Churchill’s offices are in the ancient trading post of Vila Nova da Gaia, but our home is the majestic Quinta da Gricha, a 50 hectare Grade-A vineyard, located on the south bank of the Douro river in the famous “Cima Corgo” sub-region of the Douro Valley.
Quinta da Gricha is a special piece of Earth, even by the astounding standards of Douro terroir. Named for the natural spring (gricha) that feeds the north-facing vineyards, the quinta sits in a microclimate at 150 to 400 meters above sea level, with a wind exposure that naturally regulates humidity. Once the site of ancient tin mines, the Gricha soil retains a graphite and mineral quality. Our oldest vines are more than 80 years old and yield diverse grape varieties which in turn produce wines of structure and complexity.
THE DOURO
The Douro Valley is the world's oldest demarcated wine region and one of the most dynamic, with more than 100 natural grape varieties and unique climatic conditions.
While it became famous as a region for port wine, today a passionate new generation of winemakers are making Douro D.O.C. wines a force to be reckoned with globally.
We are proud to be part of the New Douro, the organisation of leading Douro Wine producers.
MINIMAL INTERVENTION PROTOCOL
Our entire vineyard area is certified in the Integrated Production mode, an international scheme of sustainable viticulture, regulated by the International Organisation for Biological and Integrated Control.
In sustainable viticulture, the farmer works in collaboration with the ecosystem. For the production of high-quality wines, this ecosystem needs to be in biological balance: plants with animals, bacteria with insects, fungi with flowers, etc -- each occupy their ecological niche and perform their functions in the ecosystem.
Our dedicated team of farmers are committed to practicing minimal intervention techniques, ensuring that the Gricha terrior breathes in every drop of wine.
HUMAN-CENTRED PRODUCTION
All Churchill's ports are hand picked, twice sorted, and crushed by foot in the ancient treading tanks at Quinta da Gricha. Foot-treading achieves a gentle but thorough maceration of the grapes and skins without damaging the pips and thereby extracts the necessary colour and tannins whilst still preserving the fresh, natural grape aromas and flavours
SIGNATURE STYLE
Johnny founded Churchill’s because he had a clear vision for the style of port he likes to make and drink.
Our ports are distinct for their drier style and firm grip. This comes from sourcing exclusively Grade A grapes of native grape varietals from the best vineyards in the Douro. And from using only native yeast during fermentation, slowing the process down and allowing an additional 12-24 hours vs. industry-standard to convert higher amounts of sugar into alcohol. The result is more natural wine alcohol, lower levels of brandy, and our signature dry style.
BLENDING
At Churchill's, every grape has a future. We treat all grapes that come through our winery as if they are going to be vintage port -- foot treading and extending fermentation for all. It's not until the grapes make the trip to Porto from the Douro six months after the harvest that initial blending begins. We continue to blend by taste, driven by the expert palates of Johnny Graham and our head winemaker Ricardo Pinto Nunes.
Exclusively aged
We specialise in vintage port made to mature for a century and wood-aged ports that retain freshness over the decades.
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