Reserve Ruby Port (Higher Quality Ruby Style; Graham's Six Grapes)

Graham's was founded in 1820 by brothers William and John Graham in Portugal's Douro Valley, initially as a textile trading firm. After accepting 27 barrels of Port in payment of a debt, they redirected their energies entirely to Port wine. By the early 1900s, Graham's had formalized their best-barrel selections under the Six Grapes label, a name rooted in a 19th-century coding system where winemakers graded each barrel from one to six grape symbols, with six grapes marking wines of potential Vintage Port quality. In 1970, the Symington family, who had been Port producers since 1882, acquired Graham's. Today, Graham's 1890 Lodge in Vila Nova de Gaia has welcomed visitors since 1993.

• Graham's founded 1820 by William and John Graham; began as a textile trading operation
• Six Grapes label established by the early 1900s, rooted in a 19th-century barrel grading system rating wines one to six
• Symington family acquired Graham's in 1970; they have produced Port since 1882
• Graham's 1890 Lodge open to visitors since 1993, housing over 2,000 pipes and 40 large oak vats

Reserve Ruby Port originates exclusively from the demarcated Douro wine region in northern Portugal, one of the world's oldest regulated wine regions, officially demarcated in 1756 by the Marquis of Pombal. The broader Douro Demarcated Region covers approximately 250,000 hectares, while UNESCO inscribed 24,600 hectares of the Alto Douro Wine Region as a World Heritage Site in 2001. The region's continental microclimate, shielded from Atlantic influence by mountain ranges, delivers hot, dry summers and cold winters, stressing vines on steep schist terraces into producing intensely concentrated fruit. Graham's sources Six Grapes grapes from its four estate quintas, totaling 201 hectares across the Upper Douro and Douro Superior.

• Douro demarcated in 1756; one of the world's oldest regulated wine regions
• UNESCO inscribed 24,600 hectares of the Alto Douro Wine Region as a World Heritage Site in 2001
• Continental microclimate with hot, dry summers; schist soils provide mineral depth and stress vines
• Graham's four quintas (including Quinta dos Malvedos) total 201 hectares across the Upper Douro and Douro Superior

Reserve Ruby is made from the red grape varieties of the Douro Valley, with the five principal grapes being Touriga Nacional, Touriga Franca, Tinta Roriz, Tinta Barroca, and Tinta Cão. Graham's Six Grapes uses four of these: Touriga Franca, Touriga Nacional, Tinta Roriz, and Tinta Barroca. Aging in large seasoned oak vats limits oxidation, which is the key stylistic distinction between Reserve Ruby and Tawny Port. The result is a deep ruby-colored wine with vibrant dark fruit aromas of plum, blackberry, and cassis alongside notes of dark chocolate, with a full-bodied palate, good tannin structure, and a long finish. Reserve Ruby retains the fruit-forward character of the ruby family rather than the nutty, oxidative character of tawny styles.

• Four core grapes in Six Grapes: Touriga Franca, Touriga Nacional, Tinta Roriz, and Tinta Barroca
• Aged in large seasoned oak vats, limiting oxidation and preserving deep ruby color and fresh fruit
• Style profile: dark plum, blackberry, cassis, dark chocolate; full body with firm but silky tannins
• Distinguished from tawny styles by its ruby color and fruit-forward rather than nutty, oxidative character

Graham's Six Grapes is the benchmark Reserve Ruby Port, crafted by Symington Family Estates and aged at the Graham's 1890 Lodge in Vila Nova de Gaia. The wine is blended from two to three years' harvests, aged approximately two years in seasoned oak vats, and is on average five to six years old when bottled, making it ready to drink on release. The name reflects the highest rating in Graham's 19th-century barrel classification: barrels marked with six grape symbols were considered candidates for Vintage Port. From 2015 to 2020, Six Grapes grew by 7% in volume and 19% in value, and is the number one reserve ruby by value in the US market. Other well-known Reserve Ruby expressions include Warre's Warrior and Taylor Fladgate First Estate.

• Six Grapes blended from 2–3 harvests, aged ~2 years in seasoned oak vats; on average 5–6 years old at bottling
• Draws fruit from the same four quintas (201 ha) that supply Graham's Vintage Ports
• US market leader in reserve ruby by value; distributed in 38 markets worldwide
• Competitors include Warre's Warrior and Taylor Fladgate First Estate in the reserve ruby category

Reserve Ruby Port is regulated by Portugal's Instituto dos Vinhos do Douro e Porto (IVDP), which oversees all aspects of Port wine production and quality certification. To carry the Reserve designation, a ruby Port must be approved through a blind tasting by the IVDP's expert tasting panel, the Câmara de Provadores. Premium rubies are typically aged in wood for four to six years. Port wine as a whole is fortified with grape spirit to reach an alcohol content of 18 to 22% ABV. The broader Reserve category applies to both ruby and tawny styles, with Reserve Tawny typically reflecting an average of five to seven years of wood aging and developing the characteristic amber tones and nutty complexity that distinguish it from the fruit-forward Reserve Ruby.

• Reserve designation requires blind tasting approval by the IVDP's Câmara de Provadores
• Premium ruby ports typically aged 4–6 years in wood before bottling
• Port fortified with grape spirit to 18–22% ABV; Reserve Ruby retains deep ruby color
• Reserve category applies to both ruby and tawny styles; each follows distinct aging and stylistic criteria

Graham's 1890 Lodge in Vila Nova de Gaia, built on a commanding ridge overlooking Porto and the Douro River, has welcomed visitors since 1993. The lodge currently houses over 2,000 pipes and 40 large oak vats of aging Port, as well as extensive Vintage Port cellars. Guided tours take visitors through the working lodge and are paired with tastings, including Six Grapes, across a range of formats starting from 30 euros per person. The broader Douro Valley, accessible by train from Porto along the scenic Linha do Douro railway, offers visits to the region's UNESCO-inscribed terraced vineyards and estate quintas. Port culture runs deep in this Anglo-Portuguese tradition, with consumption rituals, food pairings, and serving customs reflecting centuries of winemaking heritage.

• Graham's 1890 Lodge: built 1890 on a ridge in Vila Nova de Gaia; open to visitors since 1993
• Lodge houses 2,000+ pipes and 40 large oak vats; guided tours and tastings from 30€/person
• Reserve Ruby best served slightly chilled (55–65°F); pairs especially well with dark chocolate
• Douro Valley accessible by the scenic Linha do Douro train from Porto; UNESCO-inscribed terraced landscape