1998 Dow's Vintage Port Quinta Senhora Da Ribeira 75cl / 20%

A bottle of Dow's 1998 Quinta Senhora da Ribeira single quinta Vintage Port, the first vintage since the Symington family reacquired the property, having originally bought it back in 1890 before selling it in 1954 due to challenging trade conditions. In the intervening years Dow's purchased the fruit from the estate and continued to make the wine, with it forming the core of their vintage wines.

'Low yields produced potentially outstanding wines, prospects of a fully declared vintage dashed by rain during harvest; still very deep and youthful, opaque; not very expressive on the nose (just a phase in its evolution, I suspect); fine, dense, and tight knit, with some flesh, yet showing characteristic Dow austerity (2.95º Baumé), a dark-chocolate core (80% cocoa solids), and cast-iron tannins; big and solid with a fabulous, explosive finish.  Top-notch single-estate Port that would benefit from another 5 years in bottle. 18/20.' Richard Mayson, writing in 2012.

This 1998 Dow's Vintage Port sold at our online auction for £35