1977 Fonseca Vintage Port
Posted: Sun Nov 23, 2008 9:44 pm
Fonseca Vintage Port [1977]
*tasted blind knowing only that the Ports being served were from Fonseca or Taylor. between 7-8 hrs decant time.
This was by far the lightest in colour, with signs of medium-advanced age. Looking older than its peers, this Port featured light red in the middle of the glass and extensive bricking. A thin, clear meniscus showed signs of glycerine but not a deep, dark colour. Definitely the most floral on the nose, this Port smelled sweeter than the other three. There was a touch of something indescribable and funky on the nose, at the very beginning of the analysis, leading one person to mention the possibility that this wine was corked. Several with sensitivities to TCA confirmed that there was no TCA present, but a few people agreed that something on the nose was a bit off. After 30 minutes, when we came to analyse the wine as a group, this had blown off the nose and I was wondering whether I had imagined this scent. This did not detract from the palate in any way as a light, exceptional sweet Port showed forth with big fruit flavours in perfect balance with integrated alcohol. A complexity and elegance led me to Fonseca again, but the colouration had me guessing at a older vintage of Fonseca.
I guessed Fonseca 1963.
Ended up Fonseca 1977, (proving I know nothing about colour/aging of a wine!) :)
My score: 97 pts
*tasted blind knowing only that the Ports being served were from Fonseca or Taylor. between 7-8 hrs decant time.
This was by far the lightest in colour, with signs of medium-advanced age. Looking older than its peers, this Port featured light red in the middle of the glass and extensive bricking. A thin, clear meniscus showed signs of glycerine but not a deep, dark colour. Definitely the most floral on the nose, this Port smelled sweeter than the other three. There was a touch of something indescribable and funky on the nose, at the very beginning of the analysis, leading one person to mention the possibility that this wine was corked. Several with sensitivities to TCA confirmed that there was no TCA present, but a few people agreed that something on the nose was a bit off. After 30 minutes, when we came to analyse the wine as a group, this had blown off the nose and I was wondering whether I had imagined this scent. This did not detract from the palate in any way as a light, exceptional sweet Port showed forth with big fruit flavours in perfect balance with integrated alcohol. A complexity and elegance led me to Fonseca again, but the colouration had me guessing at a older vintage of Fonseca.
I guessed Fonseca 1963.
Ended up Fonseca 1977, (proving I know nothing about colour/aging of a wine!) :)
My score: 97 pts