Churchill’s Vintage 2007 750ml (750ml)
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Wine Type
Fortified
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Size
750ml
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Vintage
2007
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Country
Portugal
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Region
Douro
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Sub-Region
Oporto
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Grape
Red Blend
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Farming Method
ConventionalMost products with this label come from producers who do their best to avoid any intervention at all but it’s possible that some of the aforementioned preventative measures and additions are deemed necessary. Learn More
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ABV
20%
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Food Pairing
CheeseChocolateDessert
Churchill’s is an an Anglo-Portuguese Port house and Douro wine producer. The company was founded by Johnny Graham in 1981 to bring a dry style and a fresh vibe to the traditional world of Port. Johnny was born and raised in Porto as the youngest son of the Graham port family. After his father sold the family business in 1970, Johnny committed himself to learning the craft of port-making on his own. From age 20, he worked in the terraced vineyards of the Douro Valley, on the rabelo boats bringing barrels of young port down river, and in the cellars and tasting rooms of Vila Nova da Gaia. Apprenticing under the studied eye of port master John Smithe of Cockburn Smithe’s, Johnny quickly learned the art of winemaking and by his late 20s had developed a reputation as one of the trade’s best tasters. He later founded Churchill’s and today still makes the wine and runs the company, with help from the next generation. Churchill’s is the last remaining independent British Port house.
Tasting Notes
The 2007 Churchill Vintage Port offers an expressive bouquet of blueberry compote and fruitcake. Residing in the background providing additional complexity are notes of violets, clove, and incense. This is a a firm, structured, muscular Port with plenty of fruit for balance.
Method
All Churchill’s ports are made from Grade-A grapes that are hand-picked, hand-sorted, and foot trod in the ancient granite lagares (treading tanks) at Quinta da Gricha in the Douro Valley.
Churchill’s Vintage Port 2007 is made from a field blend of old vineyards including many grape varieties such as Touriga Nacional, Touriga Franca, Tinta Roriz, Tinta Barroca e Tinto Cão. Like all other Churchill’s Ports, this Vintage Port has been foot trodden in traditional granite lagares (treading tanks). An extended period of fermentation in lagares takes place to limit the amount of brandy required in fortification which leads to a drier style of port. The young port spent its first winter in the Douro and then was transported in the early spring to our ageing lodges in Vila Nova de Gaia (Porto). Here it matured in seasoned oak vats for one year, at which point it was bottled and stored in Churchill’s own cellars. The 2007 vintage will age beautifully in bottle for 30+ years, but it is intended to show its best qualities between 8 and 25 years.
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