1970 Fonseca -- Bottled by Corney & Barrow

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John Vachon
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1970 Fonseca -- Bottled by Corney & Barrow

Post by John Vachon »

Bottled by Corney & Barrow
First by this Firm. Opened and decanted.

Nose: a bit stuffy-needs some airing.

Body: full-power

Taste: very fine-young-tannic

Aftertaste: fairly long

18+/20 ; 70 F is always 18+ to 19+-what a great wine.
John Vachon
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Re: 1970 Fonseca-Bottled by Corney & Barrow

Post by John Vachon »

Open another to nite 6/9/14-notes were the same but this bottle is 19+/20.

Top marks to the bottler.
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David Spriggs
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Re: 1970 Fonseca -- Bottled by Corney & Barrow

Post by David Spriggs »

Definitely a favorite of mine! Thanks for the notes.
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Andy Velebil
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Re: 1970 Fonseca -- Bottled by Corney & Barrow

Post by Andy Velebil »

John do you think this has finally peaked or do you think it's still has upside potential?


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John Vachon
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Re: 1970 Fonseca -- Bottled by Corney & Barrow

Post by John Vachon »

I love 70 F & T-but there is variation from ready now to more time?-luck of the draw and condition.

This bottle as great as it was the first nite dropped to 16/20 the 2nd nite? Some hold on for a longer

time but this one didn't-bottle variation.
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Re: 1970 Fonseca -- Bottled by Corney & Barrow

Post by Andy Velebil »

Thanks. The more reference points we all have on how a port is doing the better.


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John Vachon
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Re: 1970 Fonseca -- Bottled by Corney & Barrow

Post by John Vachon »

Andy:

Wow wines can vary-had a 70T tonite 15+-16/20(very low end of 70T's).

Bottle was high fill and in good condition?
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Roy Hersh
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Re: 1970 Fonseca -- Bottled by Corney & Barrow

Post by Roy Hersh »

Bottle variation makes things difficult and very interesting too. I was recently with an esteemed Washington winemaker, who has been around a very long time and is a serious Port lover too. His "theory" is that bottle variation nearly all stems from the failure of corks to be consistent in how they allow the passage of oxygen into bottles.

I wonder he is correct?
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Andy Velebil
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Re: 1970 Fonseca -- Bottled by Corney & Barrow

Post by Andy Velebil »

Roy Hersh wrote:Bottle variation makes things difficult and very interesting too. I was recently with an esteemed Washington winemaker, who has been around a very long time and is a serious Port lover too. His "theory" is that bottle variation nearly all stems from the failure of corks to be consistent in how they allow the passage of oxygen into bottles.

I wonder he is correct?
I would agree that is ONE potential cause. But I wouldn't say that is the only cause.
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Eric Menchen
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Re: 1970 Fonseca -- Bottled by Corney & Barrow

Post by Eric Menchen »

There is often variation from bottle to bottle in old cases stored in exactly the same conditions. For these, I have to think that the corks are the biggest factor. I suppose older bottling might have been done more manually and under less controlled conditions, and that could be a factor, but with modern equipment I wouldn't expect much variation like fill levels, possible contamination, etc.

Now if I bring a F70 to a tasting and you do, I would think unknown and variable storage could be a huge factor.
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Roy Hersh
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Re: 1970 Fonseca -- Bottled by Corney & Barrow

Post by Roy Hersh »

Could be many things:

a. shipping in less than perfect temperature controlled conditions
b. storage conditions
c. left standing up instead of laying down in owc
d. corks drying out
e. inconsistency of original fill levels

That's just the beginning of possibilities
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Andy Velebil
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Re: 1970 Fonseca -- Bottled by Corney & Barrow

Post by Andy Velebil »

Roy Hersh wrote:Could be many things:

a. shipping in less than perfect temperature controlled conditions
b. storage conditions
c. left standing up instead of laying down in owc
d. corks drying out
e. inconsistency of original fill levels

That's just the beginning of possibilities
Pretty much what I was thinking. So while the cork may be to blame in some instances, there are so many others it's really impossible to make a statement like that.
There is often variation from bottle to bottle in old cases stored in exactly the same conditions. For these, I have to think that the corks are the biggest factor.
Actually, you can have bottle variation within the same case that has nothing to do with corks. I've experienced bottles on the outside of a case, or the side closest to the heat source which were cooked. Yet the inside bottles, or bottles farthest from the heat source were fine. I'm always amazed how durable wine can be.

Of course, cork issues can also be the cause as you pointed out.
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Roy Hersh
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Re: 1970 Fonseca -- Bottled by Corney & Barrow

Post by Roy Hersh »

A mystery wrapped in an enigma. [imnewhere.gif]
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Re: 1970 Fonseca -- Bottled by Corney & Barrow

Post by Eric Menchen »

Andy Velebil wrote:Actually, you can have bottle variation within the same case that has nothing to do with corks. I've experienced bottles on the outside of a case, or the side closest to the heat source which were cooked. Yet the inside bottles, or bottles farthest from the heat source were fine. I'm always amazed how durable wine can be.
True. I hadn't really considered that. I like to think of my bottles all stored in a nice cool and dark cellar, but a cardboard box in a garage or sunlit room ...
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