2016 Graham Stone Terraces

The 2016 The Stone Terraces Vintage Port, from a specific plot, is predominantly Touriga Nacional. It comes in with 110 grams of residual sugar. This is part of our mini-vertical. When nearer to bottling last year, this was gloriously aromatic, wonderfully fresh and also quite powerful. The only thing that has changed is that it has also fleshed out a bit in the bottle, showing a bit more stuffing in the mid-palate—even if it is, perhaps, the lightest and fruitiest of the 2015-2017 trio this issue. Even so, the intensity of flavor and the wonderful aromatics compensate. Those features were always what made this special. That said, if you did not take advantage of your window to drink this young, it's probably too late now. It has closed a bit, and it's going to need some time. It has become quite tannic. Come back in a decade, although that might not be enough. All three in our mini-vertical this issue (2015-2017) are brilliant, and they are all special in their own fashion. You can argue about which is the best for a long time, and they undoubtedly will flip-flop at times. Port goes through many stages as it ages. It is safe to say that this has its fair share of virtues, but if I were forced to pick today it might be the least of the three, by a hair. There were just 4,200 bottles produced.

The 2016 The Stone Terraces Vintage Port from Graham’s demands more coaxing from the glass than the regular Vintage Port, but it has a little more precision and more mineralité , a clarity you rarely see in such young Port. The palate is super-smooth on the entry and the fruit profile is a mixture between red and black: raspberry, black cherries, cassis and hints of white pepper and clove. What I appreciate is the finish, the manner in which it almost delivers a second wave of intensity, a residual spiciness that lingers for 60 seconds in the mouth. Magnificent, but it deserves cellaring to get the most from this Port. Production is 350 cases.

From 60-year-old vines on the eponymous steep stone terraces of the small, 28-ha Quinta do Tua just next to Quinta dos Malvedos. Associated with some of the Douro's original Touriga Nacional. I can't decide whether I approve of these special small-production vintage ports or not. The 2016 is certainly absolutely outstanding; but does its absence from the main Graham's 2016 rob it of a vital ingredient? Very dark crimson. Heady and malty on the nose. Really exciting and vibrant. This wine almost presents a case for going wholesale from vintage blends to single-vineyard bottlings. Rich and sinewy and polished and with massive acidity too but not too much. This has great individual personality. Aromas of nuts, dried fruits and citrus peel. (JR)