Dow's Vintage Port 1977

Appearance: dark purple-red, slight orange rim. Nose: rich nose of dark black fruits with definite spicy and savoury notes: clove, cinnamon, white pepper. Palate: more richness of fruit, slightly chewy but mellowing medium-high tannins, integrated high residual sugar and lovely acidity. Superbly balanced, great length. Conclusion: this is a fantastic Vintage Port that still has quite a life ahead of it. More sophisticated than the Graham’s, although the Graham’s is very good too. Perhaps it would be better to say that they are stylistically different: the Dow being more heavy-weight (although Dow ’77 still seems leaner than 1977 Warre, however). more February 9, 2008