We drank this soon after decanting, so it was probably not yet showing its full richness. What we found was a notably spicy port, still quite hot, without much caramel, but already complex and lively, with well-balanced sweetness.
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Just an excellent and great experience of an older vintage Port. Caramel, toffee, violets, nail polish, raisin and concentrated black fruits still ripe and integrated with perfect acidity. This is rich, well balanced although a little hot but drinking in a really exciting way right now.
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Sad, sad, sad story. Recently purchased from a reputable online dealer. Upon removing the wrapper there was a tiny leak that had clearly been there for a long time. My fears were confirmed as I poured the wine into the decanter. It looked like an aged tawny, nothing all like a vintage port. Didn’t get much on the nose and the taste was clearly compromised, but you could sense there was something magic that has 99.9% removed. I have messaged the online entity to alert them of the issue (they guarantee provenance).
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This port has a delicate amber color. It has butterscotch, some caramel, and spices on the palate with dark red fruit. It’s very nice to sip and enjoy.
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ESTG Year-End Tasting (Newcastle, WA): Mmm, delicate and precise. People argued whether this had the stuffing, but I love when Port get lighter and more precise and focused with age.
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It might seem odd to give a wine of this antiquity a "plus" for potential, but alongside the 63 it showed great similarity of style with just not quite the refinement (yet) and more power. Better than the 70 and all perfect bottles.
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Medium garnet, well-stated nose of butterscotch, caramel, woody/earthy notes, followed by hints of cherry, and spice, sweet on the palate with dark, burnt caramel, fully resolved tannins, medium acidity and a little heat, finishes with lingering gingerbread notes, caramel, wood, allspice, orange rind, and more
Notes: Purchased from a reputable retailer about 2/3 into it's life, seemed to be a good bottle with no signs of leakage or oxidation
Mid ruby, touch of brown/orange and a watery pink rim
Whiff of alcohol. Cherry brandy aromas initially, blue fruits and something savoury, understated sweetness… cotton! Rich attack, full and sweet and very spicy. Plenty tangy, some chew, lots of energy. Stimulating.
Coming back: Lots of candied red fruits, spice, and some earth. Blue touches and a cherry base, lovely floral quality and notes of sweet tea. The palate has a creamy core and some fat then that stimulating and very spice frame. Really like the energy in this.
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A well-aged Port show excellent finesse with an ethereal texture and delicious flavors of dark red fruits, mocha and earthen spice. Layered and complex on the finish with lovely fading floral notes. Just a bit hot on the finish keeping it from a higher score for me.
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6th of 12, pnp, soaked cork but perfect level, paler and more spirity than last bottle in December 17, otherwise excellent and nuanced as before, probably at a peak which should last many years yet. VF (18.5).
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Decanted for about 2 hours before the first taste and consumed it over 3 days or so. It was what I would call- a well aged vintage port! It definitely showed age but all that was present in the youth was still evident. Almost sparkling, a deeper medium ruby color with a very thin rim, or almost no rim at all. I would not have guessed that this port is almost 50 years old judging by just its appearance. Layered aromas and flavors speak of complexity and intrigue. Red fruit, flowers, herbs... what was more pronounced for me - the overripe cherry, lavender, and a hint of bay leaf. Excellent acidity held it all well together and added to a very long, almost a whole minute finish. It felt like a (lingonberry) berry burst in my mouth - with an explosion of sourish flavor and a pleasant long tapered end. Fantastic VP!
Purchased at auction, seepage. A damaged bottle for sure. This port really needed the double decanting and resting overnight in the fridge. Initially light brown, this became more translucent and pinkish caramel overnight. Definitely more like a light port. Not spoiled, but definitely not the complexity from other CT reviews. Not a complete waste, but definitely not worth the price I paid, either.
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light red color - outstanding nose of black cherries, red flowers (peonies), and tertiary aromas (too many to describe verbally!)- full bodied with multiple layers of complex fruits, perfectly balanced in the mouth with enough fruit and structure to balance the sweetness - long 30+ sec finish - tasted alongside the 77 Taylors: the Taylor was more intense and richer in the mouth, but the Fonseca had the superior nose and overall elegance - I gave both the same rating but for different reasons - and both continued to drink well for an additional 2 weeks
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Stunningly good. Complex and multilayered. Rich and delicious, with abundant nutty flavors undergirded by beautifully balanced sweet grape candy tones. Spectacular! There isn’t much else to say. It’s a 45 year old vintage port that is living up to its promise. Enjoy.
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Purchased three bottles at auction, and it was noted there were signs of seepage - bought them anyway, what the heck. The first bottle was pale brown, the second bottle was cloudy brown, maybe I should have saved them to see if they would revive. Bottle three was much better, actually tastes like port! It had the best cork of them all. This is pale amber in the glass, very light, lots of vanilla and alcohol on the nose. Opened for Thanksgiving. This was *so* much better on day 2. Translucent pink in the glass. More like a smooth sophisticated ruby port, light, with no rough edges. Pepper cinnamon, sweet raisins. Lovely. 91/92
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Still fairly young. Vibrant, ripe red fruits and some tertiary nutty noted of walnut. Long and complex finish displaying more tertiary notes and walnut.
I enjoyed this but willing to accept that my relatively low score versus others was due to 1) only having a 25ml tasting glass 2) not giving it enough time to breathe and 3) this following a 1982 Claret which was sensational so being somewhat overshadowed. Keen to try another glass now.
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Strongly recommend decanting for at least 2 full days before drinking a single sip. On day one it’s overly alcoholic and the sweetness/fruit/flavors just don’t come through - by evening on day three it’s a completely different experience and wonderful.
Amazing. Beautiful color, balance, fruit forward but still alcoholic, like a good Fonseca. Sweet Cherry, with currants then walnut finish. Will try again tonight. Hoping it evolved like others describe. Glad I have more. Should live long life.
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Lunch on the terrace (cafe EPURE, Shop 403, inside Epure, Level 4, Ocean Centre, Harbour City, Tsim Sha Tsui, Hong Kong): Drank over cigars at the end of lunch on the terrace at Epure. Decanted for around three hours or more. Long decant. Has developed a slightly translucent jewelled deep ruby colour over the years since I have previously drank it. Very rounded mulled Christmas pudding spiced nose but with some higher piano notes. Palate is sharp but nicely clean cherry liqueur but gets a sheen of new velvet with more time in the glass. Always a pleasure...I remember drinking this blind ten years ago when it was still quite precocious and guessing that it needed another decade, so I'm pleased I got that right. Is very open for business now but can only improve with another decade or two. 92-ish for now. Thanks, Daniel.
