Graham’s Cellar Master Trilogy, Time Can Do Remarkable Things.
Time is a remarkable force, and nowhere is this more evident than in the art of crafting great wine, especially Port. On September 23rd, we were fortunate to be invited by Verbunt Verlinden to experience Graham’s new Cellar Master Trilogy at Restaurant De Roode Leeuw in Capelle aan de IJssel. The evening was hosted by Charlotte Symington, representing the 5th generation of the Symington Family, alongside Rosalie Lammers, sales manager for the Symington wines in the Netherlands.
The night began with a welcoming glass of Graham’s Pequeno Dilema 2021, a DOC Douro Branco. This elegant white wine—a blend of Alvarinho, Arinto, Gouveio, and Viosinho—offered vibrant notes of ripe apple, pear, and even hints of banana, underscored by subtle vanilla and smokiness from barrel aging. Its balanced and smooth finish set the tone for an unforgettable evening (awarded by us with a 92-point DWA score).
Graham’s Legacy
When you say Port, we say Graham’s.
Founded in 1820 by brothers William and John Graham, the duo quickly gained a reputation for producing exceptional Port wines. Their success led to the construction of Graham’s Lodge in Vila Nova de Gaia in 1890, and the acquisition of Quinta dos Malvedos, making Graham’s the first Port brand to own land in the upper Douro Valley.
In 1882, Andrew James Symington sailed from Scotland to Porto to work with the Graham brothers, beginning a long-term association between the two families. In 1970, Andrew’s grandsons acquired the company from the Grahams, continuing to build its reputation for crafting remarkable Port wines.
In 2020, Graham’s celebrated its 200th anniversary with the launch of the Bicentenary Collection, featuring legendary Vintage Ports and exceptional Single Harvest Tawny Ports, further cementing their status as masters of aged Port. Now in 2024, they continue this tradition with the release of the *Cellar Master Collection*.
Graham’s remains unique in many ways. Their winery at Quinta dos Malvedos houses three modern treading lagares—large open concrete tanks originally built in 1890 for foot-treading grapes, a technique used exclusively for Graham’s Port. In 2000, modern lagares were introduced, replicating the heat and gentle pressing action of human feet. After hand-harvesting, grapes are sorted, de-stemmed, and transferred to the lagares for fermentation. Once fortified, the wines are stored in *tonéis*—large barrels used for aging young wines through the winter.
In spring, the wines are moved to Graham’s Lodge in Gaia, where Master Blender Charles Symington and his team carefully monitor their development. Using no scientific analysis, they rely solely on their tasting skills and the experience of their predecessors, tasting each wine to decide how long to age it and which wines to blend. All of Graham’s Ports age in Vila Nova de Gaia, benefiting from the region’s cooler maritime climate.
Port wines are typically divided into two categories: Tawny and Ruby. Tawny Ports age in seasoned wooden vats, developing complexity through exposure to oxygen, which alters the color and enhances the flavors. Ruby Ports, by contrast, age briefly in wood before maturing in the bottle, preserving their dark color and fruit-forward character by limiting exposure to oxygen.
Wooden casks play a crucial role in this aging process, and Graham’s is one of the few remaining Port houses with an in-house cooperage. Led by Master Cooper Snr. Alberto, the team of coopers is responsible for maintaining around 3,500 vats and casks, many of which are between 75 and 100 years old. It takes a minimum of eight years to master the craft of barrel-making, and a well-crafted cask is fundamental to producing high-quality Port.
The Cellar Master Collection showcases Graham’s dedication to time-honored craftsmanship, with older Ports aged in meticulously maintained barrels. These wines are made with passion, expertise, and, most importantly, time.
The Cellar Master Trilogy
Upon arriving at De Roode Leeuw, we were already welcomed by the sight of a striking green box on the bar, containing three exceptional single-harvest Tawny Ports—each representing a unique chapter in Graham’s rich history. As we enjoyed some small bites, including a delicious tuna taco, and sipped on our glass of Pequeno Dilemma, we mingled with fellow wine writers and sommeliers from across the country. Shortly after, Charlotte invited us to the table.
We received a brief introduction to Graham’s legacy and the craft behind these special Tawny’s. Early in the process, the winemaker decides whether the pressed and fortified wine will become a Ruby or a Tawny. Ruby Ports age briefly in 1,000-liter barrels, while Tawny Ports spend much longer aging in special 550-liter barrels known as ‘pipes’. Most of the Tawny Ports aged in pipes are blended into 10, 20, 30, 40, or 50-year-old Tawny’s, with only select vintages being bottled as Single Harvest Tawny.
