Decanted for about 2 hours before the first taste and consumed it over 3 days or so. It was what I would call - a well aged vintage port! It definitely showed age but all that was present in the youth was still evident. Almost sparkling, a deeper medium ruby color with a very thin rim, or almost no rim at all. I would not have guessed that this port is almost 50 years old judging by just its appearance. Layered aromas and flavors speak of complexity and intrigue. Red fruit, flowers, herbs... what was more pronounced for me - the overripe cherry, lavender, and a hint of bay leaf. Excellent acidity held it all well together and added to a very long, almost a whole minute finish. It felt like a (lingonberry) berry burst in my mouth - with an explosion of sourish flavor and a pleasant long tapered end.
I had two different bottles from two different auction lots - one was the "Fonseca's Finest 1977 Vintage Port" with a separate importer label on the back from The Stacole Co. and another bottle with a similar black label but without the word "Finest" and importer name printed on the same label (Kobrand Co, NY). Both had very slight signs of seepage and the Stacole's bottle had a slightly protruding cork. The levels in both were bottle neck or better. For the most part, both tasted very similar to me. The Kobrand's bottle had a lighter color, and the Stacole's one (the one with a protruding cork) seemed to have very-very light bitterish undertone which I didn't find in the other bottle. However, for my palate I really liked that bitter note and would have preferred that bottle if I had to choose from the two. It also had a deeper color and was slightly more rich on the palate. Strangely, I would have guessed it should have been the opposite.
Fantastic VP! 96 pts.
1977 Fonseca Vintage Port
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