Dows Colheita 1996

Winemaking:
Dow has aged some of its best ports for many years in tempered oak casks in its old wineries in Vila Nova de Gaia. This prolonged time in the barrel ensures that the wines acquire mild aromas of almonds and walnuts, losing the intense red color of their youth, but gaining immense delicacy, richness and deep intensity of flavor. The word 'Colheita' means 'harvest', for Porto this word is used to describe a single year wine aged in wood for at least 7 years. Many of the Dow Crops available today are aged much longer and Dow's has one of the best collections of hull-aged ports that exist today. The team of the tasters' family regularly tastes all the old yellowed ports as they mature in the basement. These wines are 'stacked' two or three times a year and then returned to the original barrel. When the tasters judge that the wine has reached the perfect state of maturity, Porto is carefully removed from the barrel and bottled. Due to the long and careful aging process, there is no fine or filtration.

Varieties:
Old Vines

Test results:
Auburn amber color. Fabulous aroma of roasted almonds with hints of honey, vanilla and candied orange peel, with tobacco nuances. Velvety mouth, with fresh notes of orange peel and a very long final mouth.

Store and serve advice:
Service temperature from 15ºC to 16ºC

Pairing with food:
Dow's Harvest Ports are for tasting and enjoying intense and rare flavors.