"93 Points - Neal Martin, Vinous.com
The 1985 Dow’s Vintage Port has a gorgeous, very pure bouquet with mulberry, leather, terracotta tiles on a warm day, and hints of clove all beautifully defined. The palate is very well balanced with supple tannin, lightly spiced on the entry, touches of liquorice and black pepper, curry powder and ginger with a very harmonious and long finish. This may well be the pick of the 1985 declarations and appears to have edged past the Taylor Fladgate 1985 in recent years. Tasted at the "Big Fortified Tasting" in London. Drinking Window 2018 - 2040 - Reviewed May 2018"
The story of Dow’s, unusual amongst all the great Port houses, began in 1798 when a Portuguese merchant, Bruno da Silva, did the opposite of most contemporary Port merchants by establishing himself in London. New partners later entered the thriving company, which became Silva & Cosens and then Dow’s when the two merged in 1877. Andrew James Symington joined as partner in 1912 and since then five generations of Symingtons have worked in the family company and in its Douro vineyards. Dow’s was one of the first companies to invest in Douro vineyards, acquiring Quinta da Senhora da Ribeira in 1890 (25 hectares) and Quinta do Bomfim in 1896 (61 hectares). These two riverside estates define the style of Dow’s Ports and each has its own small lagar winery where the finest Dow’s Ports are made, including the unique Dow’s Vintage Ports, Late Bottled Vintage, Reserve and Old Tawnies.
