Graham’s Port has announced the winner of its inaugural global bartender competition which saw Swiss bartender David Pfister claim first prize.

Paul Symington has been awarded a Companion of the Order of St Michael and St George (CMG) in the Queen’s Birthday Honours List.

Graham’s Port has launched its first-ever bartending competition, in which seven bartenders from around the world will convene in Porto to compete for a €1000 cash prize and six months’ supply of Blend N º5 and Blend N º12.

The Symingtons have bottled six Quinta Vintage Ports from 2019 and will release two en primeur – Quinta do Vesúvio and Dow’s Quinta da Senhora da Ribeira.

Port producer Graham’s has released a commemorative edition of its 2015 Late Bottled Vintage to mark its bicentenary.

The Symington family has declared 2016 as a vintage port year, its fourth since 2000.

Portugal: The Blandy Group has regained control of the Madeira Wine Company (MWC) from Symington Family Estates. Symington will still retain a minority share in the business, but intends to concentrate on its Cockburn port brand, which it purchased last year.