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8 hrs decant. Deep ruby color. Still very youthful - bright and mot nearly as sweet as I would have expected. Heavier on the plum and maybe cassis flavors than the sugar and spice, although it has that as well. Penetrating and grippy. Fantastic now, decades ahead of it.
Day 2: Putting on a little bit of weight. Still quite a bit of fire and backbone. However the sweet side is coming out a little more: beginnings of Xmas pudding coming out. Oh yeah, this is going to be one of the greats in about 2 decades.
Day 3. Holy crap this is awesome. Everything resolved. Alcohol now under control. Incredibly smooth. Amazingly harmonious. Beautiful balance of plum pudding and strong grip. Wow. This is absolutely what the hype said. It takes three days in a decanter to get this now. This is going to be a legend in… 20 years?
Score : 95 for me for now, but I can totally see why others rated it higher. Higher in a couple of decades or , if you insist now, after at least 2 days in a decanter. Relative to expectations +++ in the fullness of time.
Monthly Boys' Wine Night (Eric's House, Hong Kong): Long decant. With a cigar. Very mulled smooth nose. Palate is sharp but nicely clean cherry liqueur. Is smoother with more time in the glass. Always a pleasure...able to stand out even though the last of 17 wines tonight.
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The cork had pushed out 3 or 4mm and there was a slightly musty smell on the cork. A bright light garnet. An immediate taste of the last decanted 'waste' was quite hot. It took about an hour for it to open up and then over the next couple of hours developed further.
Some interesting stem notes on the nose after a couple of hours, almost like a whole bunch Pinot noir. Dry and spicy, without any cloying sweetness. Some dark chocolate and dried fruit, but also some cherries in the first hour.
Wonderful. Two more bottles left from the case I bought in the early '90s...
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Port with Demetri Walters MW (Zoom!): Lovely ruby. A bit flat on the nose. Sweet entry, grippy and firm. Spicy! Cherry finish. Concentrated and vinous.
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Spectacular. Rich, layered, smooth, beautifully balanced with tastes that lasted so long. Enjoyed over several nights of social distancing, it continued to be delicious although the first night was the brightest.
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My previous note says it all. "... almost youthful in character with tight concentrated spiced desert fruits and wild strawberries. Spiritueux and warming in the mouth..." Intense, superb - now and till 2027 (at least).
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Second Sunday Group: Geja's Cafe format (Marty's): Courtesy of our host. Cherry, kirsch and cinnamon tones; pretty red fruit on the nose and palate. No hint of heat; subtle floral element. Lingering finish. Decanted, though I am not sure just how long. Drinking very well.
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- Brick color. It's in total harmony and has flavours of raspberry, strawberry, strawberry jam and raisin with a full body. Juicy texture with a medium finish - Brick in color. Loads of red fruit.
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Light clear garnet. Lovely sweet cherry, with some savory herb and just the slightest hint of menthol. Wonderful balance In a real sweet spot with plenty of life left. Quite a treat tonight
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I love this port for its powerful, vibrant cherry flavors accented by baking spices. Always have. I figure this port has several decades more life in it.
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Somewhat faded cherry color. Potent nose of floral red berries, smoked wood and eau de vie alcohol. On the palate, there is this wonderful floral note with flavors of cherries and blueberries and plenty of alcohol. Very smooth and silky texture with notes of violet flowers and allspice. Finishes very fine but perhaps lacks the complexity I expected at this point. Still, what a fine and lovely port that is hard to stop drinking. 94+
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1977 and 1963 Vintage Ports... (Regional Wines and Spirits, Wellington, New Zealand): Perfect tawny hue - limpid, with great colour gradation. Slightly closed nose at the moment, but with sappy spice and spirit notes. Incredibly intense on the exotic palate, candy cane spice. This is clearly extraordinary port, with a hard alcohol finish that balances the sweet and rich character of the wine to perfection. 97+ (This approaches perfection)
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A significant disappointment for a wine that now costs well over $200, received several 100 point scores, and is often lauded as a strong candidate for best port from the 1977 vintage. The color of most ports is pitch black, but here the color was a lighter brown tinged ruby. Often ports have an amazing ability to hide their high alcohol, but this bottle did the exact opposite - relentless flame thrower burning alcohol on entry, swallow, and finish. Ports often excel with complex tastes of nuts, chocolate, caramel, and a host of dried fruits, including raisin, dates, prunes, dried black currants, and candied fruits used in fruitcakes, such as orange and pineapple. At best here there was a tasty dried apricot. And finally, ports often have a lush and delicious sweetness that here amounted to a faded background. Overall, a decent port that is a shadow of how it is lauded, most likely indicating that this bottle is flawed, but not by any invasive taint, just by a loss of flavors.
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2017 New York Wine Experience Trip; 10/16/2017-10/25/2017 (New York City, NY): Sourced from Taylor Fladgate's cellar, this light-to-medium amber specimen is something very special. It has an impressive core of black plums, mulling spices, pine nuts, leather and dark chocolate that resides in an unctuous, silky smooth frame. The middle palate is impressively dense and the finish seems to last forever. Savor this gem over the next 2-3 decades if you are able to avoid the Grim Reaper. Drink now-2045.
The 1977 Fonseca isn't among the most powerful ports I've tasted, but it has enough power to maintain a sense of purity after 40 years. Indeed, the fruit is as good as it gets, with a seamless spectrum of flavors ranging from prune to red cherry. The fruit is seasoned with warm baking spices. The texture is as silky as it could be. If it had more acidic energy, perhaps this would be a perfect wine.
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Decades of Decadence - x7s: Coffee, clove, spice, cherry and some medicinal notes along with chocolate - a good mix on the nose, there is some spirit but it is well hidden. Nicely sweet on the palate, shows very good balance and length. It takes a very good Port for me to find a lot to personally like and I did with this!
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Truffles with the SLDS (CFs): Toast, coffee, plum, blueberry and wooden notes with a little chocolate note as well. Intense on the palate, with sweetness and good drive and length. Showed a class above the 77 Grahams VP tonight.
