RED WINE

DOWS 20 YRS TAWNY PORT

In the barrel-ageing process, aged tawny Ports are
subjected to a gradual transformation through contact with air and wood. This
results in considerable evaporation and concentration, with approximately 35%
of the original volume of a 20-year-old tawny disappearing before it is
eventually bottled. Constant attention is needed as maturing barrels and vats
of varied sizes will show marked differences as they age. The master blender,
cellar master and coopers all play their parts in nurturing the maturing wines
until finally a beautifully balanced aged tawny Port emerges. Dow’s Aged
Tawnies have a singular identity which strives to balance the proportion of
wood character with the original fine fruit flavours. To achieve this style,
the Dow’s tasters have traditionally aged a proportion of their ageing tawnies
in the larger well-seasoned oak balseiros, with capacities ranging from 5,000
to 10,000 liters. The result is that the Dow’s Aged Tawnies retain an
attractive fruit character and lose less intensity over the years, with a
deeper colour than most. This, combined with the hallmark drier style of Dow’s,
creates unique Ports with a distinctive style