Churchill's Quinta Da Gricha 2021 Vintage Port

“In colour it is inky black at the core with a lively purple rim. Aromas of wild heather and blueberries. Fresh and juicy on the palate, with hints of dark chocolate and orange peel. Plenty of grip and intensity, in a pure, vibrant and racy style.”

This is the twenty-first Quinta vintage produced by Johnny Graham from Churchill’s flagship estate – a treasured record of the performance of this unique terroir – and is released in the year Johnny has been awarded “Fortified Winemaker of the Year” by the prestigious Portuguese wine magazine, Revista Grandes Escolhas. "A beautiful Single Quinta Vintage Port. It shows the elegance, focus and sheer pedigree of the Gricha terroir.” - Johnny Graham

Named for the natural spring (the “gricha”) that feeds its north-facing vineyards, Quinta da Gricha is located on the South bank of the river Douro between the Pinhão and Tua valleys. The 40-hectare vineyard sits in a microclimate at 150 to 400 meters above sea level, with a wind exposure that naturally regulates humidity. The oldest vines are over 70 years old and produce wines with a vibrant natural acidity and complexity. The richness of the Gricha terroir and schist soils – on the site of ancient tin and gold mines – produce wines with a characteristic minerality, freshness and raw energy.

Quinta da Gricha Vintage Ports are produced with minimal intervention: sourced exclusively from the old vineyards on the estate, the grapes are hand-picked, twice sorted, and foot treaded in traditional granite ‘lagares’, with a prolonged natural fermentation process that uses only native yeast.

All Quinta da Gricha Vintage Ports are produced in very small quantities. Churchill’s Quinta da Gricha 2021 Vintage Port is a bottling of only 2940 numbered 75cl bottles and 150 magnums (1,5l), representing 7% of the estate’s port production in 2021.

THE YEAR

Churchill´s Quinta da Gricha 2021 Vintage Port was the result of a more typical growing season than that of recent years, with rainfall at key moments of the year to deliver a balanced and complete maturation. The rain throughout the winter and in April allowed the vineyards to develop with enough water reserves until August, when the impact of the very dry months of July and August created hydric stress on the vineyards. During the harvest, we experienced several days due to rain in early and mid-September, which ultimately benefited the grapes. We picked our old vineyards, that produce our single Quinta vintage port, on the 21st and 22nd of September under perfect weather conditions. Overall, the wines we produced during the harvest are fresher than average, with a lower alcohol content but excellent intrinsic quality, balance, and intensity.