Dow's is a historic Douro Port house now owned by Symington Family Estates. Its roots go back to 1798, when Portuguese merchant Bruno da Silva began importing wines in London. In 1877 Silva & Cosens merged with Dow & Co.; the Dow's name was retained because of the latter firm's strong reputation for Vintage Port. Since 1912 the house has been closely linked to the Symington family. Quinta do Bomfim and Quinta da Senhora da Ribeira are its principal vineyards today.
| Item | Details |
|---|---|
| Origin | 1798, Bruno da Silva in London |
| Dow's name | Since the 1877 merger |
| Owner | Symington Family Estates |
| Symington involvement | Since 1912; sole ownership since 1961 |
| Region | Douro, Portugal |
| Principal estates | Quinta do Bomfim, Quinta da Senhora da Ribeira |
| House style | Concentrated, structured, characteristically drier finish |
| Focus | Vintage, Single Quinta, LBV, Aged Tawny |
| Website | https://www.dows-port.com/ |
In 1798 Bruno da Silva began importing Portuguese wine in London. In 1862 John da Silva and Frederick William Cosens formed Silva & Cosens, joined by George Warre in 1868. The company merged with Dow & Co. in 1877 and adopted the Dow's name. Quinta da Senhora da Ribeira was acquired in 1890 and Quinta do Bomfim in 1896. Andrew James Symington became a partner in 1912. The Symingtons worked with the Warre family until 1961, when they became sole owners. The Bomfim winery was modernised in 1964 and expanded with a new modern-lagar winery in 2015. Senhora da Ribeira, after an intervening sale, was reacquired in 1998.
Quinta do Bomfim lies near Pinhao in the Cima Corgo. It covers 99.6 hectares, including 74.6 hectares of vineyard. Principal grapes include Touriga Nacional, Touriga Franca, Tinta Barroca, Alicante Bouschet, Sousao and old mixed vines. Quinta da Senhora da Ribeira lies in the Douro Superior and covers 43.5 hectares, with 25.2 hectares under vine. Both estates vinify important components in modern lagares. The contrasting climates of Bomfim and Senhora da Ribeira provide complementary building blocks for Dow's Ports.
Dow's is known for a comparatively dry house style: powerful structure, dark fruit, firm tannins and a finish that tastes less sweet than many other Ports. Vintage Port is central to the range. In non-general-declaration years, Single Quinta Vintage Ports can be bottled from Bomfim or Senhora da Ribeira. The portfolio also includes LBV and 10, 20, 30 and 40 Year Old Tawny Ports.
The early acquisition of high-quality Douro estates was fundamental to Dow's identity. The link between a shipping house and direct vineyard ownership was further developed under the Symington family. Individual vintages have received major external recognition: Wine Spectator awarded the 2007 Vintage 100 points and named the 2011 Vintage its Wine of the Year in 2014.