Berry Bros. & Rudd Crusted Port by Dow (Bottled 2004)

Berry Bros. & Rudd Crusted Port by Dow (Bottled 2004)

Product: 10008106117
 
Berry Bros. & Rudd Crusted Port by Dow (Bottled 2004)

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Available by the case In Bond. Pricing excludes duty and VAT, which must be paid separately before delivery. Storage charges apply.
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Description

Recommended by Tom Cannavan, wine-pages.com, Nov 2015

Crusted Port is a deliciously idiosyncratic and clubbable English phenomenon, capturing all the majesty of bottle-aged Port but at a very reasonable price. This 2004 bottling has been made for us by a famous house of Dow, and is a blend of fruit from 3 top years. Naturally generous ripe and dark fruit has opened up with beguiling spicy complexity over the last decade and the wine is now magnificently approachable and irresistibly drinkable.
Simon Field MW - Wine Buyer

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Critics reviews

Wine-Pages91/100
Like their Margaux, BBR have gone to a top producer in the shape of Port house Dow for this wine, a blend of three top Port vintages, bottled in 2004. Traditonal 'crusted' Port is matured for 18 months or so in cask and aims to give the quality of Vintage Port at a lower price. In this case a full 10 years in bottle has produced a beaufifully mellow wine, not at all spirity, but filled with crushed, pulpy red fruits, exotic spice, floral, violet notes and hints of cocoa. On the palate it is sweet and soft, the richness and ripeness of the fruit supported by that chocolaty character and with the alcohol and acidity giving an authoritative, fresh finish. Have it with Stilton by all means, but I'd be even happier sipping a glass of it on its own after Christmas dinner.
Tom Cannavan, wine-pages.com, Nov 2015 Read more

About this WINE

Dow

Dow

Dow's Vintage Ports are among the longest-lived, possessing impressive backbone and structure; they are also at the drier end of the scale and often show magical qualities on the nose. Much of the fruit used in declared vintage years comes from the premium vineyards at Quinta do Bomfim, which also makes a very fine wine in non-declared years under that name.

The Symington family has been involved with Dow most of the 20th century, taking full control in 1961 and building on the legacy of the preceding Silva and Dow families. Dow dates back to 1798 when Bruno da Silva, a Portuguese merchant, moved to London and began importing wine from his native country. Through Bruno da Silva, Dow became the first and only Port Company to transport its precious cargo of casks of fine Ports under its own armed protection across the Bay of Biscay during the treacherous Napoleonic wars. Over the next generations there formed a partnership with the Frederick Cosens and they were later joined by George Acheson Warre. Finally in 1877 Silva & Cosens merged with another leading Port company, Dow & Co and it was decided to adopt Dow’s as the brand name.

In 1912 Andrew James Symington was invited to manage the Douro Valley vineyards of Dow and in 1961 the Symington’s finally became sole owners of Dow’s. Five members of the Symington family are currently engaged in the management of Dow’s which is the only surviving independent Port producer in the hands of just one family amongst all the great historic Port companies. Paul, Johnny and Rupert Symington (Andrew Symington’s grandsons) are the joint managing directors and together with Paul’s younger brother Dominic they work towards the development of new markets and customers. Charles Symington is in control of the winemaking. Being one of the most highly regarded winemakers and tasters in the Port industry, with more than 40 vintages to his credit, Peter has passed on his knowledge to son Charles.

The reacquisition of Quinta da Senhora da Ribeira in 1998, after having to be sold in 1954 to ensure the company’s survival at a time when the Port industry was in crisis, will further strengthen Dow's in declared vintage years, as this estate's top-grade fruit will be used in the blend. Along with Quinta da Senhora da Ribeira and Quinta do Bomfim the Symington family privately own Quinta do Santinho and Quinta da Cerdeira which also supply grapes for the production of Dow’s Ports. These four estates together provide Dow’s with one of the largest premium vineyard holdings of any Port firm.

Dow's, with Warre's, lies just beneath the top flight of Vintage Ports and consequently offers less market-driven prices; when one considers the time these wines will keep and improve over, one has to appreciate their sheer value for money.

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Crusted

Crusted

Crusted Port is a peculiarly British invention, and is rarely seen. It is produced by British Port shippers to provide wines with a similar style to Vintage Port, but quicker, and at a cheaper price. Essentially this is a very fine non-vintage Ruby Port.

Crusted Port has more power and complexity than Ruby Port, though with sweet, rich, spicy red and black fruit harmoniously integrated. It is made from a blend of different vintages and is aged for up to four years in cask and at least three years in bottle prior to release.

It gets its name from the sediment (or ‘crust’) that forms at the bottom of the bottle as the wine ages – just like a Vintage Port. The date on a Crusted Port bottle refers to the bottling date; it is forbidden by law to show any reference to a particular vintage. It is ready to drink on release but often continues to improve with age.

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Port Blend

Port Blend

There are around 40 different grape varieties permitted in the production of Port - however the vast majority of Ports are produced from a blend of 5 grapes - Touriga Nacional, Touriga Francesca, Tinta Barroca, Tinta Roriz, and Tinto Cão.

Touriga Nacional produces small, dark-skinned grapes that produce opaque black wines of great extract and high tannins - it gives grip, body, and structure to the blend.

Touriga Franca has a thinner skin and consequently produces wines lighter in colour and tannins than Touriga Nacional. It contributes fruit, aroma, suppleness and roundness.

Tinta Roriz is the Portuguese name for Tempranillo and its high sugar content and low acidity contribute colour and fruit.

Tinta Barroca which is normally grown at highish altitudes and on north-facing slopes, is prized for producing wines of delicacy, finesse and with smooth, velvety fruit. It brings elegance and sweet, ripe fruit to the final blend.

Finally Tinto Cão produces fine and complex wines, though it is probably the least important of the 5 grapes as its painfully small yields have reduced plantings to almost insignificant levels.

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