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FTLOP 12th Anniversary; 7/21/2017-7/23/2017 (Seattle, Washington): Transparent with a dark amber-brown center and orange lightning at the edges. Subtle nose with cedar and some red fruits peeking through. Milk chocolate and some red fruit on the elegant mid-palate. Well-balanced, long finish.
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Actually decanted yesterday but noting from tonight's glass. Bottle variation again albeit within the high end of the excellent range. This one was almost youthful in character with tight concentrated spiced desert fruits and wild strawberries. Spiritueux and warming in the mouth. A particularly fine bottle. Absolutely no rush to drink up - should easily last 50+ years from vintage if your bottles are in half decent nick.
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I had this a year ago and was wowed and gave it 100 points on the same night I gave the '82 Mouton a 96. This time, it wasn't as good. Properly stored, Just not as much flavor and complexity.
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Slightly disappointed - I fear that the bottle has led a busy life before I got my hands on it. Perfectly pleasant, sweet and alcoholic, but not much fruit. Not rated for that reason.
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Great detail of red fruits on the nose. There was a little mushroom development and plenty of earth. It was fresh with good cut from the spirit and drinking very well.
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This was the port that got my hooked on vintage port. I think one of the big draws for me is that it's not too sweet or syrupy. The fruit flows naturally.
The nose of spices, tobacco, candied cherries, and prunes is more exciting than I had remembered. On the palate, this always reminds me of chocolate covered cherries, but this time it seems to expand into caramel and strawberry. And the spices are so much more prominent than I had remembered.
I love this wine. I wish I could taste it next to the 1994 Fonseca, which I rated 100. These are the only two wines I've scored 99 or 100 (out of 938 tasting notes). They have very different characters right now. The 1994 Fonseca is huge and decadent, whereas the 1977 Fonseca is noble and elegant.
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4th of 12 (cellared by me since early 80s), decanted and drunk over several nights, perfect cork and level, improving trend since first bottle in 2013 and step up since last in 2014, the fruit is now showing better through the spirit than early bottles and happily coming into balance in what always promised to be a big wine in a top long lived vintage. At last this wine is getting into its delightful stride. VF (18.5).
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Wonderful garnet color with copper at the edges. If wine could be rated for color alone, this would be spectacular. Bouquet and flavor of candied cherry-apple, with hints of toasted nuts, all wrapped up in that defining port essence, that I can appreciate better than dissect, and that identifies these wines the way that botrytis identifies Sauternes. Wonderful mouthfeel with great definition and balance. I must confess that I find it more difficult to rate sweet wines than dry wines, as it is easy to be carried away by the sugar. So I will make no claim to being the "go to" Port rater, but if you have the opportunity to taste this wine, don't pass it up, preferably after a great meal, where you haven't already had enough to drink and are not too full. No need to keep this in the cellar.
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Leiden dinner December 2016: Impressive to drink this almost 40 year old port. Red fruit, lots of concentration, balance. Also chocolate and nuts. Very fine.
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A touch of bottle variance (and/or different source) seemed to show itself in the form of a relative leanness compared with my earlier notes. But once again, after 4 days (9th Dec) in a sealed decanter this has opened up into a fine bottle if not quite the 96-97pts of earlier examples. Who's complaining!!
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So much richer than the Taylor's '77 from the night before. Granted, no seepage in this bottle probably helped, but I still tend to prefer the Fonseca style anyway.
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Absolutely delicious. Like chocolate-covered cherries made from the world's tastiest cherries (which don't actually exist in real life and have been macerated in fine brandy). That's what this wine is about, though if I have to be complete, there are baking spices, leather, and tobacco too. The power in the fruit is incredible. I agree with James Suckling now: The fruit is perfect. My prior reviews of 96 and 95 are unfair. I have never tasted any wine with such pure, intense, expressive, mouth-coating fruit.
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Of the 1977 ports I've tried (Fonseca, Dow, Graham, Warre), the Fonseca is overwhelmingly my favorite. The Fonseca has the richest and purest fruit. I love the ruby-copper color. It is a great wine and the only wine among those 1977 ports that I would consider calling "great."
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Deep and voluptuous. Figs, black currants, and chocolate-covered cherries swirl around and around in the mouth. Ground coriander seed and cigar appear quietly. Smooth and satisfying. This tastes incredibly young and powerful for a 39-year-old wine, but any rough edges that may once have existed are rounded out.
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Very pale almost translucent garnet-orange, clearly a sign of bad bottle condition--cork was completely saturated and disintegrated upon opening; with my expectations very much lowered, this still was alive and quite nice. Only Port could still be on all fours in such a condition. This had notes of faint fig, raisin, orange peel, dried herbs, and a slight diesel "outboard motor" (!) note. Still good nutty sweetness, lighter body, but not bad. No tannins left at all. I would love to taste this in good condition. Vintage Port Tasting 2011-1963.
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Surprise treat at end of a tasting. Host had opened this weeks before and laid Argon over it. Very much evolved, soft and complex. It no doubt lost something with time opened. Excellent but not profound as it may have been a couple weeks ago.
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I've rated and written about 350 reviews and given out maybe 4 100 point scores... all while drinking some pretty good wines. 1977 is my daughter's birth year, and she brought out a bottle that I had given her about 8 years ago. But it's been stored in a rack in her kitchen. All that was left was alcohol and little bit of fruit = 84pts. But last night my friend, Cork, brought over a properly stored bottle and we all agreed it was the WOTN, even after having the '82 Mouton! Enough said.
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9 months later, laid on its side with the coravin gas. Leak created a seal as I guess it dried a bit and the sugar blocked the hole. The coravin worked! Opened the cork and the wine tasted the same as the day it was first pierced - 12/31/14. No signs of oxidation; garnet colored; perfumed, floral, tarragon/licorice nose. Full bodied, deep, sweet, balanced acidity and mouthwatering tannins that create an ultra long finish (literally 90 seconds). Unbelievable. Even better with some Neal's yard Stilton and some may tag bleu.
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Time to Taste 2000 Bordeaux (R&D's): From 750ml, again thanks to our hosts. Initially a bit hot, but then notes of violets, rose petals, cherry and currants come to the fore. Full-bodied and balanced with flavors of chocolate, cassis, cherry and licorice. Lengthy finish.
