The 2016 Dow’s Vintage Port could be one of the best Port wines ever made by Dow’s. Seriously. And you can get it for $100 off the retail price. Seriously.
The Featured Wine Pairing of Episode 83: Pairs With 2016 Dow’s Vintage Port and New Music With DJ White Chocolate.
Wine Spectator ~ 98 Points
Decanter ~ 98 Points
Vinuous ~ 98 Points
Is Port Worth The Wait?
Is Port worth the wait? When it’s the 2016 Dow’s Vintage Port, the answer is a resounding yes, even if we’re talking 60 years from now. Vintage Port is a century-long proposal. It is are amongst the longest-lived in the whole wide world of wine. Yet that’s not the #1 reason why Dow’s Vintage Port was Wine Spectator’s Wine of the Year in 2014. They awarded it “for its combination of power, quality, and fair price” adding that Dow’s “stands as a monument to quality and the modernization of the Douro.”
Another reason Port is worth the wait? With their “Eight Ways Wine Will Change in 2021” predictions, Bloomberg declared that “The wine country of 2021 will be Portugal.” Further, they claimed and that, “the thirst for discovery rolls on, and Portugal is becoming the latest hotspot. Why did sales of the country’s wines surge 35.1% in September alone in the US.? It’s simple: quality-price ratio. They’re delicious, food-friendly, inexpensive, and more than worth the cost. Douro Valley reds are stunning.”
That of course includes THE ORIGINAL Douro Red, the wine they take the most national pride in making, Vintage Port. And Dow’s is the ultimate example of a classic in this sometimes-overlooked genre. It’s a no-brainer for investment or enjoyment, especially with huge scores and built to last virtually forever.
Vinuous Describes The 2016 Dow’s Vintage Port
The way Vinuous describes the 2016 Dow’s Vintage Port really nails it. “Based on Touriga Franca with Touriga Nacional and Sousão. Tight-knit, with firm, rapier-like tannins on the palate – a ramrod all the way through with the opulence and flesh of the fruit on the finish. Fine-grained with great purity and expression. Leaner and much more restrained in style than others: the drier style of Dow works really well in ripe years such as 2016 (as it did in 2011). An outstanding wine for the long term.
The 2016 Dow’s Vintage Port is based around the Vinha dos Ecos vineyard behind Bomfim, populated predominantly by mature Touriga Franca vines that were cropped at just 0.68kg per vine. It has a quite astonishing bouquet with layer upon layer of intense black cherry and cassis fruit, touches of clove, leather, and a hint of over-ripe Satsuma. This is a mercurial bouquet that keeps changing in the glass, revealing smoky/burning ember scents with time. The palate is quite magnificent – perfectly balanced with a killer thread of acidity slicing through such pure intense black fruit that there is no heaviness at all. There is a sense of thrust on the finish as it fans out with almost careless abandon, a Vintage Port so self-assured that you can only sit back in amazement. Simply one of the best Dow’s ever made. Drink 2030-2086.
The Critics Go Nuts For Dow’s Vintage Port
When I tell you the critics go nuts for Dow’s Vintage Port, I’m not exaggerating. Robert Parker’s Wine Advocate says: “Folks, I keep saying that Port is one of the world’s greatest wine values. This wine is re-released with some 20 years of age on it. And you get top terroir and a top producer as well. The price points in that context are remarkably low.
Wine Spectator: “This is an insane value as the best price in the US BY FAR, and a finite stash, so hop on the bandwagon, fast!”
Decanter: “This packs a lot of fun, with a wallop of blackberry, fig, boysenberry, and açai berry compote flavors working together. A fresh, well-detailed finish drives this wine. Laced with a mouthwatering licorice snap note. Integrated with a roasted apple wood accent that lends textural contrast through the vivacious finish. Best from 2030 through 2055.
