1985 Fonseca Vintage Port

Derek T. · Post by **Derek T.** » Tue Jan 30, 2007 5:51 pm

Ex-cellars 2006

Inky black - taste of dark fruits and extremely dry on decatnting. A very long finish with watering cheeks.

+2 Hours
Very young - thick, dry and tons of fruit.

No more notes taken but didn't significantly change over 48 hours

I must leave the rest of these alone for 10 years

Post by **Roy Hersh** » Wed Jan 31, 2007 8:42 pm

Funny thing is that I love this wine and have had a half dozen of 'em in the past year or so. Not sure if I wrote notes on all of 'em but they've been consistently great and since the website launched a year and a half ago, today ... I think I have enjoyed them with 8-10 hours of decanting and found them exceptionally enjoyable today. Will they improve? Oh, definitely. Can they be enjoyed now though ... heck yes.

David Spriggs · Post by **David Spriggs** » Fri Feb 02, 2007 1:00 am

I think they are better the next day. It is still a very young port and and needs serious time to unwind on opening. I still believe that this is one wine that needs at least 20 more years to really be enjoyable. I've stopped drinking mine and am reaching more for 1983 and 1977 Dow's to keep my hands off of them.

-Dave-

Jay Powers · Post by **Jay Powers** » Fri Feb 02, 2007 1:41 am

I found this best at 48 hours or even more, although I got a lot of crap for that opinion previously. I would decant quite a long time, or let age at least 10 more years. It's a very nice wine if you can make yourself wait for the decanting.

Jay

Post by **Roy Hersh** » Fri Feb 02, 2007 2:48 am

1977 Dow is still a young pup too!

Derek T. · Post by **Derek T.** » Fri Feb 02, 2007 4:34 pm

David/Jay,

I'm gald to hear you agree on this one. I bought 18 bottles ex-cellars in 2006 at a premium price. I have now opened 2 bottles, both of which left me thinking that I was wasting the opportunity of having a fabulous experience in a decade or so.

As Roy has explained, this is a wine that is enjoyable to taste now but not to drink. It deserves to be given the chance to give it's best, and I truely believe that it is not doing so at this point in time. There are plenty more VP's that are ready now so in my opinion this is one to taste once or twice now and then leave alone until it grows up.

Derek