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Fonseca Port, 2015 Vintage Port

Vintage Port, Douro
Guimaraens- MAGNUM
***92 Points- RobertParker.com***

Bottle size: 150cl

ABV: 20%

Price:

$154.03 USD

5 In Stock

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    • Description

    This 2015 Vintage Port Wine from Fonseca was released under the Guimaraens label. Managing Director, Adrian Bridge, commented: As Fonseca’s 200th anniversary year, I am delighted that 2015 has produced a Vintage Port of such excellent quality. It will be released as a Guimaraens Vintage with a special commemorative label to mark the occasion.’ He added, ‘The 2015 Vintage Ports are attractive and approachable on the nose but supported by big, firm tannins. The Guimaraens Vintage 2015 will make excellent early drinking but will not disappoint those who prefer to cellar it for the future.’ Fonseca’s wine maker, David Guimaraens, remarked: ‘The dry spring and summer produced low yields but the healthiest crop we have seen for many years. A balanced ripening season gave the 2015 wines their characteristically firm but well integrated tannins.’

    Guimaraens Vintage Ports are made in certain years when a classic Fonseca Vintage is not declared and are generally more supple and approachable when young. An excellent choice for early drinking they nevertheless have the depth and stamina to mature in bottle. Traditionally, Guimaraens Vintage Ports were blended from the best produce of the firm’s two Pinhão Valley estates, Cruzeiro and Santo António. However in recent years, the wines of Fonseca’s flagship property, Quinta do Panascal, have become an increasingly important component. Panascal is located in the Távora Valley and is one of the most highly reputed Port vineyards. Cruzeiro, on the east bank of the Pinhão River, has been supplying Fonseca since the 1870s and its wines have contributed to the firm’s Vintage Port blends since 1912. Close by, Santo António is another historic property, highly rated since the 1761 classification of port vineyards and the site of award winning work in the field of sustainable viticulture.

    SCORES & TASTING NOTES

    Opaque purple-black at the centre with a very thin, purple edge. A classic Fonseca nose redolent of heady, woodland fruit, powerful but also very fine and complex. The dense blackberry and blackcurrant aromas form the backdrop for a display of fresh, minty, balsamic scents and resiny notes of gumcistus and wild herbs. Discreet hints of exotic wood, liquorice and black pepper provide an additional dimension of complexity. The thick, tightly-woven tannins provide both firmness and volume to the palate which is built around a core of dense, dark berry fruit. Plummy, raspberry flavours emerge on the long, luscious finish, giving it an attractive crispness and lift. Fonseca’s 200th anniversary year has produced an exceptional Guimaraens Vintage Port, expressive and approachable but with the stamina to improve over many years in the cellar.


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    Condition

    Excellent

    Reviews

    ***92 Points- RobertParker.com***
    The 2015 Guimaraens Vintage Port is a field blend aged for 18 months in used French vats. It comes in at 101 grams per liter of residual sugar. Last seen only as a tank sample in Porto, this was the most forward and impressive of the three Fladgate Partnership 2015s this issue (Croft, Taylor's Vargellas and this). I'm not so sure that is still true. At this point, the Vargellas seems to surpass it fairly easily, showing better structure and depth, despite its initial elegance. This Guimaraens still has the fleshiest feel, if I can put it that way, but it no longer seems to have as much real concentration. Its most notable feature now is its serious backbone. It has tightened and closed, the initial flavor bursts presented in June now having largely subsided. It is rather astringent. By comparison, if anything, the Vargellas has picked up a little weight while this has lost a little flesh. The tannins here, as a result, stand out more. In terms of aging, Winemaker David Guimaraens told me that he "guaranteed" at least 50 years from vintage date. I think he's right, because this has as much power as any of the three, but jeer him around 2065 if he is wrong. Overall, this is still a can't-miss bargain at the price.

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