1994 Churchill, 375ml

Churchill’s Port is a rarity in the world of Port. Unlike most Port producers, with roots in the 17th through the 19th centuries, Churchill’s was founded in 1981, making it the new kid on the block. Churchill’s nevertheless has a strong link to the Anglo-Portuguese history of Port production. John Graham, founder of Churchill’s, is the scion of the Graham family of Scotland who founded Graham’s Port in the early 19th century. The Grahams sold their company to the Symington family in the 1970s, so when John Graham decided to get back in the Port business he used his wife’s family name, which is Churchill. Churchill makes Port in the traditional styles, including vintage, tawny and late-bottled styles.

Portugal is best known for its two legendary fortified wines, Port and Madeira, but it also produces significant amounts of red and white table wine. In most years it ranks around the 10th or 11th largest wine producer in the world. In 2013, for instance, Portugal was the 11th largest producer just after Germany. Wine has always been produced in Portugal and in fact the country was the first to organize an appellation system, which it did in 1756, nearly 200 years before the French set up their appellations. The highest quality wines are labeled D.O.C. for Denominaçào de Origem Controlada. Many of the most innovative winemakers today, however, are avoiding the appellation system, which they deem too stifling for modern winemaking practices. The Douro Valley is the nation’s most important wine producing region, and it is the capital of Port production. The Portuguese island of Madeira, located 400 miles west of Morocco, is the nation’s other famous wine region, having produced Madeira for export for more than 400 years. Many red and white wine grapes grow in Portugal, though the best known is Touriga Nacional, the red grape used for Port and, increasingly, high quality table wines. Touriga Nacional produces dark, tannic, fruity wines.