During the January following each vintage, Fonseca sets aside a reserve of very concentrated, powerful vintage quality red ports, selected primarily from the firm's own quintas & judged according to their ageing potential. These are placed in cask & cellared. Since wines from different vintages show variation in character, concentration & rate of maturation, tawny ports of age are blended across several vintages to maintain quality & continuity of style, & thus show an 'apparent', or average, age on the label rather than a vintage date. In the very old tawny ports of age, the actual age of each Port in the blend may vary as much as ten years, but in the younger tawnies variation is usually more on the order of five years or less. As tawny ports age, they grow lighter in colour, as they throw their deposit in the cask rather than in the bottle. The process of racking contributes to the oxidation process whereby the wine's fruit qualities gradually diminish & nutty characteristics are acquired. Moreover, Fonseca cellars its aged tawnies in the Douro rather than in Vila Nova de Gaia; the considerable difference in heat & humidity between these two areas lends Fonseca's tawny ports of age a very distinctive 'baked' richness reminiscent of butterscotch. Of an average cask age of ten years, this is a young port of russet colour with brilliant crimson highlights & a fragrant, ripe-fruit bouquet. Its smooth, silky texture & subtle oak nuances are balanced by a fresh acidity & tannic 'grip' that culminate in a long, elegant finish. Chill to just below cellar temperature (about 10 Deg C); any colder kills the aromas of this aged, complex port. In summer, serve at the end of the meal as a refreshing alternative. Also try as one of the few dessert wines to match chocolate. Blend of Grapes: Touriga Nacional, Touriga Francesa, Tinta Roriz, Tinta Barroca, Tinta Cao & Tinta Amarela. ...

Of an average age in cask of twenty years. Fonseca 20 Year Old Tawny is a mature wine of deep amber colour with russet highlights. The bouquet's complex marriage of ripe, plummy fruit, warm cinnamon & butterscotch notes & subtle oak nuances are confirmed on the palate, which is full & voluminous, with a velvety texture carrying into a long, elegant finish. Chill to just below cellar temperature (about 10 Deg C); any colder kills the aromas of this aged, complex port. In summer, serve at the end of the meal as a refreshing alternative. Also try as one of the few dessert wines to match chocolate, or as the perfect foil to nut based desserts & patisseries. Blend of Grapes Touriga Nacional, Touriga Francesa, Tinta Roriz, Tinta Barroca, Tinta Cao & Tinta Amarela ...

Crusted is a rare, traditional style of port & Fonseca is one of the few firms that produce it. Fonseca Crusted is a blend of full-bodied wines bottled with no filtration & then cellared for three years before being released for sale. As the name indicates, it will form a crust or sediment in the bottle & should be decanted before being served. The formation of this crust is a natural process that occurs in the finest full-bodied ports. It is an indication that the wine will continue to improve in bottle & develop its aroma & character with age. Fonseca Crusted is selected from the finest ports from the finest top quality Cima Corgo area of the Douro Valley & the supply is limited. Powerful aromatic bouquet. Dark berry fruits on the nose & mouth. Great layers of complexity & flavour. Plump raisin, spice, eucalyptus notes as well as the berry fruit flavours. An elegant & finely balanced wine. If you have a decanter, use it for crusted port. If you do not, try double decanting, which achieves the same effect: pour the port in to a suitable neutral receptacle, such as a jug. Take special care towards the end of the bottle
- use natural light or a candle to see when the sediment starts to be poured. Without undue wastage, stop pouring at this point. Rinse then drain the original bottle, then pour the decanted port back in to serve. The process also opens up the full depth of tastes & aromas to be enjoyed. Blend of Grapes Touriga Nacional, Touriga Francesa, Tinta Roriz, Tinta Barroca, Tinta Cao & Tinta Amarela
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The fresh, intoxicating blackberry fruit aromas are enhanced by a wonderfully aromatic, cented quality. A huge amount of depth & backbone to this finely tuned Port. Everything is in harmony & perfect balance. The dark berry fruit flavours marry exquisitely with the tannins, leaving the mouth aching for more. A very fine wine. ...

Fonseca Bin No 27 was created over a century ago for family consumption, & only released commercially in 1972. It is produced primarily from wines from Fonseca's own quintas in the Cima Corgo & thus shows an exceptional quality & consistency from year to year. Blended from reserve wines selected for their superb fruit character & depth of colour, it's well-knit structure, rich, velvety full body & luscious blackcurrant & cherry flavours, also dominant in the bouquet, finish on an intense, lingering note. ...

A full, dry white port with a superb balance of ripe fruit extract, delicate acidity & elegant notes of wood ageing. Finishes ...

A wonderfully rich, concentrated wine with great flavour & texture. The opulent black fruit nose is followed through on the palate: layers of intense berry, plum & cherry fruit flavours are supported by firm, but well integrated tannins. Deliciously textured; velvety, smooth. Succulent, rounded, plump. A lovely rich prolonged finish. Best served on its own or at the end of a meal with cheese. Bottled for immediate drinking & no need to decant. Blend of Grapes Touriga Nacional, Touriga Francesa, Tinta Roriz, Tinta Barroca, Tinta Cao & Tinta Amarela ...

Wonderfully exuberant, pungent, full, aromatic nose. Luscious, ripe, black cherry & plum fruit with notes of cedar & spice. Wonderfully rich, rounded, concentrated, with layers juicy berry flavours & attractive notes of cedar. An elegant Port with good complexity & an intense finish. ...

An aromatic, sparkling wine with notes of musk, sage & honey on the nose & a taste of just picked grapes. Very enjoyable at any time, it is also a perfect match for many sweets, especially fine, delicately-flavoured desserts. Outstanding with fruit. 100% Muscat d' Alexandria (Moscato). ...

Blood-red with ruby highlights, it has a clear-cut, intense nose with overtones of vanilla, spices, withered roses & underbrush. The palate is dry, but soft, full bodied, velvety & well balanced, & is engagingly complex throughout the lengthy finish. Ideal with big red meat dishes & medium mature cheeses, try a wild boar & mushroom risotto for example. 100% Nebbiolo. ...