The 2003 is a classic Dow’s Vintage Port and one of the finest that we have made this century. Now with 19 years of bottle age, the Symington family have decided to launch a limited Library Release of Dow’s 2003 Vintage Port directly from their cellars. These bottles have aged in the perfect conditions of the Vintage Port cellars at the Dow’s Lodge, which benefits from the temperate climate defined by the proximity of the Atlantic Ocean. This Vintage Port has developed greater complexity with age and is very enjoyable to drink now, whilst retaining considerable ageing potential. 

The year was notable for its particularly hot summer interspersed by useful rain showers. In June, a spell of very hot weather caused many immature bunches to dry up altogether, with a useful thinning of the overall crop. Fortunately, with plentiful reserves of ground water (after a very wet winter) there was little evidence of the vines suffering from excessive hydric stress. The high temperatures recorded in August (fractionally above 40°C for a few days) were not unusual for the Douro, while parts of France were experiencing temperatures close to 50°C. The heat did reduce yields, though, (even by Douro standards); at Senhora da Ribeira the old vines managed just 0.87 Kg/vine. At Bomfim some generous heaven-sent rain at the end of August refreshed the grapes and favoured balanced ripening. We began picking at Bomfim on September 18th and at Senhora da Ribeira on the 22nd. The grapes were in remarkably good condition, with no signs of any heat damage and with Baumés very promising at 13.2° for the Franca and 13.8° for the Nacional.