After this introduction it is time to experience what we have all been waiting for, the Cellar Master Trilogy.
Graham’s Single Harvest Tawny Vintage 1997 “The Apprentice”. 1997, the year the Titanic movie made it to the cinema’s, Dolly the sheep was cloned, the pathfinder landed on mars and Lady Diana died in a car accident. But also, a really good harvest year at Graham’s, which led to the decision to keep this tawny in the cellar for a long time. Cellar Master Charles was the apprentice of his father Peter, back in 1997, and together they tasted this Port a few times every year, and decided to bottle it now. Over time more than 10 % of the Port evaporated.
In a pairing we got served a nice terrine of duck liver, slow cooked veal and Pata Negra, accompanied by a blackberry compote to match our Port.
What a great color, deep orange brown with intense coppery hues along the rims. A nose full of aroma, quince marmalade, with honey, raisins, soft caramel and vanilla. A vibrant citrus note and a touch of orange in the wine, accompanied by almond and marzipan notes reflecting the wood ageing. Still a fruity and fresh taste, with lots of peach, apricot and citrus, complexity and a satisfying long aftertaste with subtle tones of walnut, caramel and tobacco.
We reward this 1997 Apprentice with a 94-point DWA score.
Graham’s Single Harvest Tawny 1974 “The Artisan” Next came the 1974 vintage, paired with duck breast and orange sauce—a classic combination.
Harvest in 1974 was exceptionally good, but due to a military coup, which lasted more than half a year, the family decided not to bottle any vintage in that period. Nonetheless many of the wines this year were exceptional, and selected to mature in cask. Over the years 30% of the port evaporated, leaving just a few hundred bottles.
Lucky as we are to taste this, we see a wine with a pale bronze color hinting at its age, while the nose offered aromas of sultanas, orange marmalade, and a touch of ginger. The palate was rich with caramel, almonds, and fruitiness, still fresh with hints of peach and apricot. The long, complex finish revealed notes of tea leaf, honey, and thyme. An exceptional vintage Port!
We reward this 1974 Artisan with a 98-point DWA score.
Graham’s Single Harvest Tawny 1961 “The Master” The final port of the night, the 1961 vintage, was the highlight—fittingly named “The Master.” This remarkable 63 years old tawny aged under the eye of Charles’s father Peter. 1961, the year of the first man on the moon, the first album of the Beatles and the beginning of construction work on the Berlin wall. But also, an outstanding harvest year for Graham’s.
A lot of the wine (over 50%) evaporated over the years, leaving “just” 14 casks, which Charles all sampled and lined up. After tasting all the samples and making notes he decided that 3 casks were truly exceptional, and he bottled 712 bottles out of each cask in this limited-edition port.
Its deep terracotta core and pale ochre rims hinted at remarkable concentration. The nose was highly complex, offering aromas of walnuts, honey, soft caramel, dried plum, citrus, and subtle cigar box notes. For its age, the wine retained surprising fruitiness, showcasing dried apricot and ripe apple. On the palate, it revealed intense yet delicate layers of rich citrus, dried figs, mocha, tonka beans, and roasted almonds. The finish was equally captivating, with lingering notes of tobacco leaf, fudge, and honey. Paired with an apple tarte tatin and fluffy tonka cream, this port was truly a “dessert after dessert.”
We reward this 1961 The Master with a 98-point DWA score.
A Timeless Tribute to Mastery and Patience
The Cellar Master Trilogy is a tribute to the art of winemaking, showcasing the mastery of Graham’s through three exceptional Tawny Ports. Each wine tells a unique story of time, craftsmanship, and dedication, and together they form a celebration of the winery’s 200-year legacy. The evening at De Roode Leeuw was a reminder that great wine is not only made with knowledge and expertise but with the patience to allow time to work its magic.
This article is written by our own Martijn Coenen. Graham’s Port is imported in the Netherlands by Verbunt Verlinden and available through selected retail and hospitality partners. We would like to thank Verbunt Verlinden and Graham’s Port, in particular Charlotte Symington and Rosalie Lammers, as well as the team of Restaurant De Roode Leeuw, for a great evening.
