At a Glance
• Family run port house founded in 1981 by John Graham (just 29 at the time) who came from a family with over 200 years of port production
• The Churchills style is slightly drier and more terroir driven as a whole, showcasing the unique characteristics of the Quinta da Gricha Vineyard site.
• Quinta a Gricha is a 50 hectare grade A vineyard owned by Churchill’s and located on the southern bank of the Douro River(Cima Corgo subzone). The site is named after a spring that feeds the vineyards (Gricha) and the site rises from 150m to 400m.
• Churchill’s believes deeply in sustainability (holding an Integrated Production Protocol certificate) as well as traditional, low intervention winemaking. They ferment exclusively with ambient/native yeast and as a result fermentations are 12-24 hours longer than the norm.
• The "Crusted Port" is an old style that predates LBV Port
"Our Crusted Port offers an aged vintage experience at a younger stage. A blend of vintage-quality wines of 2 consecutive years, this port was aged for 6 months in oak barrel to facilitate the throwing of sediment - it’s namesake “crust”, before being bottled unfiltered. It was then left to mature in our cellars before being released. we believe in offering Crusted Ports with more bottle age to soften the tannins and reveal the elegant complexity of this timeless style of port." - Churchills
•“Churchill’s offices are in the ancient trading post of Vila Nova da Gaia, but our home is the majestic Quinta da Gricha, a 50 hectare Grade-A vineyard, located on the south bank of the Douro river in the famous “Cima Corgo” sub-region of the Douro Valley. Quinta da Gricha is a special piece of Earth, even by the astounding standards of Douro terroir. Named for the natural spring (gricha) that feeds the north-facing vineyards, the quinta sits in a microclimate at 150 to 400 meters above sea level, with a wind exposure that naturally regulates humidity. Once the site of ancient tin mines, the Gricha soil retains a graphite and mineral quality. Our oldest vines are more than 80 years old and yield diverse grape varieties which in turn produce wines of structure and complexity.”
About Churchill's
Churchill's was founded by John Graham, who aimed to maintain the long family tradition of producing quality Port wines while creating a product with his own brand, style, and image. The company's portfolio includes fortified and non-fortified wines, such as Port wine, dry white Port, Tawny Port, Reserve Port, LBV Port, Crusted Port, and Vintage Port. Additionally, Churchill's is involved in the production of DOC Douro wines.
The brand's history is intertwined with the Graham family and the acquisition of Quinta da Gricha, which enabled the production of DOC Douro table wines. The company exports approximately 80% of its Port and DOC Douro wine production, with the U.K., the U.S., Sweden, and Brazil being some of its main markets. The brand's name "Churchill's" is derived from John Graham's wife's family name, Caroline Churchills, and it has become synonymous with consistent and great quality Port wines.
