Fonseca
FONSECA PORT: A LEGACY OF EXCELLENCE
Fonseca Guimaraens, often known simply as Fonseca, is one of the most esteemed names in the world of port wine. The company was founded in 1815 by Manuel Pedro Guimaraens and quickly earned a reputation for excellence in creating port wines. For over two centuries, Fonseca has maintained a passionate commitment to quality, consistently producing some of the most highly-rated Vintage Ports.
CHARACTERISTICS OF FONSECA PORT
Fonseca's signature style is one of richness, warmth, and complexity, with an expressive fruitiness that makes it immediately recognizable. Their Vintage Ports are especially noted for their voluptuous, luscious fruit character with a velvety texture and an underlying structure that promises excellent longevity.
TECHNICAL DETAILS
Fonseca produces their Port wines primarily from the Touriga Nacional, Touriga Franca, Tinta Barroca, Tinta Roriz, and Tinto Cão grape varieties. Grapes are hand-picked and foot-trodden in traditional stone 'lagares,' a process that ensures gentle extraction of color, tannins, and flavors. Fermentation is stopped by the addition of grape spirit, resulting in a fortified wine with an alcohol percentage of about 20%. The residual sugar content varies, with Vintage Ports often featuring higher levels to balance the robust tannic structure.
Fonseca’s Vintage Ports are aged in wooden vats for two years before bottling and continue to mature in bottle, often for many decades. Over time, they develop a seductive complexity and the multi-dimensional flavor profile that Fonseca Ports are famed for.
GASTRONOMIC SUGGESTIONS
Fonseca Port wines offer remarkable flexibility when it comes to food pairing. Their Ruby and Late Bottled Vintage (LBV) Ports pair beautifully with berry desserts and creamy cheeses, while Tawny Ports work well with nut-based desserts and hard, mature cheeses. Fonseca Vintage Ports, with their rich, concentrated flavors, make a sublime match for blue cheeses like Stilton, and also complement dark chocolate and fruit-based desserts.
VINEYARD PRACTICES
Fonseca pays careful attention to their vineyard practices. They follow traditional pruning methods and use sustainable farming practices, earning them recognition as a pioneer in organic and sustainable viticulture in the region. The high altitude, schistous soil, and unique microclimate of their vineyards in the Douro Valley contribute to the distinctive character of their Port wines.
NOTABLE VINTAGE YEARS AND PRODUCERS
Fonseca is widely recognized for the outstanding quality of its Vintage Ports. The 1927, 1948, and 2011 vintages, in particular, are lauded for their extraordinary depth, complexity, and aging potential. Other acclaimed producers of Vintage Port include Taylor's, Graham's, Dow's, and Quinta do Noval, each contributing their unique expressions to the world of fine Port wine.
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David Guimaraens
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Classic Vintage 1963/1966/1970/1975/1977/1980/1983/1985/1992/1994/1997/2000/2003/2007/2009/2011/2016/2017
Guimaraens Vintage
1986 / 1987 / 1988 / 1991 / 1995 / 1996 / 1998 / 2001 / 2004 / 2005 / 2008 / 2012 / 2013 / 2015 / 2018 / 2019
Quinta do Panascal
1996 / 1998 / 2001 / 2004 / 2005 / 2008
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The tasting characteristics of Fonseca vintage port are often defined by its powerful structure and concentration of flavors. This wine is known for its exquisite balance between richness and elegance. On the palate, it's remarkably smooth and velvety, showcasing a harmonious blend of sweet, ripe fruit flavors, often including blackberry, black cherry, raspberry, and sometimes notes of prune or fig.
Complementing these primary flavors, Fonseca vintage port often presents a complex array of secondary characteristics. These can include hints of exotic spices, such as nutmeg and cinnamon, alongside subtler notes of dark chocolate, licorice, and even coffee.
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No Colheita’s known
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Quinta do Panascal
Quinta de Santo Antonio
Quinta do Cruzeiro.
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https://www.fonseca.pt
