super Graham's. 6,240 bottles produced. Drink 2030-2070.
The 6th vintage of this wine from east, west and north-facing terraces at the heart of this predominantly south-facing estate, a blend of Touriga Nacional, Touriga Franca, Alicante Bouschet and Sousão, co-fermented in lagar. Again deep with a rather wonderfully exotic, tropical fruit ripeness evident on the nose, a hint of chutney, fragrant, ripe but in no way jammy; sweet and succulent initially on the palate with firm, ripe fine grained but still gritty tannins rising in the mouth to a ‘wow’ of a finish, a real peacock’s tail which expands in the mouth. Brilliant and beautiful. Just 520 cases.
