The long history of Dow's began in 1798 when Bruno da Silva, a Portuguese merchant from Porto, embarked on a journey that reversed that of the early British merchants. Bruno settled in London, from where he imported wine from his native country. He married an Englishwoman and quickly became part of London society, where his business acumen led to a fine reputation for his ports. Today, Great Britain remains one of the largest export countries for Dow's port. This memorable house has also established a strong presence in the Netherlands.
This Dow's Tawny is made from the classic port grapes Tinta Barocca, Tinta Roriz, Touriga Franca, and Touriga Nacional. These grapes form the basis of many fine port wines. In the vineyards for all these grapes, a lot of work is done during the growing season. For example, extensive pruning is required to ensure the bunches receive as much sunlight as possible. When the winemaker has decided the grapes have reached perfect ripeness, each varietal is harvested and pressed separately. Yes, that pressing—that's still a special thing about Dow's. This pressing is best when the grapes are crushed very evenly. A very good, but intensive, method was invented for this long ago. Dow's is one of the few that still uses this method and also wants to keep it instant. However, this requires a lot of manpower, as the grapes are all crushed with (naturally clean) bare feet. All the men and/or women stand in a large container and hold each other by the shoulders. At a leisurely pace, all the grapes are carefully crushed, allowing the finest juice to flow directly into the tanks. Because there are fewer and fewer men and women practicing this trade, Dow's has developed a machine that can gradually take over this method in the future. However, as long as it's not necessary, they will use it as little as possible.
The result of all this intensive work is truly phenomenal. The craftsmanship, from the vineyard to the pressing, is evident in the love and care this port exudes. This port is made from three-year-old port wines, from which the final blend is created. These wines have all been aged in small wooden barrels, resulting in a wonderfully full and intense flavor. The use of small barrels creates more depth in the port than in the Ruby. An attractive yellow-brown color. DOW's Tawny Port Master Blend combines velvety aromas of caramel and nuts with deliciously ripe fruit like apricots, with hints of nuts. The palate is fresh and beautifully balanced with a long, light finish.
