Port wine is the most famous type of fortified wine. It has a slightly higher alcohol content than ordinary red wine, a richer flavor and a sweet taste, which is very in line with our Chinese tastes. The price of top-grade Port is also much lower than that of top-grade ordinary red wine. Therefore, when the whole people are clamoring for consumption downgrade, the Port market is getting better and better. Today I will take you to learn about the No. 1 in the Potter world - Dow’s.
The long road to becoming the world's number one
The story of Dow's begins in 1798, when a Portuguese businessman, Bruno da Silva, imported wine from Portugal to sell in London and gained a reputation in the British wine industry. Very good reputation. In 1862, his son partnered with Frederick William Cosens, with whom he actively promoted the company's development. In 1877, the company cooperated with Dow Co, which was already highly respected at the time (it was awarded the royal brand of the British royal family). After the merger of the two companies, the company was named "Dow's".
This is the origin of Doss. In 1912, Doss Winery was acquired by the Symington Family Estates. Later, the Symington family acquired Graham's and Smith Woodhouse Porters, and became partners in the Madeira Wine Company...Now, the Symington family It is already the top Port wine producer in the Douro River in Portugal. The Port wine it is responsible for sales accounts for 1/3 of all Portuguese Port wine sales, and enjoys the "Port Empire" (Port Empire) title.
Dos has continued to grow and develop under the wings of the powerful Symington family, and Dos has contributed to many of the Symington family's honors:
- In 2007, it was named "European of the Year" by the famous magazine "Wine Euthusiast" "Best Winery";
- In 2008, it won the highest award - the Gold Medal at the Berlin International Wine Awards;
- In 2014, it was selected into the "Wine Observer" (Wine Observer) Spectator's Top 100 Winemakers;
- In 2015, its owner Paul Symington was named "Winemaker of the Year";
- In 2016, Dosport was listed in Drinks International ) No. 29 on the list of the 50 most admired brands;
- In 2018, "Wine Observer" calculated the average port score in recent years and concluded that Doss was the world's number one porter.
The world's best Port according to "Wine Observer" statistics 6
The above honors are inseparable from the high-quality vineyards of Doss:
4 A-level vineyards
Port vineyards also have classifications, which are issued by the IVDP and are A system for analyzing the terroir and potential of vineyards in the Douro Valley. This system divides vineyards in the Douro Valley into six grades, A-F, based on factors such as yield, grape variety, vineyard orientation and soil type, with A being the best, grapes being the most expensive, and F being the least expensive. The Tuscan gardens of Bomfim, Quinta da Senhora da Ribeira, Cerdeira and Santinho are all rated A.
Bonfern Garden: As one of the finest vineyards in the Douro Valley, Bonfern Garden is at the heart of Doss's great port.. Bonfin Garden is a classic "river vineyard". Located on the north bank of the Douro River, Bonfin Garden is located on the riverside, facing the south, with abundant sunshine, coupled with the mild Mediterranean climate and the warm Atlantic current, ensuring perfect ripeness of the grapes. The park is located at an altitude of 120-340 meters, with stable and abundant rainfall. The average annual rainfall in the past 15 years is 788mm. The soil is composed of schist and other rocks and has excellent drainage.
Bonfin Garden
Bonfin Garden is now grown almost entirely in varietal form, which means that each grape is harvested separately and vinified separately, thereby tapping the maximum potential of each grape.The main grape varieties grown are: Touriga Franca, Touriga Nacional, Tinta Barroca, Tinta Roriz and ancient blends. Two-thirds of the vines in the garden are over 20 years old, and the remaining one-third are between 30 and 40 years old.
Roselle Garden: Also an A-level vineyard, Roselle Garden is located on the outskirts of Upper Douro on the north bank of the Douro River. It is also one of the best vineyards in the Douro Valley. The park faces south and has plenty of sunshine. The average rainfall in the past ten years is 448mm. The soil is predominantly schist, with hot, dry summers and cold, dry winters, giving the wine its unique deep color complexity. 45% of the vines in the park are over 25 years old.
Cerdeira and Santinho are very similar to Roselle Gardens, so they have the same climate characteristics and benefit factors.
