Winemaker's Notes:
#14 Wine Spectator Top 100 of 2010
We are pleased to announce the declaration of our Dow's 2007 Vintage Port, a wine of very
great quality with the pedigree of such wines as the Dow's 1896, 1908, 1945, 1966 and 2000.
Dow's ranking amongst the finest producers of Vintage Port derives from the excellence of
our two vineyards, Quinta do Bomfim and Quinta da Senhora da Ribeira, from which
generations of our family have developed the distinctive dry Dow's style.
2007 was undoubtedly one of the best years we have ever seen for Touriga Nacional, a
variety that can suffer from excessive heat. The cooler temperatures registered during the
final growing period paved the way for ideal maturations, lending the Nacional excellent
sugar/acidity balance and ideal phenolic ripeness. We therefore decided on a final blend that
comprised of 54% Touriga Nacional. The latter was sourced from low-yielding parcels of the
Bomfim vineyard, which produced wines with Dow's typically austere character and also
from Senhora da Ribeira which by comparison delivered slightly richer wines.
The other key component (26%) of the Dow's 2007 is the Touriga Franca which realized its
full development potential given its late ripening characteristics, well suited to the cooler
conditions of the year. Sourced from Senhora da Ribeira and the neighboring and family
owned Santinho and Cerdeira vineyards, the Franca shows prominent violet aromas and
softer, sweeter tannins which complement the Touriga Nacional. |