Quinta da Senhora da Ribeira
Quinta da Senhora da Ribeira - Dow's Silva e Cosens Lda
| Owner | Symington family |
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This quinta takes its name from the little chapel between the quinta house and the river, and was originally acquired by Dow's in 1890. By the end of the 19th century it was one of a trio of top-quality wine estates. Dow's was a substantial owner of Douro vineyards long before most Port shippers were involved in viticulture or winemaking. The quinta was sold in 1954, when the Port trade was at its lowest point – a time when many Port companies were either closed down or sold. But the link was not entirely lost because the Ribeira grapes were bought and vinified by Dow's, continuing to play a fundamental part in its Vintage Ports for most of the century.
To the family's great delight, the opportunity to buy back Senhora da Ribeira arose in 1998, Dow's Bicentennial year.
| Quinta da Senhora da Ribeira Vintages: | 1998, 1999, 2001, 2002, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2012, 2013, 2015, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022 |
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| House | Quinta Senhora da Ribeira Dow | Vintage | 1998 |
| Colour | Yellow mature in colour.. | Number of tastings | 3 |
| Bouquet | Toffee, fudge, dried fruit and spiciness in the nose. | Score range | 15.75 - 16.40 |
| Taste | Medium bodied. Mature and peaking. Balanced and a little dry with mature fruit and some spiciness in taste. Complex and with a quite attractive finish. Easy to drink, like and enjoy! | Average score | 16.13 |
| Last tasted | 5th November 2018 | Point this date | 15.75 |
| Comment | At the Port Wine Festival in Copenhagen, Denmark. | Tasters | SAI, JB, SS |
| House | Quinta Senhora da Ribeira Dow | Vintage | 1999 |
| Colour | Yellow mature in colour. | Number of tastings | 6 |
| Bouquet | Toffee, candy, cacao and roasted coffee in the nose. | Score range | 14.50 - 16.25 |
| Taste | Medium bodied. Mature and peaking. Balanced with toffee, fudge and cacao in flavour. The finish is quite complex attractive and also quite long. Quite wonderful port! | Average score | 15.66 |
| Last tasted | 2nd March 2024 | Point this date | 15.90 |
| Comment | Tasted at the Port Wine Fair in Roskilde, Denmark. | Tasters | SAI, JB, SS |
| House | Quinta Senhora da Ribeira Dow | Vintage | 2001 |
| Colour | Yellow mature in colour. | Number of tastings | 4 |
| Bouquet | Toffee, old grocery shop, cacao and some mint in the nose. | Score range | 15.75 - 16.40 |
| Taste | Medium body. Quite mature but still with some soft tannin and will be better. Mint and toffee in taste. Attractive and long finish. Classic and very enjoyable port | Average score | 16.08 |
| Last tasted | 7th November 2016 | Point this date | 16.40 |
| Comment | At the Port Wine Festival in Copenhagen. | Tasters | SAI, JB, SS |
| House | Quinta Senhora da Ribeira Dow | Vintage | 2002 |
| Colour | Yellow mature edge in colour. | Number of tastings | 4 |
| Bouquet | Toffee, fudge, butterscotch, cacao, some chocolate and ginger in the nose. | Score range | 15.90 |
| Taste | Medium bodied. Mature and now peaking. Toffee, butterscotch, cacao and fudge in flavour. Balanced but rather dry and elegant with a. quite long and promising finish. Very easy to drink and enjoy today. | Average score | 15.86 |
| Last tasted | 6th November 2023 | Point this date | 15.90 |
| Comment | Tasted at the Port Wine Festival in Copenhagen, Denmark. | Tasters | SAI, JB, SS |
| House | Quinta Senhora da Ribeira Dow | Vintage | 2004 |
| Colour | Black in colour. | Number of tastings | 2 |
| Bouquet | Cacao, tropical fruits and dark berry in the nose. | Score range | 14.90 - 14.90 |
| Taste | Medium bodied. Immature and full of tannins. Dark berry and fruit in flavour. Long and promising finish. | Average score | 14.90 |
| Last tasted | 8th November 2011 | Point this date | 14.90 |
| Comment | At the Port Wine Club est. 1981 tasting in Copenhagen. | Tasters | SAI, JB, SS |
| House | Quinta Senhora da Ribeira Dow | Vintage | 2006 |
| Colour | Quite dark blue with a yellow edge in colour. | Number of tastings | 2 |
| Bouquet | Tobacco, herbal and gingerbread in the nose. | Score range | 15.50 - 16.25 |
| Taste | Medium body. Quite mature but still some soft tannin and will be better. Tobacco and gingerbread flavour. Complex and balanced classic port with an attractive finish. | Average score | 15.88 |
| Last tasted | 7th November 2016 | Point this date | 16.00 |
| Comment | At the Port Wine Festival in Copenhagen. | Tasters | SAI, JB, SS |
| House | Quinta Senhora da Ribeira Dow | Vintage | 2008 |
| Colour | Dark ruby in colour. | Number of tastings | 5 |
| Bouquet | Still dark berries such as mulberry, dark cherry, mature fruit and some chocolate in the nose. | Score range | 15.50 - 15.50 |
| Taste | Medium body. Mature and almost peaking but still with some round tannin. Balanced and quite elegant. Very easy to drink and enjoy now. Quite attractive and a round finish. | Average score | |
| Last tasted | 11th June 2022 | Point this date | 15.50 |
| Comment | Tasted at home with the family | Tasters | SAI, JB, SS |
