- Founded
- 1820, by the brothers William and John Graham
- Owner
- The Symington family, since 1970
- Main quinta
- Quinta dos Malvedos, owned since 1890
- Other quintas
- Quinta do Tua, Quinta da Vila Velha, Quinta do Vale de Malhadas
- Ageing
- Graham's 1890 Lodge, Vila Nova de Gaia
- Master blender
- Charles Symington
What we have from this house
We stock 15 bottles from this house, so you can taste your way through: the same maker in several versions and price ranges.
Not sure which one you need? Just give us a call. That is what we are here for.
About the port house Graham's
Behind every bottle of Graham's is a family business that has made port in the Douro since 1820 and ages it across the river from Porto. Below is the story of the quintas, the lodge and the people who decide when a port is ready.
From textile trade to port house
The brothers William and John Graham came from Scotland and traded textiles in Porto. In 1820 a customer who could not pay his debt gave them 27 casks of port. They liked the wine so much that the brothers turned to port.
In 1882 Andrew James Symington came from Scotland to Porto to work for the Grahams. He soon started on his own, but the ties remained. His grandsons bought Graham's from the Graham family in 1970. The vintage port of that year is regarded as one of the great vintages of the twentieth century.
The Symingtons also own Dow's, Warre's and Cockburn's. According to the house, these are the only British port houses still entirely owned by one family. In 2020 Graham's celebrated its two hundredth anniversary.
Quinta dos Malvedos and the other quintas
Graham's bought Quinta dos Malvedos in 1890, as one of the first port houses with its own land in the upper Douro. The estate lies on a spur above the river, on the border of the Cima Corgo and the Douro Superior. There is plenty of sun and enough rain. The house's vintage ports and Single Harvest Tawnies are built on these grapes.
Malvedos also has its own winery. The grapes are sorted by hand and then go into one of the three modern lagares, in use since 2000. These imitate the gentle treading with bare feet.
Close by lies Quinta do Tua, taken over from Cockburn's in 2006. It has dry-stone terraces from the late eighteenth century and mixed plantings more than fifty years old. Quinta da Vila Velha follows the south bank of the Douro for almost three kilometres. Quinta do Vale de Malhadas, owned by the house since 1999, lies remote in the Douro Superior between olive and almond trees.
The lodge in Vila Nova de Gaia
After the harvest and fortification, the young port spends the winter at the quinta. Then it goes to Vila Nova de Gaia, across the Douro from Porto. Graham's lodge has stood there since 1890. The cooler maritime climate on the coast lets the wine mature more calmly than the hot summers inland.
All of the house’s port matures in this lodge. Vintage port stays about a year and a half on wood here before it is bottled. Tawnies lie for years in smaller, old oak casks, often 75 to 100 years old. In-house coopers keep every cask and every foudre in good condition.
The cellars hold vintage port from every decade since the 1890s. The lodge is also open to visitors, with guided tours, tastings and the Vinum restaurant. Tours are booked in advance.
Who decides when a port is ready
Master blender Charles Symington tastes every cask in the lodge with his team. They decide which wine stays on wood for how long and which lots are blended together. According to the house, this is done on taste and experience, not on laboratory figures.
Charles started in 1997 under his father Peter. That is why the Single Harvest Tawny from that year is called 'The Apprentice': the wine spent some 25 years in oak before being bottled. Together with 'The Artisan' from 1974 and 'The Master' from 1950, it forms the Cellar Master's Trilogy.
Six Grapes also has its own story. After each harvest, the winemakers mark the casks of wine that showed vintage quality potential with a sign of six bunches of grapes. Since the beginning of the twentieth century, Graham's has made its reserve ruby from those wines.
Graham's in pictures
The video comes from YouTube and only loads after a click.
From the shelf
Six of the 17
Click on a bottle for the rest of the details.