Brewing: Adhering to ancient methods while constantly breaking through
Port wine is a fortified wine. Brandy with an alcohol content of up to 77% is added in the middle of fermentation to kill the yeast and stop fermentation, thereby retaining the residual sugar in the grape juice. . The resulting Port is rich and sweet, with high aging potential. Because the fermentation time is short (2-3 days), the extraction of color and tannins is critical. Although most Port wineries now use modern production methods and advanced winemaking techniques, some still use the ancient, small-yield and time-consuming stampede method to make Port.
This method requires entering the groove with bare feet and stepping on it repeatedly for 1 to 2 days. Bare feet will not crush grape seeds, and the body's higher body temperature promotes color extraction. However, long-term barefoot treading on the skin will cause the feet to be grape purple for a long time below the knees, which is daunting. The scarcity of manpower has once again become a problem for Porter. At the same time, temperature control is also difficult. Therefore, Doss’s winemaking team developed the world’s first A dedicated automatic treadmill. The metal of the treading robot is covered with rubber, and the treading imitates the human body. The movements are gentle, and the Porter brewed is also of high quality.
Doss’s mechanical treading scene
Doss also attaches great importance to field research and development. The winery believes that advanced winemaking practices are useless without careful attention to viticulture. It is for this reason that Doss employs a full-time viticulturist. One of his main tasks is to conduct field trials to evaluate aspects such as the suitability of different trellising systems and pruning methods for specific grape varieties and the local climate. The winery conducts strict grape analysis every year, and also conducts various micro-wine experiments, constantly pursuing the highest quality.
Main wine styles
Dos makes a wide range of Port styles. The following are examples of Dos classic wines:
(1) Dos White Port
White Port
Dos White Port only uses traditional white grape varieties from the Douro Valley— —Malvasia Fina), Gouveio or Verdelho 100% peeled and fermented. Use temperature-controlled vessels to ensure fermentation takes place between 18-22ºc. This port has lower acidity, honey and nutty aromas and a pronounced oxidation flavor. Dos Blanc Port base wine has an average aging age of 3 years and is bottled when ready to drink without further aging, but can still be stored for 5-15 years after bottling. After opening the bottle, it can generally be stored for about 1-2 days. The serving temperature is 10-12°C. There is no need to sober up the wine. It is suitable for pairing with fish and meat with a lighter taste.
(2) Ruby Style Port
Ruby Style Port
Ruby Style Port wine is named after its ruby color, simple style and rich fruity aroma. This kind of wine is usually matured in large barrels for a short period of time before being bottled for drinking. There are 3 styles of Ruby Port: Ruby Port, Reserve Ruby Port and Late Bottled Vintage, all brewed in Doss.
- Dos Ruby Port
is a blend of traditional Portuguese grape varieties from the Douro Valley.The average aging time is 3 years, and it is bottled when it is ready to drink. It is rich in fresh fruity aroma and suitable for drinking young. It can generally be stored for 5-20 years and can generally be stored for 2-3 days after opening. The serving temperature is 12-14℃, no need to decant, suitable for pairing with chocolate and other desserts.
- Doss Reserve Ruby Port
Doss Reserve Ruby Port is brewed with better grape raw materials, with a richer and more complex aroma, and a longer aging time in wooden barrels (up to 5 years), resulting in a softer wine. It can generally be stored for 20-30 years and can be stored for 3-5 days after opening. The general serving temperature is 14-16°C, and usually does not require decanting. It is suitable for pairing with lighter-flavored blue cheese, red fruits or desserts.
- Dos Late Bottled Vintage Port
Late Bottled means this type of Port has been aged in barrels for 4-6 years before being bottled. Dos Late Bottled Vintage Port is sourced from a single vintage and is full-bodied with soft tannins and just the right amount of acidity to ensure a perfectly balanced taste. The wine has become globally recognized as an industry standard of excellence and is being served in countless fine restaurants and several major international airlines. Dos Late Bottled Vintage Port generally lasts for over 30 years and lasts 5-7 days after opening. Due to the long aging time, there may be precipitation, and it needs to be sobered up briefly (within 30 minutes). The serving temperature is 14-16℃, which is a perfect match with desserts such as milk chocolate.
(3) Tawny Style Port
Tawny Style Port
Tawny Port is divided into ordinary Tawny Port, Reserve Tawny Port and Tawny Ports with Indication of Age. Sri Lanka brews 2 of them.
