ThePortForum.com

I've been consulting your tasting notes for a couple months now, and I thought I might as well register in case I decide I want to post some of my own. And I got the "please introduce yourself" email, which I'm doing now.

My name is John, and I live in Beaumont, Texas, which is on the Gulf Coast, about 30 miles from the Louisiana border..

I'm not knowledgeable at all about Port, but that hasn't stopped me from acquiring a half a dozen cases or so. I had a '63 Dow a couple years ago, and I realized I was missing something. And lately, I've been finding much less interested in whatever happens to be the red vin du jour (or more likely the vin d'avant-hier--I'm not very fashionable), and quite drawn to Ports and Mareiras. (I know Madeira's not Port, but they seem pretty similar to me.)

Those "half a dozen or so cases" consist of a few bottles of the '63 Dow, plus a case each of Dow's 1977, 1983, 1985, 1994, 2000, and 2007, Warre's 1991, Smith Woodhouse's 1983, and about three more mixed cases of Fonseca, Graham, Croft, Quinto de Vesuvio, and Delaforce Corte, mostly on the young side (none older than 1985).

I really liked the '63 Dow when I had it a couple years ago, but less so last year, which I put down to a leaky cork. I've found Kopke's 20YO tawny quite enjoyable, the 10YO less so. I also really liked the Rare Wine Company's New York Malmsey and Boston Bual Madieras. And I've found the Madeira-style wines produced by Haak Winery in Santa Fe, Texas, to be pretty darned good too. I like being able to drink the bottle over the course of a week or so, so the vintage Ports tend to get passed over for tawnys or Madeira.

But I'm thinking it's about time to open a bottle of the '77 Dow. Anyone have any recommendations on how long I should plan to let that sit in the decanter before drinking it?

Hi John,

Welcome to and thanks for posting your introduction.

You have some very good ports in that collection and I am sure they will give you lots of pleasure in the years to come.

I would recommend giving the Dow 77 six to eight hours in the decanter. When this wine shows well it is still a baby and will last for decades. However, there does tend to be some bottle variation and occasionally it just doesn't live up to its reputation. I do hope you have a good one

Please do post your tasting notes here. It really helps others when they are deciding what to buy or open next.

Derek

Hi John, and welcome.

You have a beautiful collection of port and especially the cases of Dow are enviable. Derek's advice on the Dow 77 is sound. Let us know what you thought of it!

Hi John, welcome!

The 1977 and 1994 Dows are both fabulous, though my experience with the 1977 has included more than normal VA. Since you like Madeira, though, you probably wouldn't have even noticed. I'm not really bothered by VA in Port either (as long as it isn't overpowering), but I know that many people are.

Another Dow for you to acquire if you can find it would be the 1980. It is probably the Port of the vintage, or at the very least in the top 3.

+1 on Derek's advice for decanting the 1977. I would taste it a couple of times during the decanting period, though, just in case the VA starts to grow. Once in the 2-3 hour range and again in the 4-5 hour range should be sufficient (and still leave enough in the decanter for the designated purpose).

Ditto on the Dow 1980 recommendation from Glenn - one of my all time favourite Vintage Ports - but you will have to be prepared to wait 20 years fr it to be mature

I opened the '77 Dow and started my first tasting note. (viewtopic.php?f=2&t=3788) Unfortunately, after looking through Wikipedia's "wine fault" page, I think the word for this wine is "maderized." Which is not entirely unexpected. I opened this particular bottle because I thought it showed signs of seepage.

Welcome indeed. Dow is good news.

You might also like to watch the Port for sale by retailer thread, which includes US retailers, some of whom ship nationwide.