A selection from 15 bottles
Ruby, tawny, LBV and vintage
- On this shelf
- 15bottles from this house
- 12,95 – 499,99euros, the price range
- Portugalcountry of origin
Port is fortified wine: grape spirit is added during fermentation, which stops the yeast and leaves natural grape sugar in the wine. That is why port is sweet and around twenty per cent.
After that, the path splits. Ruby matures in large tanks or casks and stays fruity and deep red. Tawny matures for years in small casks, turns amber-brown and develops notes of nut, caramel and dried fruit. The label then states 10, 20, 30 or 40 years. LBV and vintage come from a single harvest year; a vintage spends a short time in cask and then decades in bottle.
The practical difference: an opened tawny keeps for weeks in the fridge, while a vintage should be finished within a few days.
A tawny keeps for weeks after opening. A vintage should be finished within a few days.
At the table with Graham's
White fish ceviche with lime
Served cold, optionally with tonic, ice and mint, the fruity white port keeps pace with the acidity and freshness of the dish.
To go with it: Graham's Blend N° 5 White Port
Chocolate cake with raspberries
The ripe plum and cherry fruit of this ruby is robust enough to stand alongside dark chocolate and red fruit.
To go with it: Graham's Six Grapes Reserve Port
Aged cheese with walnuts
The nutty and caramel notes of a tawny match the salty, savoury character of mature cheese.
Crème brûlée
After more than twenty years in wood, this tawny shows notes of dried fruit and caramel that return in the caramelised sugar crust.
Sources: Graham's – Heritage · Graham's – Vineyards · Graham's – Winemaking · Graham's – The 1890 Lodge · Graham's – Six Grapes · Graham's – Blend Nº5 · Symington Family Estates – Graham's Port · Symington – Graham's releases 1997 Single Harvest Tawny Port under 'The Apprentice' label · Wijnkring – merkpagina Graham's Port (importeur, tekst aangeleverd)
Frequently asked questions
How much Graham's does ’t Bockje have?
15 bottles, from 12.95 to 499.99 euro.
What is the difference between ruby and tawny?
Ruby matures in large vats and stays fruity and deep red. Tawny matures for years in small casks, turns amber-brown and takes on nut and caramel.
How long does port keep after opening?
A tawny keeps for weeks in the fridge. A vintage should be drunk within a few days.
Is there help with choosing?
Yes, that is what we are here for. Call 0570 541 278 or email info@bockje.nl.
Does ’t Bockje also ship abroad?
Yes. We ship to around forty countries. Email info@bockje.nl if you want to know whether your country is included.
What is a Single Harvest Tawny?
A tawny port from a single harvest year, which matures for many years in oak casks and is only bottled when the wine is ready. In Portugal this style is called colheita. Unlike with vintage port, the maturation takes place in wood and not in the bottle.
How is white port with tonic served?
Graham's recommends serving Blend N° 5 cold in a glass with plenty of ice, topped up with tonic and finished with a slice of lemon and a sprig of mint. Neat and well chilled it also works as an aperitif, for instance with salted almonds.
At what temperature is ruby port served?
Lightly chilled, between 12 and 16 °C, as Graham's advises for Six Grapes. An opened bottle of ruby keeps well for about eight weeks according to the house, stored upright.
Order, collect or drop by
- In stock in our shop at Brink 2 in Bathmen
- Available to order online and have delivered, including abroad
- Order online or collect in Bathmen
- Personal advice via 0570 541 278 or info@bockje.nl
- Opening hours: Tuesday to Friday 09.00–18.00, Saturday 09.00–17.00. Closed Monday and Sunday
Wij verkopen geen alcohol aan personen onder de 18 jaar. NIX18.
Keep browsing
Brink 2, Bathmen
All our stock is in the shop, not in a warehouse somewhere else. If you walk in with a name you couldn't find anywhere, it is often simply here on the shelf. You can also call: 0570 541 278.
Wij verkopen geen alcohol aan personen onder de 18 jaar. NIX18
- Tuesday to Friday 09.00 – 18.00
- Saturday 09.00 – 17.00
- Monday and Sunday closed