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Not quite as good as might have been expected - having drunk the 70 recently it fell way below that. Drunk at Whites against a magnum of Taylors 70 which was less good than the bottles drunk at Brooks's last November
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Decanted 5 hours in advance, this was a very good but not great bottle of Port. The dominant aromatic and palate impression was cherry vanilla, supplemented by some subtle spice elements and a bit of finishing nuttiness. I was surprised that it was only light to medium bodied. It was very well integrated, and made for a very pleasant drinking experience, but it did not excite me.
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Had a first taste of this at a WB offline: Medium weight. Not cloying at all. Super interesting. A WOTN.
Then I bought a bottle, opened on 1/24/18: The cork came out fairly easily, but a bit of the bottom broke off and had to be strained out. Didn't seem to effect the flavor. N: Full, rich, and very Port-like. Raisins, nuts and brown sugar. P: Beautiful entry, slightly sweet but not cloying in the least. Deep, dark and rich with great length. Fills the mouth with a wonderful comforting flavor, but doesn't overwhelm in the least. Port is not generally my thing, but this was exceptional!
NB: It held for about two weeks with no noticeable changes (mostly under vacuvin on the counter). There was a fair amount of residue at the bottom of the bottle, but it didn't get stirred up easily. This bottle was stored on its side for a long time, and I didn't decant it or shake it up at all.
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Unnumbered March 2015 PDH Berserkerfest (PDH): This was delicious port that I have had two or three times before. It is right at the sweet spot where it has shed all of its baby fat but had not been completely taken over by nutty caramel. There is still fruit to blend with the complexity that great port takes on with age. Bravo. I think that Jeff brought this, but whoever brought it deserves the thanks of everyone who tasted it.
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Stunning and drinking beautifully - at this point on Christmas days detailed mental notes were limited. Fully mature though and no doubt with some life ahead of it.
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Deep fruity nose leads to a very fresh fruity palate. Light bodied for a port, but packed with flavor. Tamed tannins and a finish filled with the fire that makes vintage port unique.
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An almost perfect vintage port, ripe, need not be stored longer. Layer upon layer of nuance and flavor. The aftertaste lasts for several minutes. 1977 Fonseca has always been good, but now it's on top, but may still be stored many years in a cold winecellar
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Drank at Bar Lees last nite as a surprise from the owner. Deliciously fresh, though a tad on the sweet side. Lots of vanilla here, along with caramel and some clove. Very enjoyable, and far more vibrant than I would have thought
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was 98 pt 14 years ago but is loosing it ! weakening and not for the long haul like the 1970 the 77 is now thinning and getting a brown edge proper it has pleasant fruit fine balance but i am not impressed with the variation in bottles we dont get this in the 70 or 63 much this will drift and never be a great vintage fonseca sadly not in the same devision as the 94 or 48
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Cellared since release, and the extra care it's been given till now showed in the freshness and overall experience. EtOH is fully integrated; the color only just beginning to show some age. Consistent with the color, the nose and palate confirms this has (only recently) entered its preferred drinking window where it will no doubt remain for the next 20 years. Nothing dense or chewy, just elegant and very well balanced. If you've got several and haven't checked in lately, now would be a great time to visit this. As we were poolside at Caesar's Palace, at midnight, with our cigars, we did not have time to aerate in decanter, though it was clear it certainly would have helped as this gained weight, complexity and length with just a few minutes in the glass. Beautiful stuff, and highly recommended. 20,0% abv
Vintage Port (Fem Bord, Trondheim): Rich, but very tight. Fruity and nicely balanced. Hint of alcohol and tannin in the finish. Seems very young. Best '77 for me.
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Beautiful, elegant, aged port. Spices, mahogany clove and caramel. All woven together wonderfully. If you get the chance do yourself a treat and taste this
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Really nice Port goes down a treat at the end of a meal. It does not taste as though it's nearing the end although it is becoming slightly tawny in colour
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Simply stunning port. Translucent, ruby colour with a sweet, red fruit bouquet and extraordinarily long finish. Would love a case of this to see if it improves over the next decade...
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Radiant, clear and precise palet. I have guarded this bottle for 20 years, most of that time in a professional cave. Radiant, ruby colour, rich and complex nose, taste still with a spring in the acidity, wonderful complex candy-like flavour. Very long finish. A fantastic wine well with waiting fore.
Initially no note - but previous note now completely confirmed. Once again a finest quality 95pt wine has evolved after four days in a stoppered decanter to a 97+ great. On a plateau with no obvious end in sight. 10 bottles to go!
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This was the finale to the October SCWC dinner. This was a 100 point bottle and you know why when you drink it. At 37 years old it was still solid. Fruit was well integrated and the tannins smooth. Very pleasant.
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South Charlotte Wine Lovers - Pre and Post Millennium Tasting (Tom and Sue's Casa): Tom went deep in his cellar for this one. Dust on the bottle and everything. To say this was a joy to taste would be an understatement. By far, the best Port I have had to date and oldest as well. Bricking and almost orange in color with a thin clear edge. The smallest of sips was completely mouth filling with pleasing cherry, raspberry and strawberry flavors. Unbelievable way to end the night (if only I had had a nice cuban cigar to go with it...) WOTN
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Friday Night in Toronto (10tation Catering): Not sure of the treatment before it was served, but this sat in my glass for perhaps 30 minutes as I worked my way through it. I was quite looking forward to trying this legendary Port, but overall it fell short of expectations. I found the nose to be very spirit like, more so than I normally get from Port, with accents of cherry, fruit preserves, toasted nuts, spice cake, earth and cedar. On the palate, well rounded, but picking up quite a bit of heat on the back end.
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A Friday Night Toronto Wine Dinner: This poured very light in color and had a very boozy nose. Also featured were walnuts, cherries and red currants. Nice sticky bitter finish of toasted nuts and red fruit. Perhaps not as good a showing as other scores would indicate.
This is the ultimate in Vintage Port. After decanting and waiting a short time, this is near perfection. Color, texture, taste are what every vintage port should deliver. Thanks to the folks at the Wine Discount Center in Chicago for making me buy a couple of cases many many years ago.
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Deep ruby color with aromas of dark fruit, fig, florals and spice. Balanced, with lovely red and black fruit, florals and cedar on the palate. long finish.
