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Dow's Port

The origins of Dow's lies not with anyone named Dow, but rather in a company founded by a Portuguese entrepreneur, Bruno da Silva, in 1798. Bruno shipped wine from Oporto, where he lived, to London, a trade route which reflected the Anglo-Portuguese alliance of the time. The two were allied against France and her invasion of the Iberian peninsula, and this antagonism naturally placed Bruno's ships at risk from patrolling French warships. Bruno, however, was not to be discouraged. He obtained permission to equip a private vessel with guns, thus protecting its valuable cargo and his livelihood, and gaining a trading advantage over his competitors. With such acumen and determination, it is perhaps no surprise that the business flourished. Bruno's son, John, inherited a very healthy going concern. In 1862 the firm entered a partnership with Frederick William Cosens, and hence the firm became known as Silva & Cosens, a company which still exists today.

From Cosens to Symington

It was only a few years later that a very familiar name, George A Warre, also took on a partnership in the business. This was in 1868, and then in 1877 they were joined by James Ramsay Dow when the firm was merged with that of Dow & Co. With this latter acquisition Dow, which as a name had a fine reputation within the Port trade, became little more than a Silva & Cosens brand name. Nevertheless it was George Warre and James Dow who managed the firm through the eras of phylloxera and oidium during the latter years of the 19th Century. Vineyards required extensive replanting, and the duo, who had control of one of the largest Port houses, took advantage of the prevailing situation with the purchase of three highly regarded vineyards, Quinta do Zimbro in 1887, Quinta da Senhora da Ribeira in 1890 and Quinta do Bomfim in 1896. This was a major investment, and was notable for the location of the three quintas, high up in the eastern reaches of the Douro known as the Alto Douro (or Douro Superior). Today it is widely acknowledged that it is these vineyards, with their low rainfall, that are the source of the best quality grapes. In 1893 there was one other addition to the team, in the shape of Rodrick Dow, a noteworthy appointment as with his arrival, the brand name of Dow took on a much greater significance; this was now Dow's Port.

The Symingtons arrived on the scene in 1912, when Andrew J Symington, who had arrived in Oporto from Scotland in 1882, and who by this time had more than 28 years in the Port trade under his belt, was appointed a partner. The Symington family, first Andrew and then his three sons who followed him into the business after the First World War, gradually acquired complete control of the company. Today Dow's is one of several Port houses owned by Symington Family Estates, with the fourth generation (and fledglings of the fifth) of the family at the helm at the opening of the 21st Century. They can make use of many of the investments of their forebears, who were the first to construct a modern winery in the region in 1964, and who were also one of the first to install temperature controlled equipment. The company also commissioned an impressive new winery at Quinta do Sol as recently as 1997. As such the Symington family have at their disposal some of the most modern and innovative facilities in all Portugal. This includes a set of robotic lagares (automated treading machines) to replace the human foot which has been traditionally associated with Port for centuries. And thanks to the purchases of the past, they also produce a major proportion of the required fruit in their own vineyards; purchased fruit, meanwhile, comes from growers with whom the family have established long term contracts going back, in some cases, many decades.

The Dow's Quintas

Today Dow's Port revolves around four quintas. Without doubt the kingpin around which Dow's operates is the Quinta do Bomfim (which translates as good end) this being the prime source of fruit for the declared Vintage Port, and in undeclared years the wine here is usually of sufficient quality for it to be bottled as a single quinta Port. Bomfim has a southerly aspect and is situated between 100 and 340 metres above sea level, with an average rainfall of 800mm per annum. The soils are rocky, predominantly schist, providing excellent drainage. There is a lodge, built upon the acquisition of the site in 1896, which is today served by a private railway siding to facilitate the transport of Port down to Vila Nova de Gaia. Over the ensuing years the vineyard has expanded considerably and today it covers 49 hectares. Since 1980 it has been subject to a systematic program of replanting, beginning with some of the older terraced vineyards, and many of the upper parts of the property. Nevertheless, 40% of the vineyard is still accounted for by the vines planted by the Symington family in the early years of the 20th century. The varieties planted are led by Touriga Franca (22%), with other significant contributions to the wine from Touriga Naçional (12%), Roriz (12%) and Barroca (11%). Yields are low, and the production of the vineyard amounts to approximately 300 pipes (1 pipe equals 550 litres) of Port.

The other three quintas are as follows:

Quinta da Senhora de Ribeira: situated on the north bank at the site of an ancient river crossing, the name (which translates as The Lady of the River) refers to a small chapel at which travellers would pause to pray for a safe crossing and journey. Due to financial difficulties the estate was sold in the mid-20th Century, but acquired once more by the Symingtons in 1998. The vineyard is almost entirely terraced, and covers 42 hectares, of which 21 hectares are planted to vines. The average age is over 25 years, and in the hot and typically dry climate yields are low. The fruit is harvested by hand, and vinified following part treading by foot in granite lagares, and part by robotic lagares. As with Bomfim, some of the wine here may be bottled separately as a single quinta wine in non-declared years.

