Graham's Vintage Port - 2011

Graham's Vintage Port 2011 is a declared-vintage Port wine from Portugal's Douro Valley, bottled at 20% ABV in a 750ml format. Awarded 97 points by Wine Advocate in 2013, this release stands among the most critically praised Vintage Ports of its year, also earning 96 points from both Wine Spectator and Wine Enthusiast.

Quick Facts: ABV: 20%  |  Origin: Douro Valley, Portugal  |  Vintage: 2011  |  Producer: W & J Graham

Production & Heritage

W & J Graham has been producing Port in the Douro Valley since 1820 and is now part of the Symington family's portfolio of historic Port houses. The 2011 vintage is a field blend of 40% Touriga Nacional, 31% Touriga Franca, 6% Sousão, and 23% from a mixture of very old vines — a composition that gives the wine both structural backbone and aromatic complexity. Notably, the grapes were mechanically trodden using robotic lagars developed and patented by the Symington family, whose silicone pads are calibrated to replicate the exact pressure of a 70-kilogram person's foot, preserving the gentle extraction of traditional treading while ensuring consistency across each lot.

Tasting Notes

Aroma: The nose opens with beguiling scents of blackberry and wild hedgerow before unfolding into layers of tobacco, cloves, and liquorice. A liqueur-like ripeness carries deeper notes of kirsch, black raspberry, and cassis as the wine breathes.

Taste: On entry, a pure core of ripe black cherry and damson dominates, transitioning at mid-palate into marmalade, dried fig, and warm baking spices. The Touriga Nacional backbone provides firm but polished tannins, while the old-vine component adds a savoury, almost umami depth that extends through the peak.

Finish: Long and layered, with lingering dark chocolate, lavender, and plum preserves. The tannin structure keeps everything taut, suggesting considerable cellaring potential ahead.

How to Drink Graham's 2011

This Vintage Port is best served slightly below room temperature — around 16–18°C — in a tulip-shaped glass that concentrates its complex aromatics. Sipping neat allows the full spectrum of old-vine fruit and spice to emerge. For a Port and Tonic, the wine's dark fruit intensity holds up against the quinine bitterness and effervescence. A Porto Flip — Port shaken with egg yolk, brandy, and nutmeg — benefits from the 2011's liqueur-like richness and spice. In a Chocolate Negroni variation using crème de cacao, Graham's 2011 contributes the depth and tannin needed to balance the sweetness.

Best For

• Laying down in a cellar for a milestone year — the 2011 vintage rewards patience over decades
• Gifting a Port collector or Douro Valley enthusiast seeking a critically acclaimed vintage
• End-of-meal pairing with a cheese course or dark chocolate dessert
• Marking a birth-year vintage for someone born in 2011

Frequently Asked Questions

What does Graham's 2011 taste like? It delivers a concentrated core of ripe black cherry, damson, and marmalade alongside warm spices, tobacco, and dark chocolate, supported by firm yet polished tannins from Touriga Nacional and old-vine grapes.

How does Graham's 2011 compare to Dow's 2011 Vintage Port? Both are produced under Symington family ownership in the Douro Valley, but Graham's 2011 is widely noted for its more serious, structured bouquet, while Dow's tends toward a slightly drier, more restrained profile. Graham's 2011 also edges ahead in critical scores, earning 97 points from Wine Advocate versus Dow's strong but separate critical reception.

Is Graham's 2011 good for sipping neat? Absolutely — its 97-point Wine Advocate score reflects a wine built for contemplative drinking, with enough aromatic complexity and tannin structure to reward careful, unhurried sipping at cellar temperature.

Where is Graham's 2011 made? It is produced by W & J Graham in Portugal's Douro Valley, one of the world's oldest demarcated wine regions, using grapes from Graham's own quintas (estates) in the Upper Douro.

What foods pair well with Graham's 2011? Stilton or aged blue cheese mirrors the wine's intensity and sweetness. Dark chocolate truffles echo its cocoa and spice finish. Roasted walnuts complement the savoury, old-vine character. Fig tart or figgy pudding aligns with the dried-fig and marmalade notes. Cured duck breast provides a protein-rich contrast to the wine's rich fruit.

What sizes does Graham's 2011 come in? The standard bottling is 750ml, and some markets may carry half-bottles (375ml) or magnums (1.5L), though availability of larger formats varies by vintage.

Is Graham's 2011 worth the price? Graham's 2011 positions as a premium declared-vintage Port, competing at the top of its category. With 97 points from Wine Advocate and 96 from both Wine Spectator and Wine Enthusiast, it represents strong critical value among declared-vintage Ports from a historic house.

Why Graham's 2011?

Three of the world's leading wine publications scored this vintage 96 points or above upon release — a rare convergence of critical agreement that underlines the quality of the 2011 declaration. The blend leans heavily on Touriga Nacional and Touriga Franca, the two grapes most responsible for structure and aromatic lift in top-tier Port, while the 23% old-vine component contributes a depth and savouriness that younger plantings cannot replicate. The Symington family's proprietary robotic lagar technology — first trialled in 1998 and 1999 — ensures extraction as gentle and precise as traditional foot-treading, bridging heritage technique and modern consistency. For collectors and serious Port drinkers, Graham's 2011 is a benchmark vintage from a house with nearly two centuries of declared-vintage history.