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This was a really good port. Colour garnet, Aroma was sweet port, red berry. The consistency was smooth, delicate not strong alcohol. Strong fruit taste
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Saturated cork, but clean nose on decanting leaving heavy deposit behind. Clear edged with remarkably pale almost opaque ruby core. Nose of alpine wild berry eau de vies with a touch of tar and smoke betraying its true origins. Flavour classic Fonseca. Intense but focused sweetness that prevents cloying. Flavours of smokey sweet dark berries and spiced desert fruits (dates figs etc). Racy, earthen tannins and balancing fruit acid bringing this masterpiece together. I can see no reason why this wine won't be around to celebrate its 50th birthday. 95+
PS: drinking the remains 4 days later from my stoppered magnum decanter. Wine has improved taking on even more complexity, ?nougat, more defined acidity and velvet concentration. My initial mark of 95 was a disservice. Where will this wine be in a few years time? Lucky me! I've 12 more bottles loitering in my cellar to find out.
Double decanted and then served five hours later. Color is dark red with some bricking. The nose was big with plums and raspberries. It was still pretty hot with alcohol, so it needs a lot longer than a five-hour aeration. I would recommend a 12-hour decant prior to service. There's some excellent sweetness here as well. The wine pairs extremely well with blue cheese. Still on the uphill of maturity with probably another 5-7 years to hit peak, then drinking well for another 20 years after that.
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PHMG WAG: #100 (Chez Lyon in Eugene, OR): Cork was soaked, but the wine was not. Medium garnet w/ a hint of brick at the rim, the nose was amazing. Kirsch, Chambord, and other liqueurs with some earth and floral notes. Perfectly integrated! Just went on and on, a real crowd pleaser.
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- Brick color with medium forming legs. It's in total harmony and has flavours of blackberry, raspberry, black currant, prune and vanilla with a medium/full body. Smooth texture with a medium finish - Wonderful bottle of port. Please disregard my last rating. Ruby red. Full body that could still age but tastes great right now.
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Great bottle in perfect shape. This wine is almost perfection. Great colour of red velvet a la Moulin Rouge. Coffee, liqourice and spices on the nose. Even some green notes behind the sweetness, alcohol and spices. Damn! This is elegant! Even on the palate this Port offers lots of coffee, liqourice and spices. I also find some cherries ... in a bit medecine-like style. The taste goes on forever. At least five minutes after a sip I still taste this Port "loud and clear". I just love this elegant Port! Absolutely fabulous!! And yes, it's Edina and Patsy all the way! I just love Jennifer Saunders :-)
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Funny this is the same as the first one. I think it has a bitter first taste. It's a good port no doubt about that but may be it needs a few more years to get that first taste out. The nose is good port. The taste is good apart from that slight bitterness to begin. Long taste no complaints there. May be I am just fussy as nobody else complained, but then who would when the host gives them a '77 port?
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The Wine Society Dining Club 250th Dinner (Drapers' Hall, London): Unmistakeable Fonseca exotique, wonderfully sweet, orange and tangerine, raisins, has a piquancy to it (quite unlike the calm 1970), lovely balance and acidity, great length. The outstanding 1977.
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Dinner at Gunther's (Gunther's, Purivs Street, Singapore): This was quite spectacular. It could easily have been wine of the night on most nights, except that it had the misfortune of coming just before a far more mature and astoundingly good 1963 Grahams this time round. Make no mistake though - this was a marvelous vintage Port in its own right. It had a beautiful nose, with nicely integrated aromas of sultanas, dried apricots and figs, some malt honey scents, and then dried cranberries and a pretty little whiff of maraschino cherries unfolding all the while. A lovely bouquet. The palate was incredible. Still a tad too young perhaps, but this was certainly starting to approach its peak drinking window, with a beautifully rounded feel to its pretty flavours of plums and berries, figs and cherries, and a little earthy, truffley nuance - this had a gentle, un-showy complexity to it, wrapped in a package of velvety tannins and absolutely pitch perfect balance. While starting to mellow, it still had a lovely sense of structure and energy to it, along with a sense of something still being coiled up in its depth, waiting for time to unfold. The finish just refused to quit, haunting the backpalate with a wafting linger of dried figs and mushrooms and herbs and spice thta filled the mouth wonderful. Incredible stuff. I loved this - it will be quite amazing in a decade or so.
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Slight leakage on cork - no major oxidation though. Tried at the open and, although mute, it had a dense nose of chocolate, coffee, and spice. Beautiful limpid ruby core with slight bricking on edge. Gave off a huge deposit. Decanted for four hours and we started to drink it throughout the day. Not very sweet now, nicely balanced by the acidity. This, and the colour change, probably explains the deposit. Intense dark fruits with waves of peel and spice. Fabulous length. I love this wine.
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Undoubtedly a good wine but I thought a little disappointing because it had a slightly bitter overtone - everybody else enjoyed it. Colour perfect deep ruby. Nose perfect port. Taste had fruit and the slight bitter overtone
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Spectacular! An absolute stunner, with the standard heady 77 nose, wonderful mixture of fruits & berries, powerful and heavy. Amazing finish that almost re-fills the glass for you!!!
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Sediment well settled although a fair bit of fine sikh made it through the funnel. Pale garnet red, lovely spicy nose, mellow lingering taste. Worth the wait.
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Cork soaked through entirely. Nice nose of crushed red fruit. Soft, fresh palate of raspberry, cherry and walnuts. Smooth finish. Light to medium-bodied.
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Decanted for three hours before bottling two small portions for dinner and rebottling the rest to take to a tasting. On opening, the cork was stained along the full length. Gorgeous aromas on decanting, like crushed ripe dark berries and flowers. When tasting the larger portion about 3 hours after rebottling, some signs of oxidization were present, but it was still very enjoyable. Rich, flavorful and smooth. When we opened the smaller bottled portions about 6 hours later at a separate event, the nutty signs of oxidization were very clear and most fruit flavors were gone, though it was still very tasty. One person, smelling it blind, guessed it was a sherry. For all that, it showed how a great port, even when, "spoiled," can still be a great bottle.
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Lovely - rich port with a soft texture, solid fruit and a smooth finish. Consumed with family and a good time was enjoyed by all (as it should be) as this was a perfect ending to a wonderful meal with dinner wines from Tuscany.
