In the glass
Aroma: honeysuckle, butterscotch
Palate: dried fruit, dry finish
A fine twenty-year tawny with honeyed dried fruit, nuts and a long spiced finish, slightly drier in the Dow's register.
What it pairs with
-
Walnut tart
Dried fruit and nuts echo the wood ageing. -
Creme brulee
Caramel meets nutty wood. -
Aged cheese with quince
Marmelada lifts candied citrus.
How to serve Dow's 20 Year Old Tawny
Allow 35 minutes from open to pour.
- Open and decant. Open 30 minutes before serving and pour into a decanter to aerate.
- Serve at 14-16°C. Cellar temperature (14-16°C) is the band for this style. Warmer pushes alcohol forward; colder dampens aromatics.
- Glassware. Use a Port glass: the bowl shape rewards the wine's structure.
- Pair with. Walnut tart, Creme brulee, Aged cheese with quince. Match the wine's structure to the dish's fat and salt.
History
Dow's aged tawnies are blended at the Symington lodges to a twenty-year average age.
- 1798 — House origins
Facts
- Producer
- Dow's Port
- Grapes
- Touriga Nacional, Touriga Franca, Tinta Roriz, Tinta Barroca
- Classification
- DOC Porto
- Oak
- Aged on average twenty years in seasoned oak casks
- ABV
- 20.0%
- Price
- EUR 45 to 65 at retail
- Drinking window
- 0 to 5 from release
- First vintage
- 1798
Scores
- Wine Spectator 93
Frequently asked about Dow's 20 Year Old Tawny
What does Dow's 20 Year Old Tawny taste like?
On the nose, honeysuckle, butterscotch. On the palate, dried fruit, dry finish. Structurally medium-bodied, low tannins, medium acidity with a long finish. A fine twenty-year tawny with honeyed dried fruit, nuts and a long spiced finish, slightly drier in the Dow's register.
When should I drink Dow's 20 Year Old Tawny?
Drink 0 to 5 from release. Young vintages benefit from 30-90 minutes of decanting; mature bottles should be handled carefully for sediment.
What food pairs with Dow's 20 Year Old Tawny?
Walnut tart is the canonical pairing. Other strong matches include Creme brulee and Aged cheese with quince. Dried fruit and nuts echo the wood ageing.
What grapes are in Dow's 20 Year Old Tawny?
The blend is Touriga Nacional, Touriga Franca, Tinta Roriz, Tinta Barroca. The wine is classified as DOC Porto.