2007 Dow

[Alex Bridgeman]

Deep red with a violet rim and a centre that was almost transparent. Sweet fruit on the nose, together with touches of herbs such as coriander and curry. The tannins grab control as soon as the wine enters the mouth and dominate fiercely, not really allowing the fruit to become the centre of attention without a lot of hard work. The acidity burns on swallowing but the flavours that follow are mouthfilling and enjoyable. Well made and with plenty to offer, but probably in the bottom half of the ports sampled. 85-87.
I note with some caution that the sample of Dow I tasted as a snapshot at a presentation by the Symingtons of their 2007 ports, I rated at 90-92 points. It is possible that the bottle I was able to sample over several days was flawed in some way.