Graham’s tackles vintage Port conundrum

Graham’s is offering people the chance to pre-purchase vintage Port in the year of its harvest in order to meet demand for birth and wedding gifts.

Since vintage Port is only declared, bottled and released 18 months after harvest, those wishing to buy a Port to commemorate the current year have either needed to buy this retrospectively or settle for an older vintage already on the market.

In a bid to resolve this issue, Graham’s is offering a “Vintage Port Bond”, which can then be redeemed once the wine has been bottled and shipped. The buyer will receive a “Vintage Port receipt” and “Vintage Port Bond Certificate”, with the latter given to the individual for whom this gift is ultimately intended.

With most Port houses tending to declare only three to four vintages per decade, if the decision is subsequently taken not to make a declaration of that year, Graham’s will substitute double the quantity of vintage Port from its Quinta dos Malvedos estate, which does declare on an annual basis.

Describing this initiative as “an innovative and practical solution to a problem we have long since noticed,” Paul Symington, joint managing director of Graham’s parent company Symington Family Estates, said that the new bond “makes for an original, enjoyable and memorable gift to mark a special occasion, particularly the birth of a child.

“The beneficiary will be able to enjoy the vintage Port and appreciate its extraordinary evolution at special occasions throughout life, maturing as he or she does,” he remarked.

Jamie Waugh, wine & spirits buyer at UK luxury department store Fortnum and Mason, welcomed the development, saying: “It always pains us to have to turn away customers looking to gift Port from the current year which is still on the vine.

“The new Vintage Port Bond from Graham’s means we won’t have to do this in the future and can satisfy our customers with a bespoke gift package as the perfect way to celebrate their happy occasion.”