NV Fonseca Bin 27 Port

[Al B.]

I deliberately didn't read this thread until I had opened my bottle and taken my first few tasting notes. I will continue to take notes until the bottle is finished and will edit them into this posting so that I don't create a whole long chain.

One thing I have learnt as I went through others' perception of the wine is that I need to look at the label and see whether mine says it is "Reserve" or "Finest Reserve". I will also look and see if there is any detail on the label such as bottling date or bottle ID number.

I decided to treat this wine the same as I would any other wine I was tasting and so decanted it. I was very glad that I did as there was - surprisingly to me - some fine sediment in the wine and I had to leave the last glass in the bottle (although it was filtered off and drunk separately).

Tasted on Decanting
A glass taken immediately on decanting was deep, intense red with purple at the rim. Very much the look of a young wine. Little on the nose, faint red fruits and a touch of alcohol. Soft entry into the mouth, sweet and fruity with strawberries and toffee. Good mid-palate with some complexity and good balance. No tannins of any note. Structure built around the acidity. Fruits taste goes after swallowing but there is a modest alcohol and chocolate aftertaste. 80/100.

3 Hours After Decanting
Still deep red, slightly less purple at the rim. Nose more developed and now of strawberries, cream and vanilla. Still some alcohol. Silky but acidic into the mouth. Slightly less balance. Fruit comes through a simple mid-palate. Still no tannin. Short aftertaste with some heat from the alcohol. 80/100.

6 Hours After Decanting
Now less intensely red and with no purple edge - seems to be evolving more quickly than I would have expected [this was under artificial light see later on]. Nose is of sweet, stewed red fruits. Alcohol now more integrated. Smooth, sweet entry; fruity mid-palate with some heat. No tannins, some complexity. Short but complete aftertaste. Improved on first two tastes. Now 82/100.

In summary and in my personal opinion, this is a simple but satisfactory wine. I paid £9 (Euro 12.5; USD 15) and I would put this on a par with some of the cheaper LBV's that I have tasted with similar prices.

17½ Hours After Decanting
Still strongly red and under natural light this looks like a young wine again. Nose now much more developed and could be picked up at arms length when pouring from the decanter into the glass. Still sweet, stewed red fruits. Alcohol now integrated on the nose. Sweet, smooth entry; fruit in the mid-palate with some heat and lots of acidity really making my mouth water. Again, some modest complexity. Short aftertaste. 81/100.

27 Hours After Decanting
Under natural light this was still deep red but with no purple edge. An inviting, fruity, strawberry nose with the alcoholic edge gone. Smooth and sweet entry. Acidic backbone. Fruity mid-palate, some heat, some complexity from the layers of fruit flavours, no noticeable tannins. Pleasant aftertaste dominated by alcoholic pepperiness and some chocolate. Pleasant and well made simple port. 82/100.

Interestingly, my 10 year old son tasted some of this from my glass and was really impressed. This is the first alcoholic drink he has ever tasted and liked (he has tried many different ones, including some great VP's). He was very impressed with the aftertaste and the length of it - and also with the way it "warmed his throat from here to here" as he pointed to his larynx and his stomach.


Alex

This tasting note is one of several related tasting notes. Click [here] to see the original note in context.