Dow's 1963
Vintage Port
For Dow, this was the last vintage to be entirely trodden in "lagares".
Description
Youth and power are important characteristics of Dow 1963.
Our Expert's Recommendation
"This wine is now beginning to reach its full maturity and is likely to be ready for drinking. As it ages further, it will begin to develop gently into a more tawny style wine. Fabulous in magnums."
Press Comments
Perfectly mature, this Port's tannins have softened over the past 40-plus years, leaving it lushly textured and displaying rich fig and chocolate flavors. Finishes long, picking up a touch of almond to go with the fig, flavors Symington calls "Dow's hallmarks". Drink now-2015, longer if you prefer very mature wines.
Mid to pale ruby with a brick rim. Wonderfully mature, complex nose with dried fruits – prunes? – but freshness too. Hint of dark chocolate. Alcohol wonderfully integrated. Then on the palate a real dancer of a wine – perfectly lively and truly tonic on the palate. Real delicacy – not desperately sweet, just beautifully balanced. Very very clean finish with a definite whisper of tannin on the finish. The Syms reckons this would be one of the top four or five vintage ports of the 20th century by anyone´s reckoning and certainly it demonstrated to me exactly what I love about really mature, top quality vintage port – a world away from young ruby
...You would have to pay about £100 for a bottle of Dow 1963, at its majestic peak now,...
“Best of the tasting. Beautiful dark-apricot color. Heavenly nose of earth, sweet fruit and chocolate. Rich and round, with plenty of body but seamless, relaxed tastes – like all of the edges have broken down into a warming whole. At the very end, a surprising little sprinkling of cinnamon leaves a glow”.
“Last year, I opened a 1963 Dow's and even after more than 40 years in the bottle, found this thick, fruity vintage exploded on the palate with blackberries, cherries and honey”.
"This is an extraordinary house that seems to have been particularly successful with its vintage port since 1977.The 1963 is a classic, a monumental, rich, still tannic wine that will last at least another 30 years."
"There was a particularly fine magnum at the Dow bicentenary tasting: very deep colour, its rim somewhat indistinct, showing neither youth nor age; classic Spanish root bouquet; still sweet, rich, with marvellous fruit and flesh."
"We all agreed, however, that the Dow was perfection. Medium deep, mature rimmed, with a lively, harmonious bouquet and flavour. Not a hair out of place."
"Impressive depth of purple ruby, with ebullient, ripe fruitiness which belies its age. This is clearly one of the greatest of 1963 ports, with superb concentration of fruitiness, complexity of flavour and abundance of rich tannins. At its peak, yet will continue to make great drinking for at least a decade."
“Tasted from a magnum. This is a wonderfully silky and rich wine. Deep and concentrated raspberry and cherry character, with a hint of spice. Full-bodied and very sweet, with layers of fruit and a long finish.”
“Fullish colour. No undue age. Full, rich and profound. Fresh and classy and on the dry side. Very fine quality here. Subtle. Multi-dimensional. Bags of life. Very lovely.”
“Intense purple/black hue; holding very well. Lively, forward bouquet of black cherry, dates and a wisp of mint. Loaded with opulent fruit that replicates the nose; ribbons of flavor resonate across the palate with a defined sweetness that coats the finish. A classic vintage port that was heralded when bottled; it hasn’t lost a degree of its intensity.”
“… justified its reputation as one of the classics…”
"Incredibly youthful and powerful…concentrated black cherry and earth aromas, full-bodied, with intense berry flavors, full hard tannins and an excellent finish."
Additional Information
For more information about Dow's, please visit
http://www.dows-port.com/
Click here to download the wine specification sheet.