From the Bomfim vineyard in Pinho, this vintage Port shows black jam . The effects of the very dry winter were attenuated by below average temperatures. Classic Vintage Port. Unfortunately, by September five months of drought and drying winds from the east had reduced the crop, probably to around 30% less than 1896. Baums were high, 13.5 in many cases. Sugar graduations in the Upper Douro were on average at least 1.5 degrees higher than last year our own impression is that certainly above-average wines have been made throughout the Upper Douro and we are sure that some will prove to be outstanding the fresh nose of the fermenting musts was most noticeable and reminded one to the similar lovely fermenting nose of the 1977s and 1980s the overall production of the Douro region is some 20-25% down on last year. Not a trace of mould or rot was to be seen on the grapes coming in, and seldom can a Vintage have been made from more uniformly healthy grapes. A little rain fell just before harvest in late September. Maturation studies showed that sugar readings developed well at the end of August and beginning of September. Winter provided less than half the average rainfall, but in the spring the vines seemed to set an extraordinary quantity of bunches, with little loss during the flowering period in May. Average of 88.2 points in 42 community wine reviews on 1995 Dow Porto Vintage Quinta do Bomfim, plus professional notes, label images, wine details, and recommendations on when to drink. As predicted, we started picking the Touriga Franca (usually a late ripening variety) at the same time as the Touriga Nacional at some of our estates, including Grahams Quinta dos Malvedos. Some important rain fell on the 5th September (14mm at Malvedos and 13 mm at Bomfim) which was most welcome. Those planning a very early vintage were wise to put off the starting dates to allow the humidity to benefit the fruit. The quality, however, was sound. Grahams bottled a Quinta dos Malvedos Single Quinta Vintage Port. The early months of the year were favourable, but May was cold and variable. Barroca made well-structured wines, particularly from the meia-encosta vineyards. Just before 28 September some rain fell which did no harm. Great wine in any context - not that unlike some California reds! Vintage on 3rd October? Learn more All 2021 2020 2019 2018 2015 2013 2010 2009 2008 2006 2005 2004 From 16 September temperatures dropped into the upper 20 s and although the weather continued a bit unsettled sugar levels remained high. More shipping infoShipping info, Free Shipping on all Orders over 89.97 Declared by almost all producers, it was an excellent vintage, with ripe, well-balanced, wines. Spring and early summer were characterised by exceptionally bad weather, exemplified by the record at one unfortunate quinta: a production of only 4 pipes versus an average of 130, as a result of mildew, desavinho (abortion of flowering and fruit set, usually due to adverse weather at the time of flowering) and finally hail. The weather throughout was quite perfect. Grapes were uniformly healthy from start to finish, without a trace of mould or rot to be seen. Senhora de Ribeira was built close to an ancient river crossing, guarded by two 12th century castles on either side of the river built by the Moors during their centuries long occupation of Iberia. Dow's Vintage Port 1977 1 bt. The growing season that preceded the 2016 harvest consisted of a warm winter and cool spring both exceptionally wet followed by one of the hottest and driest summers on record. Abundant fruit flavours with hints of maple, raisins and ripe blackberries give elegance and poise to this wine. However uncomfortable it was for people in the Douro, the grapes responded well to the heat and caught up their maturation. Snow reported from Serra da Estrela. Symington Family Estates There are few that are less than 25% down on the norm. Vines looking wonderful, both bunches and grapes are much larger than last year. One of the greatest wines a Port blender can make. The first two months of the year were rainy but the weather turned even cooler as well as dry in March. Roger Voss" - 94/100, Wine Enthusiast, Ships to EU, Asia, Canada, USA The spectrum of chocolate, from white to dark, gives us a range of flavors and the best wine matches are not necessarily universal. The advanced growing season resulted in our earliest ever recorded harvest start date. Each door features a unique patina of wood, paint, and wear marks -- the age . Quinta do Bomfim (meaning 'good end') was purchased by George Warre at a time when he thought that a shipper should take a closer interest in the