Fonseca Vintage Port 2017
- wa96-98
- ws97
These are Half Bottles or 375 ML This is the exciting new vintage of Fonseca Vintage Port - 2017 - in convenient half bottles. Fonseca’s three vineyards—Quinta do Panascal, Quinta de Cruzeiro and Quinta de Santo António—all form the backbone of the famous Fonseca Vintage Portos, produced only in vintages that are “declared” as being of the highest quality. Fonseca is recognized across the Douro as a leader of viticultural practices for Porto and has spearheaded development of organic and sustainable programs across the region. The fruit for Fonseca’s Vintage Portos is trod by foot in granite lagares on the estate. The wine is aged for two years in oak before being bottled unfiltered.
The Fonseca firm was founded in 1815 when Manuel Pedro Guimaraens acquired a majority in the merchant company Fonseca & Monteiro. Successive generations of Guimaraens have upheld the family’s reputation for producing bold, expansive and complex Porto wines. The Fonseca family, of Brazilian origin, conducted trade in various products primarily with Brazil, but by the 1820s, Fonseca & Monteiro dealt solely in Port wines. Today, David Guimaraens, Wine Director for the Fladgate Partnership, represents the 6th generation of his family involved in making Fonseca's wines.
Fonseca Vintage Port pairs well with blue cheeses and/or desserts made with dark chocolate or berries. It should be decanted before serving due to sediment in the bottle. It is a collectible Vintage Porto made only in the finest years made from 100% fruit grown in Fonseca’s own estate vineyards, and will develop for decades in the bottle.
Wine Advocate
- wa96-98
The 2017 Vintage Port, not quite bottled when seen but the final blend, is a field blend (with typical grapes like Touriga Nacional, Touriga Francesca, Tinto Cão, Tinta Roriz and Tinta Barroca) aged for approximately 20 months in used French oak. It comes in with 98 grams of residual sugar, a little drier on paper than its Taylor sibling this year. Sappy and sensational in flavor and fruit, this seemingly has moderate tannins around the edges on first taste, velvety texture and a long finish. Despite the first impression of moderation, there is plenty of power here. As it got some aeration, it showed nothing but power and closed down fairly hard. The combination of great fruit and fine structure makes this a potentially great Fonseca, but right now it is obviously immature and not showing everything it has. I'd recommend some patience here.
Wine Spectator
- ws97
Dark and dense, with fig bread, baker's chocolate and tar notes leading off before the core flavors of plum, black currant and blackberry paste finally start to emerge. The wild, spirited finish shows cast iron, licorice snap and roasted alder elements, delivering a decidedly chewy feel. A big, old-school, throwback Port that will age at a glacial pace. Best from 2035 through 2060. 1,000 cases imported.
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