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Group de Degustation Diner, L'Anniversaire de Daniel, '1970s in France & Elsewhere' (Hong Kong Wine Vaults, Aberdeen, Hong Kong): Drank double-blind. Bright, light, totally transparent young purple-tinged colour. Nose is petrol and petroleum jelly ("Vaseline" in the UK), very high toned notes but just from the fruit and the alcohol.....no noticeable oak or tannin on the nose. Palate is...port..to my surprise, lovely but very young....well, probably old but it tastes like it's not even a third of the way through its life. Hmmm, but it's all fruit and no oak, so it can't be port...whatever, it is way too alcoholic and young. Lots of sour cherry as you keep it in your mouth. Heady and alcoholic. I would have scored this as 84 and guessed it was some very unusual very local concoction....so I was flummoxed when it was revealed as 1977 Fonseca. Clearly it needs many hours of decanting if it is to be enjoyed this early in its life. I much preferred the Graham's 1977 that followed because it was entering its fully-fledged drinking window. However, the Fonseca will ultimately triumph (probably in around 2020).
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DS Bday dinner. Blind T. Light ruby colour. Would have expected a darker colour. Medicinal, Chinese herbal, anis seed nose. Caramel, smokey vanilla palate. Alcohol is palatable. Viscous mouthfeel. Much more aging potential, but drinking nicely.
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David Turns 30 -- 1981 Cabs: Massively disappointing. Well stored, condition looks great, color looks fine ... but this just isn't that good. Totally lacking the depth and power you'd expect from a good VP in a good year. Instead it's a bit soft, plummy, raisiny, with a bit of alcohol poking through. I've had LBVs I like better. It's a little bit nutty, maybe there was some slight oxidation?
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Not sure current value - i've heard around 300$...this has been in Dad's cellar for 20+ yrs and opened for special occasion. Aged well, pleasant, but not sure i would rate so high as everyone else. I would pay no more than 20$ for this...Likely lost a little edge over last few years in cellar. Nose is nice and "port like" Palate is sweet and fruity, but ends very fast with some smooth heat. Not a lot of complexity. Decent, but would not search this out.
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- Brick color with slow forming legs and aromas of blackberry and smokey and has flavours of black currant and almond - This truly is an outstanding bottle of Port. Ready now for sure.
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Cold War Nuclear Escalation Wine Club Dinner (Hong Kong Wine Vaults, Aberdeen, Hong Kong): Half-opaque, deep ruby red colour. Nose is subdued (maybe under-decanted?) black fruit and molasses. Palate is an explosion of rich nuts, white shoe cream, christmas cake, almonds, stollen fruit cake. Length is long and smooth with a long-resoundng finale but touches of Christmas spices and cinnamon which emerge on the back end suggest that this has a lot longer to mature and fully unfold. Delicious.
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Dinner with JP and friends: Fonseca is one of my favorites and 77 supposed to be a strong vintage but maybe we didn't give this bottle enough air to fully reveal it's glory or perhaps it was the end of the evening and I was feeling the effects of the previous 9 bottles. This was good but it didn't rock my world (but then again I'm not big on port in general). Nonetheless a very nice accompaniment to the lovely cheese plate prepared by our friends at Chez Patrick and a fitting end to a stupendous evening.
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2011 Simple Series 7: Gary (Paradise Pavilion @ MBFC): Alcohol :: 21% Pretty, expressive aromas of red floral scents along with red cherry liquor, earth and alcohol spice, the depth of the aromas is remarkable. The palate is definitely a WOW. Super rich with pure complex flavors of sweet orange, red cherry liquor, salted plum and spices all wrapped in highly focus, precise package, intense but never come across heavy and show some finesse even with its 21% alcohol content. Loads of fine tannin provided grip and extra dimension, with quite powerful, long finish. Still young and when the tannin resolved, this will be even better. Excellent. Buy - Maybe - Yes.
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The Fladgate Partnership Vintage Port Tasting (Vancouver Playhouse International Wine Festival): Medium rusty red at the colour moving to orange/brown at the rim. Slightly sherry like nose with notes of oxidized apples, ripe cherry, spice and some nuttiness. Soft in the mouth with flavours of baked cherries, papaya, tobacco, chocolate and baking spices. The alcohol was slighty more noticeable here than on the ’77 Taylor. More refined than the Taylor with smooth and concentrated flavours. Long finish. Like the Taylor, this is drinking very well right now and has a long time to go. Outstanding.
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Still deep warm red with some brick at the edge. Richl, open, fresh, very complex, sweet nose with milk chocolate, black tea, coffee, creamy fudge, newly sawn wood, raisins, dates, sweet cherries, apricots. Incredibly powerful, sweet, elegant, fruity and aromatic taste with perfect tannins and freshness. Long is just the foreword. Can be compared with how Taylor 1948 was 20 years ago - i.e as good as it gets.
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Wines before the dawn of points (Chez Dave): While I’m generally not a port lover (I find the alcohol to be like a flamethrower to my nostrils sometimes), this port was quite refined and suave, with interesting notes of mocha, toffee and chocolate covered berries. This port was like the interesting European gentleman who still has some tattoos that poke out of his sleeves, but clearly has grown beyond the days of such recklessness.
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A really delicious port. Sensational spicy aromas overlay cranberry cocktail, wax, old books, red licorice. Sweet, rich, and with a kind of silky finish. Wonderful stuff!
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A little spice on the nose. Sweet, but somewhat restrained. Perfect on the palate - huge, spicy, sweet, perfumed. Explosive when trilled. Great. Nose - 3/6, Palate - 6/6, Finish - 5/6, Je Ne Sais Pas - 2/2 = 16/20.
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WOTN. Medium ruby with some orange-browning. Wonderful plum, cherry bouquet with secondary notes. Elegant with a smooth balanced finish that goes on and on. Fully mature. Outstanding.
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A superb port. I decanted through a strainer only to remove sediment. The nose was blueberries and plums and cane syrup. Very berryful, smooth, and velvety. This port had all of the qualities you look for in a great port; finesse, great flavor, and a long smooth finish. I would serve this wine to anyone.
