Dow's 10 Years Old Tawny Port

For over two centuries, the DOW name has been associated with the finest port wines from the vineyards of the Upper Douro Valley. Throughout the 20th century and into the 21st, the Symington family built on the legacy of the preceding Silva and Dow families. Today, Dow's ports are still crafted with great dedication in the Quinta do Bomfim and Quinta da Senhora da Ribeira vineyards. This ensures the exceptionally high quality of this fine port house.

The rich history of Dow's port

It began in 1798 when Bruno da Silva, a Portuguese merchant from Porto, embarked on a journey that was the opposite of that of the early British merchants. Bruno settled in London, from where he imported wine from his native country. He married an Englishwoman and quickly became part of London society, where his business acumen led to a good reputation for his ports. But the outbreak of the Napoleonic Wars jeopardized his business. Undeterred, Bruno da Silva requested that his ships be equipped with cannons to protect themselves from the sea. Many years later, port wines are still widely consumed in Great Britain and certainly beyond.

Dow's Old Port Traditions

Dow's is almost the only port still making grapes pressed using bare feet. The grapes are placed in concrete tanks, after which a group of men, arms on each other's shoulders, crush the grapes with their bare feet. This centuries-old tradition is held in high regard at Dow's. And the winemaker explains that it makes a significant difference because the pressing is so much more even. Because workers are becoming increasingly scarce, Dow's built a special machine in 2001 that also presses the grapes evenly, just like with bare feet. Nevertheless, much of the production continues using the centuries-old method.

The Dow's 10 Year Old Port

Dow's cellars hold thousands of barrels containing various vintages of port wines. All the old ports are aged in wooden barrels and contribute to the consistent quality of this 10-Year-Old Port, among others. For this 10-Year-Old Port, the Dow's winemaker blends various vintages of port wines with an average age of 10 years. So, we can say this port is at least 10 years old, but it could also contain very old port. But that's the craftsmanship of Dow's, and connoisseurs know better than anyone that it's been consistent for years.

Full and very powerful this Dow's 10 Years Old Tawny Port

On the nose, this Dow's 10-Year-Old Tawny Port offers notes of almond, currants, black fruit, and a touch of dark chocolate. The palate is smooth and very refined, with lovely hints of dried fruit, vanilla, and stewed cherries.