Very exuberant on the nose, with plenty of ripe and rich dark fruit and a stony texture. Voluptuous yet with definition in the finish, broad but also approachable. Very textured and stony. - J.G.A.

TRANSLATED FROM PORTUGUESE

Intense, vibrant, dense, cheerful, it develops in layers and ends in apotheosis. Its aromas of rockrose and rosemary, seasoned with hints of red fruit, may not have the expressiveness of the other 2024 vintages that Symington recently presented, but there is in the details of The stone Terraces an attractive subtlety, a distinctive touch. It is, moreover, in the mouth that he is prodigious. It is a monument to the Douro and the great wines of Portugal. A vintage of small production (six thousand bottles), which radiates happiness now, but holds in its possession an auspicious future.

The 2024 The Stone Terraces Vintage Port is only the sixth declaration of this Vintage Port produced with grapes from specific plots in Quinta dos Malvedos, primarily a field blend, although there is a predominance of mature Touriga Nacional. There are also some small, relatively younger plantings of Touriga Franca, Sousão and Alicante Bouschet in the Port Arthur terraces. The grapes from these vines are often co-fermented (subject to their ripening dates overlapping to some degree) to enhance complexity, structure and freshness. They look for opulence with purity and refinement here. Right now, it's very dark and has exotic fruit aromas and some mintiness and a velvety palate with fine-grained tannins. It fermented in lagar with indigenous yeasts and matured in large oak vessels for 18 months. It started quite closed and austere. Charles commented, "It's the problem with very young wines; they miss behave." But there's great balance and a polished and sleek palate, with super fine tannins. It comes in at 20% alcohol, with a pH of 3.6 and 103 grams of sugar, slightly drier than the classical Graham's. But with plenty of time in the glass, it was the most aromatic, floral and refined of all the 2024s I tasted. More refined, less resiny, more elegant. Stunning. This is truly a super Graham's. - LG