Dows Late Bottled Vintage Port (LBV)

Description

Dows Late Bottled Vintage Port is a style of Port designed to be ready for drinking on release. It is a Vibrant and fruity wine packed with blackcurrant, liquorice and hints of mint.

Dow’s Port is one of the most famous names in the Port trade and today is owned and managed by the fifth generation of the Symington family. The family, whose experience dates back over 100 years, supervises all the vineyards, winemaking and ageing of this wine. Dows acquired Quinta Senhora da Ribeira and Quinta do Bomfim in 1890 and 1896 respectively which made it one of the first Port firms to invest in their own premium vineyards. The Dow’s Port style is always full-bodied, a little drier and has more peppery / spicy notes than some other Port houses due to the fact they allow their wines to ferment a little longer than most. Dows Late Bottled Vintage Port has won more awards than any other LBV Port and is released in both declared vintage and non-vintage years.

The grapes for Dow’s LBV are principally from Dow’s Quinta do Bomfim and Quinta da Senhora da Ribeira vineyards. This is a typical Douro field blend of Touriga Franca, Touriga Nacional, Sousão, Tinta Barroca and Tinta Roriz. e. The grapes from both properties were trodden in the on-site modern lagares, which equip both the Quinta do Bomfim and Quinta da Senhora da Ribeira wineries.

Dows Late Bottled Vintage Port is lightly fined, i.e. filtered, prior to bottling and therefore not require decanting prior to serving. Once open and kept cool and dark it will keep for 6 to 8 weeks.

What is Late Bottled Vintage Port?

Late Bottled Port is a style of Port that sits somewhere between younger and fruity Ruby styles and wood-aged Single Quinta or Vintage Ports. Late Bottled Vintage Port (also known as LBV) is Port from a single vintage that must be aged for between four and six years in oak cask, prior to bottling and release (compared to two years in oak, followed by bottle ageing for Vintage Port). This extended oak ageing period helps to soften the wine and speeds up the maturation process so the Port is much more drinkable at an early age compared with a Vintage or Single Quinta Port. LBVs can be bottled both filtered and unfiltered.

How Long Can Dows LBV Be Kept?

This Port is bottled ready to drink and will not benefit from further ageing. No need
to decant and once open, it will remain fresh for 6-8 weeks