2016 Dow's - Vintage Port

Dow's traces its roots to the Portuguese merchant Bruno da Silva, whose company merged with Dow & Co. in 1877, an arrangement that saw the two firms keep the Dow's name that has carried through to today. Da Silva was notable in his own right, having secured Royal permission to arm his ships during the Napoleonic Wars, making his the only Port shipper to provide its own armed protection across the Bay of Biscay. Dow's has long been owned by the Symington family, whose winemakers have worked the house's vineyards for generations, and the brand is known for a drier, more structured style than most other Port houses.

This Vintage Port draws primarily on fruit from Quinta do Bomfim, acquired by the firm in 1896 and the oldest quinta still in continuous ownership by one house, along with Quinta de Senhora da Ribeira. Both properties sit on south-facing schist slopes above the Douro River near Pinhão, and Dow's traditionally lets fermentation run a touch longer than other houses, a practice that produces its signature drier finish. The wine aged in seasoned oak casks for roughly eighteen months before bottling without fining or filtration.

The nose is deep and brooding, marked by black plum, Douro schist, lavender, and violet, with the taut, youthful vigor typical of the house. On the palate it is full bodied and intensely concentrated, with fine, peppery tannins and a long, driven finish. Pair it with candied walnuts, a wedge of Stilton, or dark chocolate truffles.