2011 - Dow's, Vintage

The 2011 Dow Vintage Port was made from no less than 44 separate ferments from finest fruit sourced from Quinta do Bomfim (35% of the blend), Quinta da Senhora da Ribeira (42%) and the Santinho (14%) and Cerdeira (6%) estates. Just six of the best lots were used in the final blend, which consists of 40% Touriga Franca, 36% Touriga Nacional, 10% Sousao and 14% of old vine plantings. It has a beautiful, quite extravagant bouquet with copious black and red fruit, Indian spice, and hints of menthol and orange rind that unfold wonderfully in the glass. The palate is a sumptuous affair, one that is beautifully balanced with velvety smooth, plump tannins, copious black fruit with a harmonious, white pepper-tinged finish that is a decadent delight. This is one of the finest of the declarations of 2011 Vintage Ports, a sublime expression of the vintage you would be foolish not to buy. This is Dow at its best. 5,000 cases have been declared. Tasted May 2013. Importer: Premium Port Wines; www.premiumport.com

Deep, saturated dark ruby. Penetrating aromas of black cherry, violet, lavender, licorice, dark tobacco and minerals. Then plush and elegant in the mouth, with outstanding depth and a hint of youthful bitterness to the superconcentrated flavors of black raspberry and spices. The wine's perfectly integrated acidity and floral lift give the finish great hang time. With 48 hours in the recorked bottle, this beauty showed its powerful underlying medicinal reserve without losing its freshness. Should be a wonderful follow-up to the splendid 2007 Dow--and very long-lived. Snap this one up and grow old gracefully with it.

Tobacco nose and then the most extraordinary texture. So voluptuous and I could love it tonight! So appetising and beautifully balanced. Long. So complete. Tea leaves. So exciting. Such intensity than the tannins are barely perceptible. Lip smacking. (JR)