production of Port, a move that was somewhat unconventional at the time. The altos (high vineyards) have turned out very well and should prove most useful, the majority being clean, firm wines. Symington Family Estates With the 2004 Vintage Ports, we adopted a highly selective policy in the tasting room and chose only the best of the best. Madalena, in the Rio Torto and Sra da Ribeira in the Douro Superior held off until the 30th September and Cavadinha in the Pinho valley began on the 1st October, so enjoyed fine dry conditions for their harvests. Harvest began about a week earlier than usual, Quinta do Vesuvio, Telhada, Vale Coelho and Senhora da Ribeira (all in the Douro Superior) on the 7th, Quinta dos Malvedos on the 14th, Bomfim 17th and Cavadinha on the 20th. The ideal fermentation temperatures produced wonderfully aromatic musts. Winery Fire Breaks Out in South West France, Popularity relative to other wines, spirits and beers, Dow's Quinta da Senhora da Ribeira Single Quinta Vintage Port. However, the warm weather meant the temperatures of the grapes coming into the wineries were high, particularly in the afternoons. Declared by many producers, despite the wartime situation. All the lagares took a lot of work and the sweetness of the lagrima (literally, tears, referring to the musts) was around about 13.5. The start of the growing season in March saw a pronounced upswing in temperatures and a decline in rainfall. Maturation studies started on August 12th and showed sugar readings very close to average figures. The vintage could not have taken place under more perfect conditions. The winter was exceptionally dry with virtually no rain from October 1999 to the end of February 2000. Fortunately, despite a challenging growing season and a much adjusted and delayed picking schedule, those producers with excellent vineyard knowledge and confident decision-making, were rewarded with spectacular Vintage Ports. The average budburst date of 20 March was a few days earlier than average. Dows Old tawny Ports are drier than most (although they retain the classic richness of all Port wines). The Touriga Franca, was looking very promising. 1995 Dow Porto Vintage Quinta do Bomfim - CellarTracker After a short, sharp winter the Douro enjoyed an uncharacteristically hot and dry February and March; by late March vine shoots were already 30 cm in length. Visit us at the right time (typically September to early October) and youll experience the hustle and bustle of a grape harvest first-hand. Michael Broadbent characterises this Vintage as light, supple, elegant and attractive.. From the very start shippers were predicting outstanding wines. "Lovely vanilla scented oak, violets, mulberries and winter fruit cake spices. The made wine looks very nice and has a very nice rich purple colour. Reasonable winter rainfall from October 2016 through to February 2017 created water reserves in the soil that were crucial in sustaining the vines through a long and very dry summer. The whole Bomfim vineyard is A-rated, the highest quality grading conferred by the regions wine regulatory body. The estate is situated in the Upper Douro Valley with schist slopes arranged in vineyard terraces, which have yielded Dow's most memorable wines for over a century. Vintage began at Zimbro and Sra da Ribeira on 29 Sept, elsewhere on 6 October under favourable conditions, weather being fine throughout the gathering. Built in 1896, the old Bomfim lodge is one of the most remarkable buildings in the Douro region. Cookie which are essential to the proper functioning of the website. The very high percentage of Touriga Franca and Touriga Nacional planted on the estate result in the powerful aromas of mint and violets on the finest Ports from Bomfim. We paused picking on the weekend of September 21st/22nd due to rain that fell in just the right amount to rehydrate the later ripening varieties, including the Touriga Franca. This major gale was heart-breaking, and the wise old Douro caseiros (vineyard foremen) shook their heads in despair. As foreseen, a very late starting vintage. Dow's, Quinta do Bomfim, Port, Douro Valley, Portugal, 1999 - Decanter.com The vintage started tentatively on September 8th, picking the vulnerable younger vines still in the hope that much needed rain would arrive to conclude the final ripening of the grapes. There was practically no escolha (selection) The graduaes (sugar readings) were good and the mostos (musts) had very excellent colour and had plenty of grip. The vineyards are now almost entirely planted in varietal batches, meaning each variety may be picked and subsequently vinified separately, thus allowing