Dow’s Late Bottled Vintage (LBV) Port 2018

Dow’s LBV 2018 is a rich, structured and intensely flavoured Late Bottled Vintage Port from one of the Douro Valley’s most respected producers. LBV is made from a single vintage and aged in oak for 4–6 years before bottling, giving it the power of a young Vintage Port with the smoothness and approachability of longer cask maturation.

2018 was a strong and expressive year in the Douro, producing wines with concentration, deep fruit character, freshness and firm but refined tannin. Dow’s LBV shows hallmark blackberry, dark cherry, plum and chocolate notes backed by spice, violets and gentle dryness — a more structured and drier house style than many LBV Ports.

Ideal for drinking now, but because it is bottled unfiltered, it can age further in bottle, developing even more complexity.

Dow’s is one of Portugal’s greatest Port houses, founded in 1798 and now part of Symington Family Estates, a dynasty with over 130 years of winemaking in the Douro. Known for elegant, structured, slightly drier Ports, Dow’s sources fruit from world-class vineyards including Quinta do Bomfim and Quinta Senhora da Ribeira, two of the finest estates in the Upper Douro.

Their LBV bottlings offer vintage-level depth at an accessible price, maintaining the traditional production philosophy of foot-treading, granite lagares, minimal filtration and bottle ageing potential.

Style: Late Bottled Vintage (LBV) Port

Region: Douro Valley, Portugal

Producer: Dow’s / Symington Family Estates

Grape Varieties: Traditional Douro grapes including Touriga Nacional, Touriga Franca, Tinta Barroca, Tinta Roriz & Tinto Cão

Vinification: Foot-treading and robotic lagares; fermented in granite lagares before fortification with grape spirit

Maturation: Aged 4–6 years in large oak vats (longer than Vintage Port before bottling)

Filtration: Traditionally unfiltered for bottle ageing potential

Appearance: Deep ruby-purple

ABV: ~20 %