Quinta do Santinho: privately owned by the Symington family rather than the Symington Family Estates, this is a 39 hectare estate, with 14 hectares planted to vines. The vineyard is entirely terraced, and is dominated by Touriga Franca and Roriz. The climate is understandably hot and dry, the estate being even further upstream of Bomfim, on the north bank, close to Senhora de Ribeira and also Vesuvio.

Quinta do Sol: not a vineyard, Quinta do Sol is Symington's winery. It was officially inaugurated in 1997, and is situated downstream of the other significant Symington estates, very close to the Bagaúste Dam on the Douro.

The Wines

Dow's offer a wide range of Ports, naturally led by the vintage Port which has a very good reputation. In non-declared years, as mentioned above, the produce of both Quinta do Bomfim and Quinta da Senhora da Ribeira may be bottled separately as single quinta wines. There are decent blended Tawny Ports and Colheita Ports (single vintage Tawny), as well as a run of lesser branded, blended Ports, such as Midnight and Trademark, as well as late-bottled vintage and crusted styles. The best way to get a feel for the full range is obviously to taste through them, as per my tasting notes below, although for obvious reasons I concentrate on the vintage and single quinta styles. I personally have a lot of admiration for Dow's, and the Symington Family Estates as a group. The wines, across the board, are of very good quality. Each house maintains its own style despite the group ownership, with Dow being rich, deeply coloured, with appealing fruit brightness. I am a great fan of these wines, both in under-rated vintages such as 1980, and also acknowledged and widely declared vintages such as 2003, where in my opinion the Vintage Dow's is an absolute stunner. (25/11/03, updated 18/5/07, 9/5/08)

Contact details:
Address: Travesa do Barão de Forrester, Apartado 26, 4401 Vila Nova de Gaia
Telephone: +351 22 377 6300
Fax: +351 22 377 6301
Internet: www.dows-port.com

Dow's Port - Tasting Notes

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Dow's Quinta da Senhora da Ribeira Vintage Port 2004: An incredible colour, and on the nose lots of evocative fruit, with an admirable intensity. It has a creamy start, and is well rounded and presented, but it does not carry a lot of flesh at the present. It has good structure, but not a lot of direction. Softly textured, unfocused. There is a bit of grip and some attractive spice, but overall I think this lacks a frame that would give it real appeal. But some development is possible. From a Port Styles tasting. 15+/20 (November 2007)

Dow's Vintage Port 2003: Refined. Elegant. This has great style. Chocolate and smoke. Damsons. This has great purity. Beautiful weight and texture. Stunning finesse here. Wonderful balance. Superb, ripe tannins coated in a seamless layer of fruit. Great potential. Possibly wine of the vintage. From a 2003 Vintage Port assessment. 19+/20 (May 2005)

Dow's Late Bottled Vintage Port 2001: This is a deeply coloured, concentrated wine, with a desne core and a rim that shows a little maturity, with an oxblood-mahogany hue. On the nose there are aromas of very slightly brawny fruit, dark with a slightly stewed character, but there is still an appealing perfume too, with notes of violets and flower petals. A fine entry on the palate, creamy but well composed, showing a lot of tannic grip through the midpalate, but still with plenty of fruit and texture. This wine blends very nicely a firm structure, sweet and nicely poised texture, savoury roast meat notes and a slightly chewy, savoury finish. A good wine. From a tasting of Port for Winter. 16.5+/20 (November 2008)

Dow's Late Bottled Vintage Port 2001: A good depth of colour here. Nice woody-figgy fruit on the nose, and I sense a drier style than the non-vintage Crusted Port, which I tasted alongside this. Fine character. More reserved, but with a good sweetness nevertheless. Sandalwood, figs on the palate also, good fruit. Lots of grip here. A good style. From a Port Styles tasting. 16.5+/20 (November 2007)

Dow's Crusted Port Bottled 1999: A lovely deep colour. Dark spicy fruit on the nose, with molasses and oak, and just a little unintegrated alcohol. A fairly big, round texture, full and sweet which is what you want from this level of Port. It has tannic structure, and a bit of a creamy feel to it. Overall a good combination of structure, flavour and sweetness. Finishes demurely, and has a good length. 16.5/20 (November 2004)

Dow's Quinta do Bomfim Vintage Port 1996: A fine colour here. The nose is developing nicely, it is rich in fruit but also carries meaty and cedary undertones. It has a very attractive silky-edged texture and a lovely weight. Very well defined, and there is some good grip through the midpalate and at the finish. Really good style at this point. Very nice now, but potential for more here. From a Port Styles tasting. 16.5-17+/20 (November 2007)