- Dos Brown Port
A blend with an average aging time of 3 years. The small oak barrels used for aging have also been specially treated in Vila Nova de Gaia. Ruby Port is smoother and lighter than aged in large oak barrels, combining subtle fruit aromas with a velvety soft mouthfeel and nutty flavor from oak aging. It is ready to drink when bottled, without further aging, and can generally be stored for more than 30 years, and can generally be stored for about 3 days after opening. No need to decant, serve at 10-12°C, and can be paired with desserts, nuts and cigars.
- Dos 10/20/30 Years Tawny Port
Dos Port with aging years is the ultimate expression of the winemaker's craftsmanship. Only a winemaker with extensive experience and knowledge of Port can create wines like this. Tawny Port is blended with base wine from an excellent vintage (this year is a good year except for the vintage of Port). The wine is brown in color and has a smooth and silky taste, with chocolate, coffee and nuts. Complex aromas such as caramel and caramel, with excellent complexity and intensity.
Doss brews 10-year, 20-year, and 30-year Tawny Port. The 10, 20 and 30 years refer to the average age of the base wine used to brew aged Tawny Port. The aging time is very long and can generally be stored for 50 years. -100 years, generally can be stored for 5-10 days after opening the bottle. This kind of Port has a very long aging time and contains sediment, so it needs to be sobered up. The general sobering time is 30-60 minutes, and the serving temperature is about 16°C. It is suitable for pairing with desserts, cigars, Shanghai cuisine and Beijing roast duck, etc. .
(4) Dos Vintage Tawny Port
Colheita Port
Tawny Port wine is brewed from a single year of base wine, and is marked with the harvest year and bottling date on the bottle. It has all the characteristics of an aged Tawny Port while reflecting the uniqueness of the vintage. Dos Vintage Tawny Single Vintage Port needs to be matured in wooden barrels for at least 7 years. The long aging transforms the strong red fruit aroma when young into the soft aroma of almond and walnut, making the wine full and rich.
Dos Vintage Tawny Port can generally be stored for hundreds of years, and can generally be stored for 7-10 days after opening the bottle. The sobering time is 30-60 minutes, and the serving temperature is about 16°C. It can be paired with desserts, cigars, Shanghainese cuisine, Peking duck, etc.
(5) Vintage Style Port
Vintage Style Port
Vintage Port is the most expensive Port. The base wine is produced in the same year, and the output is less than 1% of the total output of Port. To become a vintage Port, it needs to be approved by the IVDP (Port Management Organization), taking into account the quality, quantity and market acceptance of the vintage. On average, there are probably only 3 vintages out of every 10 years when a vintage port is released. Doss has received 100 points for two vintages (1955 and 2007) by Wine Spectator. The 2011 Doss Vintage Port even won the first place in Wine Spectator's 2014 Top 100 Wines in the World!
The ratings of Dos Vintage Port in recent years
Dos Vintage Port also includes two types: ordinary vintage Port and Single Quinta Vintage Port. These Porters generally last for hundreds of years and generally last 5-10 days after opening. The sobering time is about 60 minutes, and the general serving temperature is about 18°C. This top-quality Port wine is best enjoyed alone, slowly enjoying its complex flavors. But if you want to pair it with something, you can also drink it with cheese, desserts like fruit tarts, or while smoking a cigar.
- Dos Vintage Port
Dos Vintage Port is strong and tight when young. After aging, it becomes very pure and has an excellent style. It has a firm tannin structure with spicy black pepper and bitter chocolate flavors. It has a long aging potential and can develop excellent elegance through maturation.
Dos Vintage Port is particularly suitable for production in years when the grapes are very ripe and plump. For other Ports, grapes from this vintage might be overly sweet, but Doss balances this fat style well.
- Dos Roselle Single Vineyard Vintage Port
Dos Rosé Single Vineyard Vintage Port
This is a Port from a single vineyard, single vintage. Dos Single Vineyard Vintage Port is a highly representative high-level product of the winery. Unlike some blends of vintage Ports from different vineyards, Single Vineyard Vintage Port highlights more of a certain high-quality vintage. The characteristics of a high-quality vineyard, the terroir and personality are more distinctive, and it is also of great significance for tasting and collection.
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