For The Love Of Port

Any recent impressions, suggested decant time etc.?

Thanks,
r

Ahhhh, the Dow 1980...this is a GREAT Port (and a personal favourite) that is still extremely young: it still has a looooong life ahead. Yes, it is tasty already, but should be better with additional cellar age. Were you to open one now, I'd decant it some 8 hours before tasting.
FWIW: my TN from March last year (tasted blind):
Very, very young. Fresh dark cherry and blueberry aromas, enhanced with a slight funky touch. Medium bodied, LOADED with young, fresh blackberries, cherries and plums yet not jammy. Sooo powerful! Medium sweet. The midpalate showed just a little mature aromas, and some sharpness. I adored the long, chocolate finish of this wine, that had a lovely grip as well: 95 – Dow 1980 Vintage Port.
I’ve tasted the Dow 1980 more than any other Vintage Port, and have always been EXTREMELY impressed. This is such an underrated wine; its youthfulness is just unbelievable. This is a Port for the ages.
For me it was the WOTN; the fact that it was the first decanter to be finished makes me think that the others liked it as well…

Steven is right, it's an incredibly good port. But it is also still brutally young, so make sure to decant well ahead if you plan to open it!

I have had three bottles this year and many in the past. My last experience was during a Dow vertical in mid-November. It showed extremely well, and like Steven .... this is one I have always loved. I find that it is drinking really well now, but don't see it as a big and powerful beast at all. It is well balanced, with medium tannins and lots of upside potential. So we are all in agreement that this is one heck of a fine buy from an under-appreciated vintage. I just don't find it as BIG as others. That of course, does not diminish its appeal.

This is my favourite 1980. In the UK prices for these are quite reasonable. I picked up some bottles at auction this year @ £19.60 each.

As usual, I agree with Roy here. Off the back of his good advice, I sourced some bottles in the UK. I am still trying to keep my hands off them as this has decades of life ahead.

Roy turned me onto this Port many years ago and I thank him for that. Always LOADED (as someone else here said) with fruit but balanced as far as acidity, alcohol and tannin. Will be awesome in 15 years.