| House | Quinta Senhora da Ribeira Dow | Vintage | 2009 |
| Colour | Black in colour. | Number of tastings | 2 |
| Bouquet | Lots of black berries such as mulberry, blackberry, blueberry and dark cherry in the nose but also lot of fruit | Score range | 16.40 - 16.40 |
| Taste | Almost full-bodied. Immature and lots of tannins and will of course improve a lot. Balaced and very complex and imposing with a long tannic finish. Very promising port indeed and will be lovely to follow. | Average score | |
| Last tasted | 11th December 2022 | Point this date | 16.40 |
| Comment | Tasted at home with the family. | Tasters | SAI, JB, SS |
| House | Quinta Senhora da Ribeira Dow | Vintage | 2010 |
| Colour | Deep blue in colour | Number of tastings | 2 |
| Bouquet | Toffee, some crème caramel and butterscotch in the nose. | Score range | 15.90 - 15.90 |
| Taste | Quite full-bodied. Immature and lots of tannins. Dark berry and some toffee in flavour. Balanced anyhow but a long tannic and impressive finish. Will be interesting to follow. | Average score | |
| Last tasted | 7th November 2016 | Point this date | 15.90 |
| Comment | At the Port Wine Festival in Copenhagen. | Tasters | SAI, JB, SS |
| House | Quinta Senhora da Ribeira Dow | Vintage | 2012 |
| Colour | Dark blue almost black but with a yellow edge in colour. | Number of tastings | 1 |
| Bouquet | Still lts of black berries such as black cherry, mulberry, blueberry and mature yellow fruit in the nose. | Score range | 15.90 - 15.90 |
| Taste | Medium body. Lots of lovely tannins and will be much better. Dry but balanced. Dark berries and fruit dominate the taste with an elegant, lovely and quite exciting finish. Will be a port to follow. | Average score | |
| Last tasted | 1st May 2022 | Point this date | 15.90 |
| Comment | Tasted at home with the family. | Tasters | SAI, JB, SS |
| House | Quinta Senhora da Ribeira Dow | Vintage | 2013 |
| Colour | Very dark in colour with just a hint of a yellow mature edge. | Number of tastings | 4 |
| Bouquet | Dark chocolate, cacao, toffee candy and Christmas spiciness sin the nose. | Score range | 15.90 - 15.90 |
| Taste | Medium body. Lovely tannins and will be better of course. Balanced, tasty and elegant with chocolate. Cacao and spiciness in the mouth and with a quite complex and rather long finish. Will be interesting and exciting to follow. | Average score | |
| Last tasted | 5th January 2025 | Point this date | 15.90 |
| Comment | Tasted at home with the family | Tasters | SAI, JB, SS |
| House | Quinta Senhora da Ribeira Dow | Vintage | 2015 |
| Colour | Dark almost black in colour. | Number of tastings | 1 |
| Bouquet | Mulberry, blackberry and dark berry in the nose. | ||
| Taste | Medium body. Very tannic and very promising. Packed with berry and fruit. Mulberry and blackberry in taste. With a long and exciting finish. | ||
| Last tasted | 6th November 2017 | Rating this date | Impressive |
| Comment | At the Port Wine Festival in Copenhagen. Port so young we evaluate only as : Good – Very good- Impressive – Very Impressive | Tasters | SAI, JB, SS |
| House | Quinta Senhora da Ribeira Dow | Vintage | 2018 |
| Colour | Dark ruby in colour. | Number of tastings | 4 |
| Bouquet | Dark berries such as mulberries, blackberries, dark cherries but also dry fruit and some mint, cacao and chocolate in the nose. | Score range | 15.75 - 15.90 |
| Taste | Medium body. Quite a lot of tannins and will improve a lot. Balanced and loaded with fruit and dark berries in taste. Quite sweet with a lovely, quite tannic and attractive finish but easy to drink and enjoy already now. | Average score | 15.83 |
| Last tasted | 1st March 2025 | Point this date | 15.90 |
| Comment | Tasted at the Port Wine Festival in Roskilde, Denmark. | Tasters | SAI, JB, SS |
| House | Quinta Senhora da Ribeira Dow | Vintage | 2019 |
| Colour | Very dark ruby in colour. | Number of tastings | 5 |
| Bouquet | Dark berries such as mulberries, blackberries, dark cherries but also dry fruit, herbs and some mint in the nose. | Score range | 16.25 - 16.25 |
| Taste | Medium body. Immature and will of course be better but is astonishing easy to drink and enjoy already now. Balanced and loaded with fruit, dark berries, herbs and some mint in taste. The finish is promising and quite long. | Average score | 16.25 |
| Last tasted | 18th November 2024 | Point this date | 16.25 |
| Comment | Tasted at the Port Wine Festival in Copenhagen, Denmark. | Tasters | SAI, JB, SS |
| House | Quinta Senhora da Ribeira Dow | Vintage | 2022 |
| Colour | Black in colour. | Number of tastings | 1 |
| Bouquet | A lot of fruit, dark berries such as mulberries, blackberries, dark cherries in the nose but also an elegant floral touch. | ||
| Taste | Medium body. Immature and will of course be better. Balanced and loaded with fruit, dark berries, herbs and some mint in taste. The finish is promising and quite long. | ||
| Last tasted | 22nd November 2024 | Rating this date | Very impressive. |
| Comment | Tasted at the Port Wine Festival in Leverkusen, Germany. Port so young we evaluate only as : Good – Very good- Impressive – Very Impressive | Tasters | JB |