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Tasted as a closing course at Wine Dinner in Portland, OR. Decanted for 5 hours after cracking the neck with tongs. Exceptionally rich vintage port, room filling nose, and great burnt orange/carmel color. This is a wonderful sipping port that will flatter well matched foods. Get some while its still available!
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Fonseca Offline @ Joost B.'s (Netherlands): Shy, muted, reticent on the nose, slightly one-dimensional. Soft, friendly and pure in its fruit, which comes across as a bit hot or cooked. Balance is not what it should be. I suspect this was a sub-par bottle. It was fair, certainly not great. Heat-damage? 16/20
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Ruby in the glass, slightly translucent with a fair amount of sediment. Nose of sweet red fruits, plums stewed in rum, and nutmeg. On the palate this is amazingly balanced and even tastes slightly young. Beautiful acidic backbone and a spice cabinet finish make this one to savor.
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Wow, even with minimal decanting this was a beautiful, glossy port with plenty of figgy, plummy fruit and the merest hint of the development to come. Young, but approachable. For me, one of the wines of the year so far.
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After tonging the bottle and decanting for 4 hours, we poured this beautiful port along side a 1985 Quinto do Noval and served it with dates stuffed witl blue cheese and wrapped in bacon. The pairing was wonderful, the Fonseca outstanding. I could go on about the forever finish (well over a minute), the nose, the color, etc. Suffice it to say that this is drinking perfectly and was the WOTN to many at the table of 16. I need more.....
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Can't score as this was a little off. Cork disintegrated and had to filter the wine through a coffee filter but the taste was just too cedary for my palate. Since this is the first bottle of Fonseca I have ever had, I won't score until the next to see if it is a characteristic of the wine.
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EWG Parties Like It's 1999 (Conrad Greens Abode): Restrained elegant nose. Clean, balanced and pretty. In a very nice place and clearly in a better drinking window than the huge baby of the '70.
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WOW. This is an absolutely stunning vintage port. Smooth, full-bodied as only the very best ports are. Decanted an hour or so in advance and it kept developing in the glas.
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Spain and Portugal Tasting (Casa Roberts): Sadly my last bottle of this divine aged port... but thankfully, prices have fallen, so I can get more to celebrate future birthdays! Surprisingly light color -- but equally surprisingly fresh and light nose. Plum notes dominated, with red cherry, chocolate, spice, and some lovely floral nuances. This cast of a crazy amount of sediment -- the stuff that came out of the bottle looked incredibly foul. Drank again for dessert the next night and it was holding up well... there was very little left though! It's nice to know that things from 1977 arestill so youthful!
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Spain and Portugal (2033 Brandywine): Surprising fresh and light. I expected a denser, chewy port for a wine over 30 years old. But it was not. Exhibited secondary notes, but a lot of brighter red fruit. Very interesting. Not overly sweet. Good sweet spice, red fruit, chocolate and maybe some secondary toffee. This had a very nice finish. Very enjoyable.
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Double decanted. Then drank 4 hours later after a multicourse dinner. Medium red, lighter color than expected. Cherries dominate the nose and first taste. Then more complexity as it breathed. Very nice port.
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Decanted about six hours. Wonderful chocolate-cherry nose. Some raisin as well. Wonderfully sweet on the palate with a long finish. Excellent, but not as good as previous bottles.
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Delicious but tasting a little young. Really nice balance of alcohol, raisins, sherry and maraschino cherries, The middle experience is the best part. The alcohol is a little too present at the onset and finish (leaving a dentist's Novocain taste). I agree at this point it's best after a few hours of air time.
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My last bottle, and an excellent one! Decanted nearly 4 hours before drinking, the wine was immediately good, but opened up considerably during the evening. Beautiful rondeur, lovely palate. Very broad in the nose as well as on the palate. Excellent!
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Cork and capsule quite dry. No ullage. Cork broke in only two pieces on extraction. Heavy sediment but decanted easily. Deep sunset red clear wine. Dark grapes dominating nose. Intense peppery spirit on first sip opening to glorious ripe dark grape fruit in total harmony with the feiry spitit perfectly supported by tannin which merely rested in the background. It is unlikely I shall ever tast port as fine as this again but, in case I do, I have reserved the last scoring point for it.
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I drank this over the course of about 30 hours. Every time I took another glass, it was a different port. Initially tasted of cherry cough syrup and alcohol; an hour later, this had burned off into a lovely mouthful of dark fruit. Honestly, every glass after that, up until it was gone, was better than the one before it. A remarkable port.
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A lovely bright, fairly youthful appearance (though more of the appearance of a youthful red wine, than a thick young port). There's black sweet fruit on the palate. Really quite young feeling. Nice class, but not really ready yet.
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lovely bottle consumed over 3 days during Thanksgiving weekend. Needed some time to open up: best on 2nd & 3rd day. Nice balance between smoothness elegance & power
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Somewhat lighter than the Smith Woodhouse, but still one of the darker of the bunch. On the nose, some floral notes, fresh and light, with some sweet red fruit and a touch of fresh chilipepper. Medium sweet and round, with a great balance. Very delicate and elegant, with lovely dark fruit flavours (blackcurrant, brambles). The palate keeps on building in the mouth. Very complex, and the best of the evening for me.
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Decanted about 3 hours and consumed over 2 hours. Probably at it's best 4 hours after opening. Wonderful nose of spice and dark fruit. Chocolate on the palate with a w wonderful dried cherry finish. So smooth! Wonderful.
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Poured into a decanter to capture sediment. A LOT of sediment! The color was surprisingly lighter than I expected. I had high expectations of this wine after my friend told me it's one of his favorites and it actually exceeded my expectations. Beautiful nose of jammy fruit, cocoa, and spices that continued onto the palate. There is some roasted nut flavors too that I really enjoyed. My tongue was coated from this wine and it left a super long finish. Very well balanced. Delicious!
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Dinner at Steve & Barb's house with Bob C., Bill H. & John & Jen. Garnet in color with a very nutty nose but the finish, while long, was a little warmer than I would have liked. Maybe I'm a bit palate-fatigued at this point but this is not doing it for me tonight. NR.
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As I finish my Holiday bottle, I must add how impressed I have been with the resiliance of this wine. Simly stoppered and left upright on the cellar floor, the wine hasn't degraded in power, fruit or richness. I realize the higher alcohol level has helped, but some credit must be given to the winemaker.