Dow's Late Bottled Vintage Port 1996: Good hue, deep blood red, no sign of excessive age, with good depth of colour. Pleasing nose, with chocolate and oil of orange edged raspberry fruit. Quite smoothly integrated on the palate, with moderately rich texture together with stylish, almost creamy fruit. Good tannins behind it all. A middle-weight at most. With an increase in temperature in the glass it became disjointed and tired - I much preferred it on the cool side. With that in mind, good. 15/20 (November 2003)

Dow's Quinta do Bomfim Vintage Port 1995: Good, appropriate colour - a deep purple-black. A fairly classic nose, with black fruits, figs, and a touch of chocolate. A nicely balanced palate, not overdone, with plenty of fruit at the fore. Sweet, nicely textured, with good acidity. Good integrated alcohol. An approachable, nicely styled Port for drinking now. Unlike some others I'm not convinced this will keep very well. 16/20 (November 2003)

Dow's Quinta do Bomfim Vintage Port 1988: This wine is paler than previous vintages. The nose carries some aromas of molasses but otherwise seems a touch characterless. Medium bodied, but with a weak and hollow midpalate makes for a disappointing wine. There is some soft fruit, together with some bitter tannins and a harsh and disjointed alcoholic finish. Another bottle within a month confirms my first impression. A weak colour, slightly stinky nose here. Disappointing on the palate, with moderate alcohol. Pickling spice complexity, but lacks concentration. This is a poor shadow of the fruit-laden 1986 and more classic and structured 1987. 13/20 (November 2001)

Dow's Quinta do Bomfim Vintage Port 1987: My last bottle of this wine, a single quinta bottling from Dow's in what was a good but not generally declared vintage, due predominantly perhaps to a little wet weather during the harvest, but also due to the state of the market at the time of declaration in 1989. Most of the top companies released single quinta wines rather than vintage ports. The colour is still dark, a touch glossy, and quite dense out to the rim, but with a vibrant and youthful crimson at the very edge. It emits a blast of fruit aroma when freshly opened, which shows more restrained, woody, spicy, sandalwood character, but with a little chocolate, baked raspberry and violet on the edge. The palate is creamy but harmonious, showing grip and structure through the midpalate, although it is not really the predominant feature (in the first few glasses, at least). It has great fruit, a rich composition, and a tenderly creamy finish, although it lets the tannins swim through here also. Lovely length though. Certainly very approachable now, and a great wine for festive celebrations if you are so inclined. Although it doesn't show the cigar and tobacco notes of my previous tasting, it has a more complete integration, and continues to improve. Delightful wine. A 2007 Christmas wine. 17.5/20 (December 2007)

Dow's Quinta do Bomfim Vintage Port 1987: Still showing a lovely and rather youthful depth of colour. Dense, woody, figgy nose, with chocolate and raspberries. Full, sweet, creamy entry, showing complex flavours of freshly rolled tobacco leaf and smouldering cigar alongside more obvious fruit. This is showing real and delightful development since last tasted two years ago. It still has admirable structure but gives even more pleasure now. Wonderfully persistent finish, infused with the aromas of good cigars. Still a touch spirity here and there, but overall really very good. The 1986 might have had more fruit at times, but the 1987 is now showing its true colours as a vintage of real quality. 18/20 (November 2005)

Dow's Quinta do Bomfim Vintage Port 1987: Sampled again, from a half bottle. An attractive colour - deep red-brown, with maturity apparent especially at the rim. On the nose this wine has figgy, woody, spirity aromas. Quite full and rich on the palate, mouth-filling, creamy even once held on the palate, but with evident alcohol as well. Structured, quite sweet, with plenty of power especially on the finish. This has matured considerably more than the equivalent 75cl bottle and I don't rate it so highly. 16.5/20 (November 2003) Label

Dow's Quinta do Bomfim Vintage Port 1987: From a 75cl bottle. A darkly coloured wine, fading to a red-pink rim, with little sign of age. Good character on the nose, with figgy, toasty dark fruits and a hint of smoke, leather and tobacco. Lovely richness pervades the palate, with a robust structure buoying up a svelte, creamily textured wealth of toasty black fruits. Fine acidity and ripe, succulent tannins make this a pleasure to drink. There is so much pleasure to be had from the single quinta Ports of the 1987 vintage. 17.5/20 (November 2003)

Dow's Quinta do Bomfim Vintage Port 1987: Toasty plums, figs and cigar box on the nose. Superb blueberry and plum fruit on the palate, with a big, firm tannic backbone and appropriate balancing acidity providing a strong structure. This wine is well set up for further ageing. 17.5/20 (November 2001)

