DOW

This packs a lot of fun, with a wallop of blackberry, fig, boysenberry and açai berry compote flavors working together, laced with a mouthwatering licorice snap note and driven by a fresh, well-detailed finish. A roasted apple wood accent is integrated as well, lending textural contrast through the vivacious finish. Drinking range: 2030 - 2055 Rating: 98 James Molesworth, The Wine Spectator (Oct 2018)

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. Drinking range: 2026 - 2065 Rating: 93 Mark Squires, robertparker.com (Jul 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. Drinking range: 2030 - 2086 Rating: 98 Neal Martin, www.vinous.com (Jun 2018)

Extremely dark blackish crimson (like Graham 2016!). Rather savoury and minerally on the nose. Such a strong, almost minty personality. Lovely blend of freshness and ripeness, though some may reproach it for slightly less tannins than others. Lovely briny impact. Relatively forward, possibly tempting to drink it quite young? Drinking range: 2035 - 2065 Rating: 18 Jancis Robinson OBE MW - www.JancisRobinson.com (May 2018)

Without the flamboyance and showmanship of Graham’s this is a wine which might, by comparison, seem a little reluctant but this is not the case. Dow’s is controlled, detailed, very fine and it rolls along on the palate for an age. Classy, dense and self-confident, this is a darker-hued creation with calmness and concentration and it is a very successful wine in 2016. Rating: 19+ Matthew Jukes www.matthewjukes.com (May 2018)

Based on Touriga Franca, followed by Touriga Nacional and Sousão from Quinta do Bomfim at Pinhão and Quinta Senhora da Ribeira in the Douro Superior: fine and focused on the nose, leaner and more restrained in style than either Graham or Quinta do Vesuvio (below) with underlying dusty tannins; rapier like tannins on the palate, ram rod, all the way through with the opulence and flesh of the fruit coming through on the finish. Great purity and expression, the drier style of Dow works well in ripe years like 2016. Outstanding wine for the long term. 5480 cases in total. Rating: 19 Richard Mayson, www.richardmayson.com  (May 2018)

Without the flamboyance and showmanship of Graham’s this is a wine which might, by comparison, seem a little reluctant but this is not the case. Dow’s is controlled, detailed, very fine and it rolls along on the palate for an age. Classy, dense and self-confident, this is a darker-hued creation with calmness and concentration and it is a very successful wine in 2016.Matthew Jukes www.matthewjukes.com (May 2018)

Aromas of blueberries, blackberries and dried flowers plus hints of slate follow through to a full body, very fine tannins and a driven and linear finish. Orange peel and dried fruit. Sleek and racy. Ready to try in 2024. Rating: 96 James Suckling, www.jamessuckling.com (May 2018)