Graham's solves problem of vintage Port gift giving

By Gemma McKenna

Published: 22 October, 2014

Vintage Port lovers can now mark significant dates, such as births or weddings, with a pre-ordered Graham's Port for the year of their choosing.

The tradition of laying down a vintage Port as a gift has been impossible up to now as vintage Port is only declared, bottled and put on sale in the spring of the second year after harvest.

Now, Symington, which owns the Graham's brand, has come up with the vintage Port Bond to allow customers to buy the Port in the year the wine is made.

The bond is then redeemed once the wine is ready 18 months later - and the buyer receives a certificate, complete with personalised calligraphy endorsing the case to the beneficiary. In this way parents and godparents have the opportunity to gift the bond to the child in the actual year of birth.

Paul Symington Paul Symington says the Graham's Vintage Port Bond offers an 'innovative and practical solution' to gifting Port for special occasions

Paul Symington, co-managing director of Symington, said: "Vintage Port has the extraordinary ability to age gracefully for 75 years and more, developing from a structured, powerful and robust young wine into a sophisticated and elegant wine in middle-age and then on to a delicate and almost ethereal beauty of wine that will continue for decades. The legendary Graham's Vintage Ports from 1927, 1945 and 1963 are living testament to this extraordinary ageing ability.

"Our new bond offers an innovative and practical solution to a problem we have long since noticed and makes for an original, enjoyable and memorable gift to mark a special occasion, particularly the birth of a child. The beneficiary will be able to enjoy the vintage Port and appreciate its extraordinary evolution at special occasions throughout life, maturing as he or she does."

Jamie Waugh, Fortnum & Mason wine and spirits buyer, said: "It always pains us to have to turn away customers looking to gift Port from the current year which is still on the vine. The new vintage Port Bond from Graham's means we won't have to do this in the future and can satisfy our customers with a bespoke gift package as the perfect way to celebrate their happy occasion."

If a Vintage Port is not declared in that year then the beneficiary will receive two cases of Graham's Quinta dos Malvedos Vintage Port. In the very unlikely event that no vintage Port at all is made in any given year due to extraordinary climatic circumstances, a full refund will be guaranteed or an alternative year offered.

The Graham's Vintage Port Bond will be available from December 2014.

Printer friendly version