Dow's Quinta do Bomfim Vintage Port 1986: I have drunk a number of bottles of this alongside the 1987, and this has always been the more fun, exuberant of the two. It still shows well, with a nose displaying some good, easily accessible fruit. Creamy, sweet, open palate. Very easy to drink, with much greater integration of the tannins than I recall from my last tasting. Nevertheless, it is rather straightforward without any great complexity, but that does not make it any less enjoyable. Very good. 16.5/20 (November 2005)

Dow's Quinta do Bomfim Vintage Port 1986: Still some youth evident on the colour. A delightful, fruit-laden nose, which takes considerable time in the glass to open up. Macerated black fruits and figs, covered in a thin layer of chocolate. Rich, full bodied, but quite forward and fruit dominated on the palate. A lovely texture, quite creamy and sweet, to match this fruit. Some powerful tannins in the background, although these really do play a minor role, only showing on the finish. A delicious although not terribly complex wine. 16.5/20 (November 2003)

Dow's Quinta do Bomfim Vintage Port 1986: An elegant red-black hue, and a nose laden with berry fruits, nuances of liquorice and toasty oak. No surprises when it comes to the palate - beautifully textured, supple and elegant, yet rich with black berry fruits. The tannins are just about fully integrated but still have a sufficient presence to provide a firm structured backbone, and there is fresh balancing acidity. A strong finish, although lacking in length. Delicious drinking. 16.5/20 (November 2001)

Dow's Vintage Port 1985: A great colour, and a gentle nose of maturity. An elegantly composed palate, although it still shows quite a little extract, tannin and even a little spirit. Nevertheless it has a very admirable structure, and a supple style that makes it easy to drink now if one appreciates impact and substance in Port. But it should be good for a few years yet, and will evolve but not change much in terms of the pleasure it gives I think. From a Port Styles tasting. 18+/20 (November 2007)

Dow's Vintage Port 1985: This wine has a less dense, red-purple hue. The nose carries lovely, forward aromas of round black fruit. The palate is smoothly textured, with a streak of pure black fruit and very nicely integrated alcohol. Some soft tannins show through on the finish, which has a lovely warming effect with a lovely length. From a 1985 Vintage Port blind tasting. 18/20 (October 2000)

Dow's Vintage Port 1983: Quite a dark hue to this wine, with dense, chewy fruits on the nose. Rich and structured on the palate, which is reserved rather than lush or open. A huge core of tannin, especially on the finish. Sweet and dense fruit, and lovely extract. This is mouthfilling and savoury. Good length. Drinking well now despite that tannin, but will benefit from another 5-10 years in the cellar. From a 1983 Vintage Port blind tasting. 18/20 (November 2003)

Dow's Vintage Port 1970: This was a wonderful old Port. Having faded to a raspberry red colour, with just a little note of tawny at the rim, it was in excellent condition. Molasses and black fruits on the nose, with a velvet textured palate and fine, soft, integrated tannins. Figgy, with good fruit and strong alcohol, particularly on the finish. A lovely, warming length. 17/20 (November 2001)

Tasting notes are ordered by date of tasting, most recent first.

Dow's Ten Year Old Tawny NV: Current release at the time of tasting. An attractive orange-tawny hue. A good baked character on the nose, notes of raisins and nuts. A good texture, with a nice, feral, furry edge. Appealing weight and impact, and a nice, woody grip. Good for a ten-year old. From a Port Styles tasting. 16.5/20 (November 2007)

Dow's Forty Year Old Tawny NV: Current release at the time of tasting. Not available in the UK, I am informed. A toasty brown hue, this wine has an evident and appropriate complexity on the nose, which carries sweetly perfumed fruit and aromatic wood spices. Lovely substance on the palate, especially for the wine's age. Great flavour, still showing some fruit which is impressive, and it has a lovely presence in the mouth. Grip and spice, and a delightful silky smoothness laid over the flesh of the wine. This is very good indeed. From a Port Styles tasting. 18+/20 (November 2007)

Dow's Crusted Port NV: Bottled 2002. A deep colour. Current release at the time of tasting. Sweet fruit on a rather furry nose. This has a gentle style, although it has a lovely creaminess to it, and it has a nice backbone, although that is not to say it is packed with grip. Attractive sweet raspberry and white chocolate. This is appealing and easily approachable. Impressive for the style. From a Port Styles tasting. 16.5-17+/20 (November 2007)

Dow's Midnight Port NV: A good dark hue, but only moderate intensity. A waft of spirit on the nose, which blows off to leave figgy-chocolate notes. It has a decent texture, which holds well through to the finish. Some black fruits with a creamy note if held on the palate, but not an overtly rich wine. Soft, integrated low level of tannins. Throughout the palate there is a somewhat harsh acidity. Short length. Some bad points here, but it is drinkable. 14/20 (November 2003)

Dow's Crusted Port NV: This has a much better colour. Figs, molasses and spice on the nose come through on the palate also. Fairly good balance of alcohol, acidity and weight. 14/20 (November 2001)