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Fonseca Port Vintage 2016 750ml

size
750ml
country
Portugal
region
Porto
JS
98
DC
97
WA
97
WE
97
WS
97
VM
96
Additional vintages
JS
98
Rated 98 by James Suckling
Lots of ripe fruit here with raisins and wet earth that turn to violets and hot stones. Full-bodied, tannic and powerful with fantastic grip and intensity. Grabs you. Impressive. Drink in 2025. ... More details
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Fonseca Port Vintage 2016 750ml

SKU 880003
Case Only Purchase
Long-term Pre-Arrival
$372.18
/case
$62.03
/750ml bottle
Quantity
min order 6 bottles
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Professional Ratings
JS
98
DC
97
WA
97
WE
97
WS
97
VM
96
JS
98
Rated 98 by James Suckling
Lots of ripe fruit here with raisins and wet earth that turn to violets and hot stones. Full-bodied, tannic and powerful with fantastic grip and intensity. Grabs you. Impressive. Drink in 2025.
DC
97
Rated 97 by Decanter
Closed and withdrawn on the nose at this stage with an underlying dusting of ripe tannins evident. Firm, sweet cassis and berry fruit, with classic dark chocolate intensity at the core, backed by broad yet tight-knit peppery tannins which lead to a big, grippy finish. Very fine with a hugely promising future ahead.
WA
97
Rated 97 by Wine Advocate
The 2016 Vintage Port is a field blend sourced from the typical three Quintas (Panascal in the Tavora Valley and Quinta do Cruzeiro and Quinta de St Antonio in the PinhĂŁo Valley). This was not quite bottled when first seen (set for a week later). It is now in the USA. It was aged for 20 months in wood and comes in with 99 grams of residual sugar. This dry and focused Fonseca was, in my initial July 2018 report, the pick of the Fladgate Group's litter in 2016. What has most changed in this issue is that Taylor's is showing a lot better while this has closed down a bit more. This is not seriously diminished, though. It is pretty brilliant. If you want that old-school power, it comes with Fonseca in this vintage. Taylor's may have the sexiest fruit of the three, but this seems to have the most muscle. It is true that the balance on the two just might be affecting that perception. Taylor's has a bit more mid-palate depth to soak up the power. Still, if Taylor's is flashier and richer in 2016, this seems even more serious. In the long lifespan of Ports, to be sure, it won't be unusual for them to keep flipping back and forth. Admittedly, this is also probably the hardest to read. Still, I couldn't help but think that this might have slightly more upside potential. Check in around 2060 or so to see if I'm right. (Send me an email if you don't think so. I want to hear from you.)
WE
97
Rated 97 by Wine Enthusiast
This bottling brings together a fine structure with great fruit to give a luscious wine that is also destined for long-term aging. With its ripe berry flavors sustained by some acidity, this is already balanced. Drink from 2028. (Cellar Selection)
WS
97
Rated 97 by Wine Spectator
This leads in with bramble, spearmint and blueberry notes, with the energy extending through the core of dark plum, blackberry and fig fruit. The finish features a strong graphite spine, allowing this to draw deep water, but this remains stylish in feel overall. The definition of suave. Best from 2030 through 2055. 4,900 cases made.
VM
96
Rated 96 by Vinous Media
The 2016 Fonseca Vintage Port began to be picked on 21 September at their Panascal vineyard, their Quinta do Cruzeira vineyard not picked until 6 October. It is deep, almost inky in colour. The bouquet is very intense with luscious black fruit laced with embers, clove and hints of bay leaf. There is wonderful purity here and a broodiness that suggests you’d better be patient. The palate is sweet and lively on the entry with some gorgeous ginger and curry leaf notes littered over the compact black fruit. There is wonderful density to this Fonseca. It is like a coiled spring with so much energy towards the finish that you just know this will be a long-term prospect. Superb. Production is 4,900 cases.
Product Details
size
750ml
country
Portugal
region
Porto
Additional vintages
Overview
Lots of ripe fruit here with raisins and wet earth that turn to violets and hot stones. Full-bodied, tannic and powerful with fantastic grip and intensity. Grabs you. Impressive. Drink in 2025.
barrel

Region: Porto

Porto, situated in the Douro Valley of Portugal, has long been recognized as a vitally important center for viticulture and wine production. Of course, the city itself is most readily associated with the beautifully aromatic and utterly delicious Port wines, which have been continually popular around the world since the 18th century. The wineries in and around Porto know that their terroir is highly special, with a wonderful mix of gravelly and clay based soils, packed full of minerals carried by the river that flows through it. This, combined with the hot and sunny climate, creates perfect conditions for high quality grape cultivation, and there are dozens of varietals which thrive in and around Porto, many of which are used for making the famous fortified wines.
fields

Country: Portugal

Most of us are quick to associate Portugal primarily with the excellent fortified wines which come out of the Porto area, but there is much more to Portuguese viticulture than just this. Perhaps the most popular still wines the country produces are the varieties from the Vinho Verde region, which uses grapes that do not achieve high doses of sugar, meaning the wines are at their best when young and full of natural, springy fruit flavors The wines of the Douro region have undergone many transformations in their flavor and character over the centuries; once regarded as a bitter wine, the exporters experimented with fortifying the wine with brandy. After several centuries, vintners found a balance in the modern age which is at once reminiscent of Port wine, yet with the structure and character closer to other fine Portuguese wines. Thanks to the appellation system of Portugal and the strict laws governing wine production, Portuguese wines continue to maintain their reputation for quality and the distinctive characteristics they carry.
Customer Reviews
Customer Reviews

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More Details
Winery Fonseca
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Region: Porto

Porto, situated in the Douro Valley of Portugal, has long been recognized as a vitally important center for viticulture and wine production. Of course, the city itself is most readily associated with the beautifully aromatic and utterly delicious Port wines, which have been continually popular around the world since the 18th century. The wineries in and around Porto know that their terroir is highly special, with a wonderful mix of gravelly and clay based soils, packed full of minerals carried by the river that flows through it. This, combined with the hot and sunny climate, creates perfect conditions for high quality grape cultivation, and there are dozens of varietals which thrive in and around Porto, many of which are used for making the famous fortified wines.
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Country: Portugal

Most of us are quick to associate Portugal primarily with the excellent fortified wines which come out of the Porto area, but there is much more to Portuguese viticulture than just this. Perhaps the most popular still wines the country produces are the varieties from the Vinho Verde region, which uses grapes that do not achieve high doses of sugar, meaning the wines are at their best when young and full of natural, springy fruit flavors The wines of the Douro region have undergone many transformations in their flavor and character over the centuries; once regarded as a bitter wine, the exporters experimented with fortifying the wine with brandy. After several centuries, vintners found a balance in the modern age which is at once reminiscent of Port wine, yet with the structure and character closer to other fine Portuguese wines. Thanks to the appellation system of Portugal and the strict laws governing wine production, Portuguese wines continue to maintain their reputation for quality and the distinctive characteristics they carry.