Churchill's Quinta Da Gricha 2020 Vintage Port

A seductive and beautiful Vintage Port with vibrant acidity and lovely precision”. - Johnny Graham and Ricardo Pinto Nunes.

“It is in ripe years like this one where Quinta da Gricha comes into its own, with its mineral soil and North facing vineyards. This Vintage Port has a deep black colour to the core with a violet blue rim, an exuberant and concentrated berry nose with aromas of herbs, flowers, and tropical fruit. Fresh and spicy on the mouth with hints of gum cistus, wild berries and eucalyptus. The amazing vibrant acidity reveals a final palate full of grip and intensity.” - Johnny Graham.

Quinta da Gricha is located on the South bank of the river Douro between Pinhão and Tua with a North facing aspect. The 50 hectare property comprises a vineyard area of approximately 40 hectares. Named for the natural spring (“gricha”) that feeds the north-facing vineyards, Quinta da Gricha sits in a microclimate at 150 to 400 meters above sea level, with a wind exposure that naturally regulates humidity. Our oldest vines are over 70 years old and produce wines with vibrant natural acidity and complexity. This Vintage Port was sourced exclusively from the old vineyards on the estate (+70 years).

We were one of few port companies to continue foot treading grapes during the pandemic, instituting measures to protect the team whilst ensuring the quality and culture of foot treading carried on. Every year, all our port grapes are foot-trod at Quinta da Gricha in ancient granite lagares (treading tanks), that date back to 1852. To keep this method alive during these unprecedented circumstances, we instituted strict physical distancing protocols across the production and viticulture teams – keeping the winery, vineyard, and treading teams separate. Happily, due to these policies none of the team became ill, and the results speak for themselves in the quality and character of these vintage ports.

While 2020 will go down in the history books as the year the world came to a standstill, these Vintage ports are a testament to the power of Nature and the human spirit to endure.

Churchill’s Quinta da Gricha 2020 Vintage Port production was 600 cases (6x75cl), representing 10% of Churchill's port production that year. Initially, 300 cases were released on allocation en primeur, with the remainder to be aged in our lodge for a future special late release bottling.

THE YEAR

While the 2020 harvest was particularly challenging across the region, our winemakers were excited with the quality of the young wines when they first tasted them soon after the vintage. 2020 turned out to be a hot year, with early ripening and very low yields; the month of July was the hottest month since 1931. When comparing with 2019, the crop yield was 30% to 35% lower.