Four Decades later, Symington launches Vintage Ports 1985

Considered one of the great classic years of the late 20th century, 1985 was marked by a hot, dry summer followed by a nearly perfect harvest, producing concentrated, powerful wines with high aging potential. After 40 years of maturation under controlled conditions, the wines now revealed exhibit enormous complexity and a flawless point of evolution, according to the family.

For decades, Symington has maintained the practice of reserving small quantities of Vintage Port for prolonged aging, releasing them only at three moments: during the initial en primeur sale, as Library Releases (20–30 years), and later, as Private Cellar Releases (from 40 years onward). Head winemaker Charles Symington monitors the evolution of these lots, just as his father did before him.

Each bottle released now was individually assessed and, if necessary, re-corked. To mark the occasion, new labels and packaging were created, inspired by the historical identity of the three houses, reinforcing the wines’ origin and state of preservation. All units are numbered and indicate the dates of bottling, re-corking, and release. The total lot includes only 800 bottles of Dow’s, 200 of Graham’s, and 1,000 of Warre’s, described by the company as “some of the last remaining reserves of 1985 Vintage Port” from the family cellars.

“After each en primeur release, our family has always set aside a small quantity of Vintage Port to be released again decades later. With these 1985 Private Cellar Releases, we are sharing wines that have been part of our family’s life for 40 years,” said Harry Symington of the 5th generation, adding that these examples demonstrate “the extraordinary capacity of Vintage Port to gain complexity while maintaining its vitality.”

Of Scottish, English, and Portuguese descent, the Symington family has been producing Port since 1882 and currently has ten members actively managing the four historic houses—Graham’s, Cockburn’s, Dow’s, and Warre’s—as well as the Douro wine brands Quinta do Vesuvio, Quinta do Ataíde, Altano, and Prats & Symington (Chryseia). In 2017, it expanded its activity to the Alto Alentejo with Quinta da Fonte Souto.

The company is one of the main vineyard owners in the Douro, with 28 estates totaling 2,490 hectares, of which 1,076 are vineyards. It is a founding member of Primum Familiae Vini and was recognized in 2020 as the world’s 7th most admired wine brand by Drinks International magazine.

Symington highlights its commitment to sustainable practices, managing all vineyards with minimal intervention and maintaining 130 hectares certified as organic, the largest area of its kind in the North of the country. The company was the first in the sector in Portugal to obtain B Corp certification and was named Ethical Company of the Year at the 2019 Drinks Business Green Awards.