DOW’S
DOW'S PORT: AN UNBROKEN TRADITION OF QUALITY
Dow's Port, with roots dating back to 1798, is a beacon of excellence in the port wine industry. A unique feature of this winery is its ownership by a single family - the Symingtons - for over five generations, a rarity in an industry characterized by corporate mergers and acquisitions. This has allowed Dow's to uphold time-honored traditions while adapting to contemporary tastes and techniques.
CHARACTERISTIC FLAVORS AND AROMAS
Dow's Port is renowned for a distinctive drier house style. This results in Ports packed with rich, concentrated flavors and backed by robust tannic structures. The wines are renowned for their remarkable depth, intricacy, and longevity. A tasting of Dow's Port unveils a symphony of flavors, from dark chocolate and blackcurrant in their Vintage Ports to nutty and caramel nuances in their Aged Tawny Ports.
TECHNICAL DETAILS
Dow's primarily uses indigenous Portuguese grape varieties such as Touriga Nacional, Touriga Franca, Tinta Barroca, Tinta Roriz, and Tinto Cão. The winemaking process commences with hand-picking and sorting the grapes, which are then tread by foot in stone 'lagares' to gently extract color, flavors, and tannins.
The must then undergoes fermentation until the desired Baume (a measure of the sugar content in the grapes) is reached. The fermentation is halted by the addition of grape spirit, creating a fortified wine with an alcohol percentage of approximately 20%. The wine is aged in wooden vats and bottled with varying levels of residual sugar depending on the type of Port.
GASTRONOMIC PAIRINGS
Dow's Port wines pair wonderfully with a variety of foods. Their Ruby and LBV Ports are a delightful accompaniment to cheese platters and rich chocolate desserts, while their Tawny Ports are perfect with nut-based treats or crème brûlée. The full-bodied Dow's Vintage Ports make a perfect partner for strong, mature cheeses and decadent chocolate confections.
VITICULTURE AND PRUNING
Dow's takes great care in their vineyard management. Traditional pruning methods are upheld to optimize grape quality and respect the vine's natural growth cycle. The vineyards, predominantly located in the Douro Valley, benefit from a unique microclimate and schistous soils, contributing to the unique character of Dow's Port wines.
OUTSTANDING VINTAGES AND NOTABLE PORT PRODUCERS
Dow's is widely respected for producing some of the finest Vintage Ports. Their 1896, 1900, and more recently, the 2011 vintage have garnered international acclaim for their quality and age-worthiness. Other top-notch Vintage Port producers include Fonseca, Taylor's, Graham's, and Quinta do Noval, each contributing to the rich tapestry of fine Port wine.
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Charles Symington
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Classic Vintage:
2017/ 2016 /2011/ 2007 /2003 /2000 1997/ 1994 /1991/ 1985/ 1983 /1980 1977 /1975/ 1972 /1970 /1966/ 1963/ 1960 1955/ 1950 /1947/ 1945 1934 /1927/ 1924 1920/ 1912 1908/ 1904/ 1900/ 1899/ 1896/ 1893/ 1892/ 1890
Quinta Bomfim :
2021 / 2020 / 2019 /2018 / 2015 / 2010 / 2009/ 2008/ 2006/ 2005 /2004/ 2002/ 2001/ 1999/ 1998/ 1996/ 1995/ 1992/ 1990/ 1989/ 1988/ 1987/ 1986/ 1984/ 1982/ 1979/ 1978/ 1965/ 1962/ 1961/ 1958/ 1954/ 1952/ 1948
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Calem is well known for it’s aging vintages and very great value for money. The experience of opening a gem is nevertheless the same as more expensive wines from other producers.
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1965 / 1969 / 1972 / 1974 / 1982 / 1984 / 1986 / 1996 / 2002 / 2007 / 2009
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Quinta do Bomfim
Quinta da Senhora da Ribeira
Quinta do Santinho
Quinta de Cerdeira
Quinta da Fonte Branca
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https://www.dows-port.com/
https://agedtawny.dows-port.com/
https://vintageportsite.com/port-houses/dows