for each grapes maximum potential to be achieved. The musts have very good deep purple-black colours and are giving very attractive aromas. Dow's 1998 Quinta do Bomfim Vintage Port is a fabulous way to end a lunch or dinner. Baum) was 13.5 / 14. Declared by most shippers, the wines were elegant and similar to those produced in 1917. The wines are wonderfully fresh and have great elegance as well as structure. Throughout the vintage the weather was most unfavourable with showers of rain which developed some of the days into continual pouring rain causing the picking on several occasions to come to a stop. PDF Cocktails Madeira When young, Bomfim wines are purple-black, austere, complex and intensely concentrated; they are characterised by very fine peppery tannins. The lagares fermented during this period are really exceptional, with wonderful colour and aromas. The vines at our properties delivered an average of 1.27 kg/vine, or 4,238 kg/hectare. Bomfim particularly suffered from a thunderstorm and hail in June. The vineyards are now almost entirely planted in varietal batches, meaning each variety may be picked and subsequently vinified separately, thus allowing for each grapes maximum potential to be achieved. Fermentations slow, many mostos (musts) showed 13. I think 2000 will produce very good wines in spite of the earlier weather (spring) conditions not being ideal. More shipping infoShipping info, Ships to most US states. It shows a generous character that is attractive for early drinking. We can look forward to our December Tastings of the young wines with confidence. Drink from 2028. The very hot climate through the summer at this vineyard results in highly complex and concentrated wines but very low yields. By the afternoon of Monday 23rd September, with the pickers already in the vineyards picking the Barroca and some other varieties, the long-rang forecast began to show Atlantic rainstorms coming into the Douro on the afternoon of Friday 27th, with wet weather predicted to persist for 6 days. Well cellared, the wines will last for years but will not improve further. Musts showed exceptional colour and body and very dark heavy wines have certainly been made. Temperatures gradually became more moderate from September 10th, allowing the Touriga Franca to ripen to perfection, conserving excellent levels of acidity, mirrored in the freshness of the wines. The gamble paid off wonderfully and the Touriga Franca picked after the rains well into October, was harvested in perfect condition under clear skies and moderate temperatures. Robotic lagares were used for the first time at Senhora da Ribeira and for the second year at Malvedos and proved their worth, particularly in the ability to evenly cool the temperature of the fermenting musts during hot Douro days. The 1901s continue to merit favourable opinion and promise well for the future. The harvest started in extremely hot conditions at the river quintas on 4th September, but other areas started anywhere from the 11th to the 26th, making it a long drawn out vintage. At any one time only 6 or 7 casks in the ancient cellars of Dows in Vila Nova de Gaia are available to be bottled for this very rare and fine Port, the remaining barrels of Port in cask are on the long and slow journey to reach this pinnacle of the Port tasters art. Port vintage guide: 2000-2022 Learn about vintage Port with Decanter's comprehensive guide to vintages back to 2000. Charles decided to suspend picking at the top vineyards on the 29th and 30th in order to allow the vines to recover their equilibrium and to concentrate the sugars. The wines are all perfectly clear and as far as I can see free from defects. We therefore entered the summer with good water reserves deep in the ground, which served us well. The warm and dry conditions had the further advantage of reducing the threat of vine disease. We are optimistic in thinking that a great proportion of the wines will turn out exxceedingly well, as the majority of the mostos were very good indeed. Fortunately, despite a challenging growing season and a much adjusted and delayed picking schedule, those producers with excellent vineyard knowledge and confident decision-making, were rewarded with spectacular Vintage Ports. In the 1920s, the celebrated Oxford Professor George Saintsbury underlined Dows outstanding reputation when he wrote in his famous Notes on a Cellarbook (first published in 1920), There is no shippers wine that I have found better than the best of Dows 1878 and 1890 especially.. Picking in Rio Torto and Pinho started generally 13 September, with the grapes in perfect condition and graduations of 13 to 14.