Fonseca : Vintage Port 2016

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.

The 2016 Fonseca Vintage Port began to be picked on 21 September at their Panascal vineyard, with 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 gorgeous ginger and curry leaf notes scattered over the compact black fruit. There is wonderful density to this Fonseca. It is like a coiled spring, with so much energy toward the finish that you just know this will be a long-term prospect. Superb. Production is 4,900 cases.

Deep dark ruby, opaque core, purple reflections, brightening toward the rim. Fine tobacco undertones with a background of Black Forest berries, minty nuances of ripe blackberries, black cherries, some crème de cassis, a hint of purple candies. Substantial, elegant, juicy extracted sweetness, ripe supporting tannins, incredible finesse, structured, dark berry fruit, chocolate on the finish, mineral and characterized by great freshness, very long length and corresponding maturity, great ageing potential.

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 Pinhão Valley). When last seen, this was in fine form. It was aged for 20 months in wood and comes in with 99 grams of residual sugar. Right now, surprisingly, this seems more tightly wound than the Taylor's, which usually seems to me the burlier of the two. It also has beautiful fruit, if not quite the wave of big fruit that Taylor's shows off. In 2017, I would say Taylor's wins. In this vintage, it may be Fonseca. However, there are great performances all around.