Quinta do Bomfim
Nestled by the river in the Cima Corgo region, its advantageous position provides it with the perfect balance between the relatively wet Baixo Corgo to the west, and the intense heat of the Douro Superior to the east.
Principally planted with Touriga Franca, Touriga Nacional, Tinta Barroca, Tinta Roriz, and old mixed vines, each varietal plot is carefully tended to throughout the year.
Between August and October each year, Bomfim comes alive as the onsite winery opens and pickers begin their work in the vineyards. It is the responsibility of our winemaking and viticultural teams to decide when each plot has achieved its maximum potential and is ready to be picked.
Once picked, grapes are taken to the onsite winery where they are treaded in modern lagares and vinified. If you are visiting Quinta do Bomfim during this time, you will the special opportunity to be able to see the harvest first-hand.
In years in which we do not ‘declare’ a vintage, Bomfim’s finest ports are carefully selected and bottled as Dow’s Quinta do Bomfim Vintage Port – a wonderful expression of this unique estate.
Quinta da Senhora da Ribeira
A classic river quinta with one of the Douro’s most beautiful vineyards, Senhora da Ribeira is located 24km (15 miles) upriver from Quinta do Bomfim. Although relatively close, our two principal estates have wildly different climates with Senhora da Ribeira experiencing drier winters and very hot summers.
Senhora da Ribeira has a high proportion of low yielding old vines that produce wines with exceptional concentration. Paired with a good proportion of Touriga Nacional plots, the wines produced at Senhora da Ribeira are ideal for Dow’s Vintage Port blends.
Each year, grapes picked from Senhora da Ribeira’s vineyards are taken to its onsite winery where they are treaded in robotic lagares. The wines produced perfectly complement those from Quinta do Bomfim, and it is this balance between the two that makes Dow’s Vintage Ports so exceptional.
In non-declared years, we bottle the estate’s finest ports as Dow’s Quinta da Senhora da Ribeira Vintage Port. Since the quinta’s reacquisition in 1998 – Dow’s bicentennial year, – these Single Quinta Vintage Ports have won several awards, attesting to the outstanding quality of this special estate.
An iconic sight in the Douro, it was the small chapel dedicated to the ‘Lady of the River’ that gave the quinta its name. Having stood for centuries, the chapel was originally a place for travellers to stop and pray before making their onward journey on a then-treacherous Douro River.
Quinta da Cerdeira
Owned privately by the Symington family, Cerdeira has spectacular views over the river from its commanding position in the Douro Superior. Primarily producing Touriga Franca and grapes from old mixed vines, Cerdeira’s grapes are taken to the nearby winery at Quinta da Senhora da Ribeira.
Quinta do Santinho
Located within sight of Quinta da Senhora da Ribeira, Santinho is owned privately by the Symington family and produces grapes of a similar profile to Dow’s principal estates. Covering a total of 54 hectares with 15.4 under vine, Santinho’s main grape varieties are Touriga Franca, Tinta Roriz, Tinta Barroca, and old mixed vines.
