Graham’s Port, one of the Symington family's flagship port brands, is set to launch their first premium white port to engage with new consumers and broaden the category's appeal.
Graham’s Blend Nº5 White Port brings together the port-making knowledge handed down through the Symington family since the 19th century with the more contemporary and informal approach of the 5th generation, who have recently joined the family’s long winemaking tradition.
The release of Blend Nº5 follows the increasing popularity of White Port & Tonic as a refreshing aperitif. The trend towards healthier lifestyles and people ‘drinking less, but better’ has prompted a surge in lower strength alcoholic drinks. The Port & Tonic has been experiencing success in both the on-trade and at home as an innovative and less alcoholic alternative to the classic Gin & Tonic.
This growth has been helped by the development of Porto and the Douro Valley as a thriving tourist destination, where many holidaymakers are able to sample the iconic Port & Tonic in the vibrant city where it was born, before looking to replicate the drink back home.
White port in a long serve has come as a welcome surprise to people who see port as a more traditional after dinner drink. The drink is particularly popular in the UK where sales increased by 161% from 2012 to 2017*
Whereas most white ports are made up of a mixed field blend of various white grape varieties,
Graham’s Port’s head winemaker, Charles Symington, selected two premium Portuguese white grape varieties - the fresh Malvasia Fina and the aromatic Moscatel Gallego - to produce this new blend.
The grapes are hand-picked and cold fermented in small batches. Blend No.5 is bottled 3 months after the harvest to preserve maximum freshness and should be drunk young. The wine is medium dry, deliberately designed to mix well with tonic whilst also being an excellent standalone drink.
Due to Blend No5’s micro production (less than 6000 bottles), and the popularity of premium port in the UK, Blend No5 is only currently available to the UK market.
The new look packaging, which represents a clear departure from the more traditional presentation of other ports, is intended to increase the product's appeal in the on-trade and reach new consumers who previously might not have had port in their drinking repertoires. Graham’s has partnered with drinks agency CASK Liquid Marketing, who will be leveraging their extensive expertise to raise the on-trade profile of the wine.
Graham’s Design Manager, Alexandra Sousa Ribeiro, commissioned the renowned Portuguese fashion illustrator António Soares, who has previously collaborated with FENDI, Karl Lagerfeld, and Chanel, to draw the beautiful illustrations for the bottle.
“Our design concept aimed to transmit the aromatic fresh profile of the wine - white grapes, lime, peaches, honey - whilst connecting it with mint and lemon, the garnish associated with Port and Tonic. António Soares, who is known for his strong use of colour, was invited to use his artistic interpretation to create the organic elements for the bottle illustration.”
Alexandra Sousa Ribeiro, Design Manager, Symington Family Estates
“Following the huge success of the Graham’s Aged Tawny Ports in clear glass bottles, we felt it was time create a new take on white port, having seen it grow in reputation over the last few years. We wanted Graham’s Blend Nº5 White Port to be immediate and accessible to a younger generation of port drinkers. The presentation is something completely new for the port trade and we’re excited to see how consumers react.”
Charlotte Symington, Marketing Manager, Symington Family Estates