Vintage port: A tasting of Dow's
Lovers of vintage port have been given some advice from a wine journalist, who was lucky enough to be served six Dow's ports after dinner recently.
Writing in Canadian paper the Telegraph-Journal, sommelier Craig Pinhey said the evening began with chateau Lamothe de Haux from Bordeaux to accompany dinner, before moving onto dessert with a variety of vintage ports.
The Dow's 2000 Vintage, according to Mr Pinhey, is still young and therefore "has lots of tannin, with a nose of black pepper, leather and dark fruit" - "try it again in 20 years", he advised.
Meanwhile, Dow's 1970 Vintage was much more developed, exhibiting a "nose of dried fruit" and "completely soft" tannins.
In other news, Quinta do Noval recently declared its 2008 Vintage Port, which is said to be markedly different in personality from the preceding 2007 vintage.
Unlike wines, which usually have a vintage each year, vintage ports are only declared in what are considered to be the best years.