Description

Fonseca 2017 Vintage Port
Port from Portugal | Alc: 20% – Smooth and Fruity

Winemaker’s notes:
Fonseca 2017 Vintage Port has a narrow magenta ring around a core of inky purple black. The nose opens with a burst of dark, woodland fruit, dense and succulent, blended with fresher, more vibrant red berry aromas. A slatey minerality holds this exuberant fruitiness in check. At this stage, the nose is still reserved and discreetly aromatic, revealing leafy, balsamic scents and cedary notes of sawn wood. The first impression on the palate, as on the nose, is of tightly packed, dense dark berry fruit, which then explodes on the mid-palate and surges into the long finish. The texture is round and velvety but the taut, sinewy tannins and a strand of crisp acidity provide firmness and structure. The layered, complex fruit typical of Fonseca holds sway over this weighty, powerful wine.

Pairs well with blue cheeses like Stilton or Roquefort and desserts of dark chocolate or berries. Should be decanted before serving due to sediment.

Critical Acclaim:
“The 2017 Vintage Port, not quite bottled when seen but the final blend, is a field blend (with typical grapes like Touriga Nacional, Touriga Francesca, Tinto Cão, Tinta Roriz and Tinta Barroca) aged for approximately 20 months in used French oak. It comes in with 98 grams of residual sugar, a little drier on paper than its Taylor sibling this year. Sappy and sensational in flavor and fruit, this seemingly has moderate tannins around the edges on first taste, velvety texture and a long finish. Despite the first impression of moderation, there is plenty of power here. As it got some aeration, it showed nothing but power and closed down fairly hard. The combination of great fruit and fine structure makes this a potentially great Fonseca, but right now it is obviously immature and not showing everything it has. I’d recommend some patience here.” 96-98 Pts – Wine Advocate

“Already beautifully integrated, this is showing great purity and poise. It’s open and in its first bloom of youth, with lovely aromatic red berry fruit and floral aromas, plus a touch of leafiness. It’s soft and fleshy initially, seemingly not as big as its stablemate Taylor’s – and not quite so deep in colour – though with dark chocolate concentration and mid-palate firmness. Lovely full, ripe tannins mass in the mouth, well defined, with fresh berry fruit remerging on the broad, expansive finish. Drinking Window 2035 – 2060” 95 Pts – Decanter

“Ripe and soft with loads of plummy, smoky and earthy character. Full body. Very sweet. Round and very soft textured. Flavorful finish. Drink in 2025 and onwards.” 95 Pts – James Suckling

Winery

Tipsy Knitter Wines – Your Seattle based, online wine shop