Producer >
The roots of Dow’s standing as a great Port house reach back over 200 years. Throughout the 19th and 20th centuries, Dow’s Vintage Ports have been landmark wines in virtually every great year, consistently setting the standard amongst all Port houses. Vintage Ports such as the remarkable Dow 1896, the 1927, 1945 1955, 1963 and so on until the Dow 1994 are all legends in the history of this great wine. These Ports are still magnificent today, even when 50 or 100 years old. Few wines can claim this quality and pedigree. In 1912, Andrew Symington became a partner in Dow’s and today five members of the family own and work in the company: they personally manage all aspects of winemaking from the vineyard to the final bottling.
Viticulture >
2017 was the second driest year on record in the Douro and the hottest of the last four
decades. Between March and September, the cumulative rainfall deficit averaged 50%.
The dry, mild winter was followed by a hot spring, with seasonal temperatures 2.6°C
above the average. However, the resilient regional grape varieties adjusted early on to the
exceptionally dry conditions that prevailed from the outset of the year. Unsurprisingly,
the precocity of the year’s vegetative cycle resulted in the earliest vintage ever recorded;
picking starting on September 3rd. The heat abated a little during September, especially
nocturnal temperatures, a highly beneficial situation reflected in the very high quality of
the grapes received in the winery. The outcome of the vintage surpassed all expectations.
Winemaking >
This 2017 Late Bottled Vintage (LBV) shares the same provenance with Dow’s legendary
Vintage Ports, namely the Quinta do Bomfim and Quinta da Senhora da Ribeira
vineyards, which have been owned by Dow’s since the late 19th century. Five generations
of Symington family winemakers have tended these vineyards, deriving from them
Dow’s distinctive wine profile, characterised by intense, structured wines with fresh
black fruit flavours, peppery tannins and a hallmark drier style. The grapes from both
properties were trodden in the on-site modern lagares, which equip the Quinta do
Bomfim and Quinta da Senhora da Ribeira wineries.
Touriga Franca, Touriga Nacional, Sousão, Tinta Barroca, Tinta Roriz.
Red
20%
Portugal
Douro Valley
6
Cork
Dow's
75cl
Fact Sheet
