"The 2016 Vintage Port, bottled in May for release in October 2018, is mostly a 48/31 blend of Touriga Franca and Touriga Nacional, with various other grapes and some very old vines for the rest. It comes in with 111 grams of residual sugar. This is a very elegant Dow's, but there is certainly both power and concentration lurking underneath. Adding fine fruit, it is expressive and sophisticated, a very refined offering that seems not quite as burly as in some years. It is still exceptionally appealing, but it was curiously understated when seen. Some bottle shock, perhaps? The fresh 2016 Vintage? This is an illustration of Charles Symington's philosophy, as relayed to me, that the "wines should be in harmony from the first day." I don't think this will be a great Dow's, but it is an enjoyable one. If it wakes up, it might be entitled to an uptick. For the moment, between the top blends in the Symington stable, I'd lean to Graham's as the best in this vintage. Both are easily outclassed by the single-plot wines. There were 5,480 cases produced." - Mark Squires (July 2018)
Food-Pairing
Een heerlijk digestief, maar kan ook worden vergezeld van rijke oude kazen, pure chocolade of chocolademousse.
Druiven: Touriga Nacional, Touriga Franca, Sousao & andere oudere druiven
De druiven van Dow zijn afkomstig van vijf van de beste wijngaarden in de Douro-vallei - Quinta do Bomfim, Quinta da Senhora da Ribeira, Quinta do Santinho, Quinta de Cerdeira en Quinta da Fonte Branca - met in totaal 133 hectare wijnstokken. Deze vijf landgoederen vormen de ruggengraat van de grootste portwijnen van Dow
Alcoholgehalte
20%
Conserveren en serveren
Serveren op keldertemperatuur bij 12 - 15ºC.
Decanteren voor het serveren. Na opening maximum 2 dagen houdbaar.
Critics & Awards
98/100 - Neal Martin, vinous.com, June 2018
97/100 - Wine Enthusiast
96/100 - James Suckling, JamesSuckling.com, May 2018
93/100 - Robert Parker's Wine Advocate July 2018
18/20 - Jancis Robinson MW, JancisRobinson.com, May 2018
The 2016 Dow’s Vintage Port is based around the Vinha dos Ecos vineyard behind Bomfim, populated predominantly by mature Touriga Franca vines that were cropped at just 0.68kg per vine. It has a quite astonishing bouquet with layer upon layer of intense black cherry and cassis fruit, touches of clove, leather and a hint of over-ripe Satsuma. This is a mercurial bouquet that keeps changing in the glass, revealing smoky/burning ember scents with time. The palate is quite magnificent – perfectly balanced with a killer thread of acidity slicing through such pure intense black fruit that there is no heaviness at all. There is a sense of thrust on the finish as it fans out with almost careless abandon, a Vintage Port so self-assured that you can only sit back in amazement. Simply one of the best Dow’s ever made. Drink 2030 - 2086.