x
  • Country ranking ?

    76
  • Producer ranking ?

    5
  • Decanting time

    2h
  • When to drink

    now to 2025

The Tb points given to this wine are the world’s most valid and most up-to-date evaluation of the quality of the wine. Tastingbook points are formed by the Tastingbook algorithm which takes into account the wine ratings of the world's best-known professional wine critics, wine ratings by thousands of tastingbook’s professionals and users, the generally recognised vintage quality and reputation of the vineyard and winery. Wine needs at least five professional ratings to get the Tb score. Tastingbook.com is the world's largest wine information service which is an unbiased, non-commercial and free for everyone.

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The Story

Fonseca has belonged to the first rank of Vintage Port producers since the mid-nineteenth century. Fonseca Vintage Ports are noted for their luscious fruitiness which develops great opulence and complexity with age. Wines born of inspired winemaking and a thorough understanding of viticulture and terroir, they appeal, perhaps more than any other house's Vintage Ports, to the enthusiast and connoisseur.

Vintage Ports represent the finest produce of a single exceptional year. Unlike Ports which age in wood, Vintage Ports will continue to age and improve in bottle for decades, their character bearing the imprint of both vineyard and wine maker.

A constant thread that runs through the history of Fonseca is the family's close involvement with the making of the firm's Vintage Ports. Throughout the 20th century, the making of Fonseca Vintage Ports was overseen by only four family members, Frank, Dorothy, Bruce and David Guimaraens and this has helped to make Fonseca one of the most stylistically consistent of Vintage Port producers.

The firm's Vintage Ports are drawn from its own quintas or estates: Cruzeiro and Santo António in the Pinhão Valley, which have contributed to the firm's Vintage Port blend for 100 years, as well the Távora Valley property of Panascal. Fonseca is unique among Port houses in making three different types of Vintage Port.

Fonseca Vintage Ports are released only when a year produces outstanding wines with long term ageing potential. These classic Vintage Ports are a blend of wines from Cruzeiro, Santo António and Panascal. Cruzeiro contributes concentrated black fruit flavours and firm tannic 'grip'. Panascal adds an opulent luscious fruitiness and a dense velvety texture. Finally, Santo António brings complexity and vibrancy with its fine scented character and fresh acidity.

Although they can be enjoyed when young, Fonseca Vintage Ports will continue to improve in bottle for many decades. They have the stamina and aromatic potential to last for over a hundred years. Attracting the highest scores and auction prices, they are favoured not only by fine wine enthusiasts but also by collectors and investors.

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Wine Information

Fonseca produced three excellent declared Vintage Ports in this decade, the 1920, 1922 and 1927. However the 1927 stands out for its sheer power and longevity. This immortal wine is regarded as one of the finest Vintage Ports ever made, still very much alive after 85 years.

Notes on the year
Thirty shippers declared 1927 and a large amount of Vintage Port was bottled. However the release coincided with the Great Depression and there was little demand. The harvest started in early October. The weather at vintage time was very hot although some beneficial rainfall had fallen by the end of September.

Tasting Note
Pale tawny brown at the core, fading to amber with olive highlights at the rim. Faultless nose, extraordinarily complex, with notes of cedar, tobacco and orange flower perfectly intertwined, a sumptuous mellow undertone of molasses and butterscotch and a halo of fresh, minty herbal scent. An hour after decanting, the wine opened up an exotic spice chest of nutmeg, black pepper, cumin and, tobacco, later joined by coffee, aromatic wood and dried rose petal. Dense, thick, almost treacly palate, holding the spirit firmly in place and underpinned by a crisp acidity. A luscious infusion of treacle and toffee lingering into the endless finish.

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Average Bottle Price

2014 2010 2005 2000
1 419€ +85.5% 765€ -14.0% 890€ +62.1% 549€

This data comes from the FINE Auction Index, a composite of average prices for wines sold at commercial auctions in 20 countries. The average prices from each year have been collected since 1990. This chart plots the index value of the average price of the wines.

Latest Pro-tasting notes

<10 tasting notes

Tasting note

color

Full

ending

Long

flavors

Blackberry, Licorice, Blueberry, Mint, Smoky and Herbs

nose

Intense and Opulent

recommend

Yes

taste

Well-structured, Complex and Full-bodied

Written Notes

Fonseca 1927 Vintage Port / Decanted just before serving. Delicate bronze red, soft color, very light, very faded but more red than the Krohn 1982 Colheita. The nose was very mature, Demerara, soft yet intense. Peppery. Almost a tawny Port spirit. Aromas of old pews and leather bibles in an old English church. The nose evolved throughout the evening, filling the glass, it became huge and totally amazing. The palate was initially hot and spicy. Very spicy. Slightly drying. Morel like brandy than Port but very gentle. It was like an old lady with a lot of pizzazz. As it evolved in the glass it became pure syrup in texture with maple flavors. It became delicious. Initially, it was not my best wine of the evening but as it evolved it became the wine of the night. *****

  • 98p
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Information

Origin

Vila Nova de Gaia, Douro

Vintage Quality

Outstanding

Value For Money

Very good

Investment potential

Good

Fake factory

None

Glass time

2h

Drinking temperature

11
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