The 1944 Port Vintage: A Wartime Declaration

The 1944 harvest took place against the backdrop of Portugal's longest drought on record, which lasted from 1943 to 1946. This prolonged dry period reduced yields across mainland Portugal and constrained wine production broadly. At the same time, Portugal was navigating the final pressures of WWII as a neutral state: under Prime Minister Salazar, the government imposed a complete embargo on wolfram exports to both the Allies and Axis in June 1944, triggering a significant economic contraction. Despite these conditions, select shippers judged their lots of sufficient quality to declare a vintage, with some choosing to bottle the wines in 1945 as a celebration of the Allied Victory.

• Portugal's longest recorded drought (1943-1946) reduced yields across the country during this period
• Portugal was officially neutral throughout WWII under Salazar's Estado Novo government
• Wolfram export embargo imposed June 1944 contributed to a sharp economic contraction in Portugal
• Some 1944 declarations were bottled in 1945 to mark the Allied Victory in Europe

The selective nature of 1944 declarations reflected individual shipper assessments of their specific Douro lots. Established quintas with mature vines in the Cima Corgo and Douro Superior were best placed to deliver concentration despite the ongoing drought. Graham's Quinta dos Malvedos, established in 1890 in the upper Douro Valley, provided the fruit quality needed for the house's outstanding declaration. The Douro Valley is subdivided into three official zones: the Baixo Corgo, Cima Corgo, and Douro Superior, with the upper two subregions historically associated with the finest Vintage Port production. Quinta do Noval, whose records date to 1715, is notable for its Nacional parcel: a small area of ungrafted vines planted in 1924 that remain untouched by phylloxera.

• Graham's Quinta dos Malvedos, established 1890 in the upper Douro, provided the foundation for the house's acclaimed 1944 declaration
• Cima Corgo and Douro Superior grapes are considered highest quality for Vintage Port production
• Quinta do Noval's Nacional parcel covers just 1.6 hectares of ungrafted vines planted in 1924 and untouched by phylloxera
• Phylloxera reached the Douro region in 1868; most vineyards were subsequently replanted on American rootstock

Graham's 1944 stands as the benchmark expression of this vintage. Wine commentators describe it as 'the best since 1963,' with extraordinary fruit, balance, and backbone, calling it a classic. The house, founded in 1820 by Scottish brothers William and John Graham, was acquired by the Symington family in 1970, who have been Port producers since 1882. Graham's wines are renowned for remarkable richness, concentration, and firm tannic structure. Beyond Graham's, the Vintage Port Site notes that 1944 was declared by some shippers during wartime, with some bottlings released in 1945 to celebrate Victory. Production overall was small and the vintage remains little known compared to the 1945 that immediately followed.

• Graham's 1944: described as 'the best since 1963' with extraordinary fruit, balance, and backbone
• Graham's was founded in 1820; acquired by the Symington family in 1970
• Quinta dos Malvedos, established 1890, is a cornerstone of Graham's Vintage Port production
• Other shippers also declared 1944, some bottling in 1945 as a wartime Victory release

At over 80 years of age, surviving bottles of 1944 Vintage Port are at an advanced stage of maturity. The Vintage Port Site notes that well-cellared examples remain a pleasure. Vintage Port is aged for a maximum of two and a half years in barrel before bottling and then develops entirely in bottle, requiring ten to forty years of ageing to reach proper drinking age. At this stage, the finest surviving examples will display fully evolved tertiary complexity with integrated tannins and deep, dried-fruit character. Given the age of the cork, professional opening techniques including Port tongs are advisable. Immediate consumption is recommended for any bottles encountered today.

• Well-cellared 1944 Ports remain 'a pleasure' according to the Vintage Port Site
• Vintage Port is aged up to two and a half years in barrel, then develops entirely in bottle over decades
• At 80+ years, surviving examples display fully evolved tertiary complexity with integrated tannins
• Fragile corks at this age make professional opening techniques, including Port tongs, advisable

The 1944 declaration occurred during a uniquely pressured moment in Portuguese history. Under Salazar's Estado Novo, Portugal maintained official neutrality while experiencing its longest drought on record between 1943 and 1946, as well as the economic shock of the 1944 wolfram export embargo. These factors constrained both production and export. The vintage is modest in scope and reputation compared to the extraordinary 1945, which was declared by all major Port houses except Cockburn, with 22 shippers in total declaring. The 1945 is regarded as one of the 20th century's benchmark Port years, with full-bodied wines of fantastic structure. The 1944 represents a selective, wartime-era declaration that stands as a historically interesting, if secondary, chapter between the challenged war years and the celebratory 1945.

• 1945 was declared by all major houses except Cockburn; 22 shippers in total declared, making it a near-universal declaration
• 1945 is one of Port's 'reference years,' with full-bodied wines of fantastic structure still drinking well today
• Portugal's 1943-1946 drought was the longest on record in mainland Portugal, affecting 1944 production
• Portugal's neutrality under Salazar meant the Port trade was not entirely shut down, unlike in belligerent nations