Dow’s began in 1798, when the Portuguese merchant Bruno da Silva went to London, merged with Dow & Co in 1877, and has had the Symington family as partners since 1912. Five generations of the family have worked its vineyards at Quinta do Bomfim and Quinta da Senhora da Ribeira.
What you see at Quinta do Bomfim
The visit is upriver at Quinta do Bomfim in Pinhão, not in Gaia. Three things set it apart:
- The old lodge, built in 1896, which now stores the youngest wines.
- Modern lagares designed in-house to mimic foot treading. If you have read about Port being trodden by foot, this is where you see how a large house reproduces that gentle extraction with machinery.
- A self-guided vineyard walk, with a hat, a map and water provided, and a glass of DOC wine for an extra €2.
There is also a riverside restaurant, Bomfim 1896.
The tastings
Dow’s lists four tastings. The Dow’s Tasting pours the LBV, the 30 Year Old Tawny and the 1994 Vintage Port. The Premium Tasting steps up to Dow’s 40 Year Old Tawny, a Graham’s 1997 Single Harvest Tawny, and the Dow’s 1994 and Graham’s 2000 Vintage Ports. There are also Classic and Specialist tastings. Pouring a 30 Year Old Tawny next to a 1994 Vintage is a good way to taste the difference between Port aged in wood and Port aged in bottle.
Booking for Quinta do Bomfim has moved to the Symington website, and prices are not shown publicly, so check there when you book. Dow’s office is at Travessa Barão Forrester 86 in Vila Nova de Gaia. For other ways to spend a Douro day, see our Porto and Douro guide.
