DOW'S Vintage Port 2003 Bottle

Description

Dow Vintage Port 2003 is a remarkable wine that has garnered high praise, earning 94 points from The Wine Advocate. Pierre Rovani notes its complex aromatics, showcasing chocolate, dried oak, black cherries, and a range of spices, wrapped in an opaque, black-colored appearance. The palate is medium to full-bodied with a deeply concentrated core of spice-laden dark fruits, featuring soft textures and seductive layers of candied Damson plums and blueberries. Wine Enthusiast rates it 93 points, highlighting its robust blackberry and mint flavours, finishing long and minerally with slightly drying tannins. Jancis Robinson scores it 18 points, describing its powerful, rich profile, and dense, chocolatey finish, indicating great potential for aging. This vintage promises to evolve beautifully over the coming decades.

*****

THE WINE ADVOCATE 94 points
Drink Date 2025 - 2045
The complex aromatics of the opaque, black-colored 2003 Dow Vintage Port display chocolate, dried oak, black cherries, blackberries, copious spices, and a myriad flowers. This fresh, backward wine offers a medium to full-bodied, deeply concentrated core of spice-laced dark fruits. Softly-textured and seductive in the mid-palate, it boasts abundant layers of candied Damson plums, blueberries, black cherries, molasses, and hints of chocolate before revealing its firm structure. Extremely youthful and primary, this exceptional effort demands patience. Projected maturity: 2025-2045+. - Pierre Rovani

WINE ENTHUSIAST 93 points
A powerhouse, but one that shows a certain degree of lushness to its robust blackberry and mint flavors. Finishes long and minerally, bolstered by slightly drying tannins. Should be more approachable by 2015 and last for three decades beyond that.

JANCIS ROBINSON 18 points
Really powerful, deep, rich and warm. Less floral than the Graham's or the Warre's 2003. More peppery. Chewy but smooth. Dense with a chocolatey finish. Deep and generous with the tannins adding to the freshness, which is just right for completeness and balance. (JH)

VINOUS 92+ points
Full ruby. Knockout nose features black cherry, blackberry and licorice pastille. Rich and sappy on the palate, with a suave, velvety texture and unusual power for a young Dow. Flavors of kirsch, minerals and licorice are not at all overly sweet. In fact, this is ultimately quite taut, focused and powerful, with a very firm core of fruit. Finishes firmly tannic, highly aromatic and quite long. A 2003 of outstanding purity and precision, in need of 15+ years of aging. May ultimately merit an even higher score. - Stephen Tanzer