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Fonseca Port Vintage 1997 750ml

size
750ml
country
Portugal
region
Porto
3 Ratings
See 3 Professional Reviews
WA
93
VM
93
WS
90
Additional vintages
2017 2016 2011 2009 2007 2003 2000 1997 1994 1992 1985
WA
93
Rated 93 by Wine Advocate
Somewhat of a lightweight for Fonseca, but undeniably charming, this dark ruby/purple-colored wine offers a floral, exotic, flamboyant bouquet, a sweet, fleshy style, but not a great deal of weight or massiveness. Heady alcohol, sweet tannin, and a velvety texture make for a gorgeous finish. While I would have preferred to have seen more weight, structure, and intensity, this is an outstanding, albeit lighter than normal Fonseca. Anticipated maturity: now-2020. ... More details
Image of bottle
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Fonseca Port Vintage 1997 750ml

SKU 948537
Case Only Purchase
Long-term Pre-Arrival
$457.08
/case
$76.18
/750ml bottle
Quantity
min order 6 bottles
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Professional Ratings
WA
93
VM
93
WS
90
WA
93
Rated 93 by Wine Advocate
Somewhat of a lightweight for Fonseca, but undeniably charming, this dark ruby/purple-colored wine offers a floral, exotic, flamboyant bouquet, a sweet, fleshy style, but not a great deal of weight or massiveness. Heady alcohol, sweet tannin, and a velvety texture make for a gorgeous finish. While I would have preferred to have seen more weight, structure, and intensity, this is an outstanding, albeit lighter than normal Fonseca. Anticipated maturity: now-2020.
VM
93
Rated 93 by Vinous Media
Full saturated ruby. Inky, brooding aromas of syrupy black fruits and violet. Dense, thick and tactile, with superb depth of flavor and compelling juicy sweetness. Finishes with powerful tannins and superb grip. Not as flamboyantly aromatic as this wine normally is in its youth, but structured for long, slow development in bottle.
WS
90
Rated 90 by Wine Spectator
Shows maturity, with brown bread, melted licorice and espresso notes, carried by a fine-grained structure that allows toffee, toasted sesame and caramel notes to fill in easily on the finish. You can easily drink this now, but the elegance and balance will hold for a bit.--1997 Vintage Port retrospective (January 2017). Drink now through 2030. 9,500 cases made.
Product Details
size
750ml
country
Portugal
region
Porto
Additional vintages
2017 2016 2011 2009 2007 2003 2000 1997 1994 1992 1985
Overview
Full saturated ruby. Inky, brooding aromas of syrupy black fruits and violet. Dense, thick and tactile, with superb depth of flavor and compelling juicy sweetness. Finishes with powerful tannins and superb grip. Not as flamboyantly aromatic as this wine normally is in its youth, but structured for long, slow development in bottle.
barrel

Region: Porto

Porto has a history which stretches back centuries, and involves empires, riches, and the discovery of new countries and civilisations. Today, the city and the region which surrounds it is perhaps best known for wine, and in particular, the tawny colored, aromatic and delicious Port wines which have been wildly popular since the 18th century. The region Porto is situated in, the Douro wine region of Portugal, is one of the oldest protected wine regions in the world, and is widely considered to be one of the finest places in Europe for viticulture. Indeed, the area around Porto supports an astonishing number of native and imported grape varietals, although by far the most common grapes found flourishing on the valley sides are Tinta Barroca, Tinta Cão, Tempranillo, Touriga Francesa, and Touriga Nacional – all grapes most commonly used for Port wine production.
fields

Country: Portugal

Benefiting from both the hot, dry Iberian climate as well as brisk Atlantic winds, Portugal is a perfectly situated country for vineyard cultivation and wine production. With a wine making history which stretches back thousands of years, it comes as little surprise that wine plays an important role in the cultural identity and practices of the country. The Phoenicians, the Carthaginians, the Greeks and the Romans all had a hand in forming Portugal as an important center for wine production, and over the millennia, this resulted in each region of this beautiful part of Europe producing its own distinctive wines easily identifiable and separate from neighboring Spain's. Today, the varied terroir and climate across Portugal allows a great range of wines to be made each year, from the fresh and dry Vinho Verde wines to the famous and widely drunk fortified Port wines, and many in between.
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More Details
Winery Fonseca
barrel

Region: Porto

Porto has a history which stretches back centuries, and involves empires, riches, and the discovery of new countries and civilisations. Today, the city and the region which surrounds it is perhaps best known for wine, and in particular, the tawny colored, aromatic and delicious Port wines which have been wildly popular since the 18th century. The region Porto is situated in, the Douro wine region of Portugal, is one of the oldest protected wine regions in the world, and is widely considered to be one of the finest places in Europe for viticulture. Indeed, the area around Porto supports an astonishing number of native and imported grape varietals, although by far the most common grapes found flourishing on the valley sides are Tinta Barroca, Tinta Cão, Tempranillo, Touriga Francesa, and Touriga Nacional – all grapes most commonly used for Port wine production.
fields

Country: Portugal

Benefiting from both the hot, dry Iberian climate as well as brisk Atlantic winds, Portugal is a perfectly situated country for vineyard cultivation and wine production. With a wine making history which stretches back thousands of years, it comes as little surprise that wine plays an important role in the cultural identity and practices of the country. The Phoenicians, the Carthaginians, the Greeks and the Romans all had a hand in forming Portugal as an important center for wine production, and over the millennia, this resulted in each region of this beautiful part of Europe producing its own distinctive wines easily identifiable and separate from neighboring Spain's. Today, the varied terroir and climate across Portugal allows a great range of wines to be made each year, from the fresh and dry Vinho Verde wines to the famous and widely drunk fortified Port wines, and many in between.