2021 - Graham's, The Stone Terraces Vintage

Full bottle 1,400 g. A special bottling of only 4,800 75-cl bottles and 280 tappit hens (225 cl), representing just 2% of the total production at Quinta dos Malvedos in 2021. From 3 ha of stone-walled terraces from the late 18th century. While Malvedos is predominantly south-facing, the stone terraces are comprised of two vineyards with more sheltered aspects: the Port Arthur vineyard has an east- and west-facing plot, while the Vinha dos Cardenhos faces north. The stone terraces are 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. Harvested 18 September, and co-fermented. The cool growth cycle (one of the coolest in recent years) through 2021 and the rainfall at the beginning and middle of the harvest contributed to above-average yields, with the Touriga Nacional producing just over 1 kg per vine (10-year average: 880 grams per vine). TA 4.25 g/l, pH 3.56, RS 107 g/l. Bottled May 2023 without filtration. Black almost all the way to a narrow purplish rim. Fantastic colour. Fragrant like Dow's Quinta do Bonfim but a little less floral and with the purest of dark-fruit aromas, with a touch of wild herbs and orange. More stony, refined and elegant. Pure in the extreme, the dark fruit tinged with tea leaves and violets. But the overriding impression is elegance and finesse. Even with the firm, dry and elegant tannins of youth, this has a juicy and – I can barely believe this – silky finish. This is almost irresistible now even if to drink it would be infanticide. I thought the Dow's Quina do Bomfim 2021 was excellent but this is even better. (JH)