Dow's 2003
Vintage Port
2003 follows the traditional Dow’s Vintage Port style; drier than the other leading houses while retaining the traditional richness that is characteristic of all great Vintage Port. A wine with immense power and structure.
Description
Maturation studies had taken place on a daily basis in all our vineyards since mid August and given the advanced condition of maturity, picking started at Bomfim on the 18th September, some 5 days earlier than the norm and at Dow’s Senhora de Ribeira on the 22nd September. The gap between the rain at the end of August and the picking date having been carefully timed to get maximum advantage of the former.
It was a little hot in September: daytime temperatures were in the low 30º’s and nightime temperatures around 18º. Consequently the grapes were coming into the wineries quite warm, especially in the afternoons. Cooling equipment was important.
The fruit was in quite excellent condition and Baumé’s were very good indeed (but not excessive): At Bomfim, the Touriga Franca gave 12.2º, Roriz 12.4º and Touriga Nacional gave 13.8º. At Senhora de Ribeira, the old vines gave 13.3º Baumé.
Yields were very low, with the old vines giving just 0.87 kg/vine at Senhora de Ribeira. This translates into 2,370 kg/ha. Bomfim gave 4,522 kg/ha, with Touriga Nacional giving 1.14 kg/vine. The PH of the musts were not excessively high and almost the same as in the preceding harvest, again proof that the summer heat had not been excessive and had not caused imbalances in the ripening process.
The wines from Bomfim were partially made at Sol in the robotic lagares and partly in the small concrete fermenters at Bomfim that have consistently made outstanding wines over so many years. All the Senhora de Ribeira wines were made at the Quinta in the traditional lagares and the robotic lagares. The temperature controls allowed for a well-managed fermentation, with plenty of time to work the must. The colour and aroma of the must was exceptional, a direct result of the good fruit on the vine at the time of picking.
Our Expert's Recommendation
"This young wine should be allowed to age in its own bottle for at least 15 to 20 years from the time it is bottled to achieve its optimum maturity. For those who prefer to drink their Vintage Port young, 4 to 5 years are sufficient."
Press Comments
A powerhouse , but one that shows a certain degree of lushness to its robust blackberry and mint flavors. Finishes long and minerally, bolstered by slightly drying tannins. Should be more approachable by 2015 and last for three decades beyond that.
"Aromas of blackberry and licorice follow through to a full-bodied palate, with lots of sweetness, fine tannins and a caressing, textured finish. Refined".
“Dense yet very bright and vivid ruby-purple colour. A bit spirity on the nose at first, but then beautiful, spicy black fruit emerges along with a lovely, almost floral impression backed by smoky herbs. Crisp acidity gives the wine great structure on the palate – Dow usually carries an impression of less sweetness than Graham, and in this vintage that medium sweetness is perfectly balanced with both acidity and a stony minerality. All in all, this Dow has exceptional balance, the sort of urgent restraint that can win over wine lovers who drink Port, and young Vintage Port especially, is sweet. This is an exceptionally appealing wine”.
“Full ruby. Knockout nose features black cherry, blackberry and licorice pastille. Rich and sappy on the palate, with a suave, velvety texture and unusual power for a young Dow. Flavors of kirsch, minerals and licorice are not at all overly sweet. In fact, this is ultimately quite taut, focused and powerful, with a very firm core of fruit. Finishes firmly tannic, highly aromatic and quite long. A 2003 of outstanding purity and precision, in need of 15+ years of aging. May ultimately merit an even higher score”.
"Aromas of blackberries and licorice follow through to a full-bodied palate, with lots of sweetness, fine tannins and a caressing, textured finish. A refined Dow."
“The black kernel of flavour that often forms the core of a Dow vintage is there in this wine, surrounded in ‘03 by juicy sweetness. Firm, bitter chocolate tannins are present behind the lush, honeyed fruit; savoury herbs parallel the sweeter, floral tones. Rounder and more approachable than most young Dow vintages, this wine’s structure is masked, and it’s not clear whether it’s a 20-year vintage or longer”.
“‘A dark, dense wine, packed with dry fruits and firm tannins. There are coffee and bitter cherry flavours. All these elements come together to produce a dry but fruity style of wine, which, like all Dow wines, is sure to age well”.
“The complex aromatics of the opaque, black-coloured 2003 Dow Vintage Port display chocolate, dried oak, black cherries, blackberries, copious spices, and a myriad flowers. This fresh, backward wine offers a medium to full-bodied, deeply concentrated core of spice-laced dark fruits. Softly-textured and seductive in the mid-palate, it boasts abundant layers of candied Damson plums, blueberries, black cherries, molasses, and hints of chocolate before revealing its firm structure. Extremely youthful and primary, this exceptional effort demands patience”.
“Closed, solid and giving little away on the nose. Quite rich for Dow (the driest of Symington’s) with sweet fruit toned down by solid tannins rising in the mouth. A bruiser that will take a good 20 years to come round”.
“Deep, rich and powerful, fleshy fruit with real depth and concentration; broad, ripe tannins and a big finish. Powerful wine for the long term. 2025 onwards”.
"Very dark opaque ruby-purple colour. It’s floral nose which also displays black cherry, blackberry and obvious notes of chocolate coming to the fore... This Dow is atypically sweet (3.7 Baume), it is so big and dense in the mouth, it literally packs a fruit filled wallop. This infant is deftly balanced, with a concentrated intensity and underlying covert tannic structure. It has all the stuffing not only to age for many decades, but to wind up in the very upper echelon of this fine vintage. I have never enjoyed a very young Dow as much as this one. A fabulous “benchmark” Port for the ages."
“The tiger-core most backward of all port served. Dark berries, bitter chocolate with very solid frame and yet equally dense and concentrated. Tasting this wine reminded me of Chateau Latour. Tannin, powerful, substantial and multi-layers. Showing more cassis and mineral on the palate, with balancing verve and gripped. Youthful and need time resolve the tannin”.
“Very intensive Purplish crimson. Big, broad, burly with an attractively savoury finish…Very fleshy and opulent – the weight of fruit all but masks the tannins (which are certainly there but very fine) completely”.
“Thick and velvety, with loads of fruit and a chocolaty, berry and raspberry character. Big velvety tannins and a long, long finish. Dow shows class here”.
Additional Information
For more information about Dow's, please visit
http://www.dows-port.com/
Click here to download the wine specification sheet.