Dow's 1980
Vintage Port
Often overshadowed by the 1977 but now showing real pedigree.
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. Drinking extremely well now, and is a very good buy, as it fetches modest prices yet is much better than other more expensive years."
Press Comments
Approachable now, but capable of further positive evolution, the 1980 is lush and supple, with abundant chocolate and dried-spice flavors and a long, warming finish. Drink now-2025
"Dark to medium ruby colour, a fine bottle of “my favoutite Port of the vintage.” Gorgeous aroma of mint, tar and black cherry keep my nose to the glass. A perfectly balanced Port, young at heart and in a word, harmonious. At 25 years old, it is still upswing and shows dense plum and cherry flavours with sinful chocolate that weights in on the finish, which is long and smooth. The structure of this wine has allowed it to show well for a decade now, with at least another to continue improving and with a long plateau thereafter. The Dow’80 is one of my top ten wines of the decade".
"Deep fruitcake, pepper and cinnamon notes lace the nose of evolved blackcurrant fruit. The rich, voluptuous, somewhat savoury palate is spiked with hints of meat and leather. Walnut skins, bay leaves and minerals make an appearance on the warm finish."
“Very youthful concentrated crimson with gradated rim. Rich, savoury, liquorice. Rather raw note on the nose but an interesting burnt character too. This is a super-confident wine bursting on to the palate. Very youthful and powerful. Tannins a little bit obvious but un-ignorable!”
“A forgotten wine that has always been outstanding. Firm and tight, with raspberry and all-spice character. Full-bodied and sweet, with a long, long finish. Approachable now; best from 2002 through 2008.”
"Huge colour, massive, spicy, tobacco-y aromas, packed with fruit. A superb wine”.
"A thick dark, brooding vintage port with rich, tarry, dry concentration and masses of underlying blackcurrant fruit. A wine that will age for another decade or more but which is drinking very well now, too. One of my favourite 1980’s”.
"An impeccable mature Port. What more could you want".
"What great Vintage Ports are all about. A seductive, spice and sandalwood-scented mouthful."
"The 1980 is very, very good…"
Additional Information
For more information about Dow's, please visit
http://www.dows-port.com/
Click here to download the wine specification sheet.