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Absolutely wonderful. Incredible ruby color, lots of chocolate, leather, dark flavors well balanced by front-palate fruit. Enough heat to carry every thing around. Flavor profile isn't round--it is even and intense from start to finish. Luckily I bought two so we can cellar one for a few more years. This wine makes me want to invest in more old vintage port.
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IWFSC 731st Dinner (Les Nomades): Medium full prune color. Rich hot plum black fruit on the nose with some floral notes. Big rich round chocolate notes, but still with a bit of heat. Could probably use a few more years to round out.
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I'm not a huge fan of port but this definitely is the stuff to drink. Powerful with intense crushed red and black juicy fruit but what is also very notable is the alcohol content.
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Christmas dinner: This was just a phenomenal way to end Christmas dinner:
I opened this yesterday to check on the wines status; a brief pour became a second. Then I slid a cork in and placed the bottle in the cellar. Tonight (Christmas) the wine showed brilliantly with deep flavors of plums, some orange o on the finish and just a velvety feeling that caressed the palate---makes me want to open more of the subsequent vintages. Don't be in a hurry to drink these--but if you must, give it time to open.
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Dark plum color. Cassis and slight spice on the nose. Heat on the approach. Prune on the mid-palate and a medium long finish with a touch of heat. The heat dissipated after some swirling in the glass.
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My favorite port producer and my favorite vp. Decanted 8 hours before tasting together with my wife. 25th wedding anniversary!!! The wine has been stored in my own wine cellar since I bought it at BBR Heathrow early 1990's (luckily I still have 14 bottles left). A tint of orange around the rim, but still very purple in its color. The wine has become more mature since I tasted it 3 years ago- not young , but not old. The wine was superb, velvety in its consistancy. Distinct dark plumb, prune taste, with a hint of anise, lasting almost a minute. Fairly strong tannins. This wine will last at least another 20 years.
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Defiinitely the ugliest and oldest bottle in my cellar. Purchased by my parents in Portugal and carried back to the States for me as gift a decade ago. I kept this wine for a special occasion, my 50th birthday celebration with my wife and 12 friends at a wine dinner (I brought all seven flights from my cellar). When I took off the foil, the cork was bulging, but it remained intact upon removal. The wine was just fine. It was reminiscent of a 1962 that I tasted in the early 1990's, aromas and flavors of prunes, blackberries, not too sweet, perfect balance. We served it with a blue cheese and figs. Great.
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By this time, my palate was a bit fried. I have loved the aromatics on this wine before and found it very good with still more primary notes than anything approaching tawny. Sweet dark chocolate, tons of dark balckberries and plums, more floral notes ? violets? A dark mineral or slatey feel as well. Very primary still and sadly I did not appreciate this wine as much as I would have under less excessive circumstances. Every other time I have had this form the same case I scored it in the upper 90's, but I was probably too far along to fairly give it a number this night.
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Sadly, my only bottle of this stunning wine. Enjoyed it with friends on a lovely summer evening. Vintage port is the best reason I know to live a long life.
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The Wine Summit; 6/2/2006-6/3/2006 (The Post Hotel in Lake Louise): Amber ruby color; penetrating aromas; good split between the spirit and the fruit; good balance – weighty – integrated sweetness. An OK Port, but I’m not particularly enamoured with finishing a meal that way.
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Purchased on release and stored in my cellar since then. Consumed with 5 friends at byob dinner. I am not a big port fan and usually prefer sauternes. That said, of ports I tend to like Fonseca best, since they appear to be less overtly sweet. This wine was great and close too perfect. Slightly faded (but not brown) , beautiful nose, and a wonderful soft, nutty, berry flavor with a long finish. No harshness, no tannin, and no noticable alcohol. A wine to end the meal that quieted the table to just be sipped and enjoyed by itself. Fabulous. Can't see it getting any better, and I would consume it now.
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Ugliest bottle in the cellar, but I've had good experiences with ugly port bottles and found this was no different. The cork came out whole with some careful pulling, but was stained from top to bottom. Fortunately, this was not an indicator of spoiled wine as what came out was a beautiful ruby red. I decanted the wine, then flushed the bottle before returning the wine for presentation. Lots of berries and cooked fruits on the palate, and overall very pleasant. Tried it with a chocolate dessert, and it stood up very well. A nice, stinky bleu cheese also made a nice combo on another night (stored the wine with the WineKeeper nitrogen system). After about a week in the kitchen--I wanted to stretch it a bit--the wine was showing more brick than previously, but the flavor and mouthfeel were undiminished. Overall, a worthy and rich wine that changes with the menu.
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SWS Port Tasting (Seattle, WA): This looked very old for being a '77. Just a tinge of red left. The nose had hints of dried fruit and spice. Very smooth on the palate with good body. Nice length to the finish but not quite as long as it should be.
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Chicago Cabernet dinner (Chicago NW Suburbs): The cork came out in one piece, but was stained from top to bottom. Is this unusual for a 28 year old? Probably not. The color had some brick in it, but still a healthy strawberry red. It had a balance and breadth of flavors I haven't experienced before in a fortified. Elegance instead of power. Lengthy finish.
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The Best for The Best 2005 (Chicago NW Suburbs): Let's start out this note by admitting that I'm no port specialist. I was saving this bottle for a special occasion, and the time arrived. After removing the capsule, I was a little worried to see the cork pushed up a bit. The cork came out in one piece, but was stained from top to bottom. Is this normal or unusual for a 28 year old? Probably not. The color had some brick in it, but still a healthy strawberry red. No decanting. I opened and poured. It was well received by port drinkers and non-port drinkers alike. It had a balance and breadth of flavors I haven't experienced before in a fortified. Elegance instead of power. Lengthy finish.
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This was the worst looking bottle in my cellar, the cork was protruding, the label was torn the capsule was oxidized. What come out a great port! I decanted it for 4 hours and drank it with friends over the next 4. Mmmm, this is evolving nicely! Great fruit of plumbs, prunes and strawberries. The structure is amazingly integrated. There are tannins there but they fit perfectly. The finish is not to hot as the wine just sits there on your tong. Wow.
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Group #8, My #10 - Medium red garnet. Round forward aroma of red fruit and orange rind. Clearn focused fruit on the palate, but not really jammy or forward. Still shomewhat tannic. 4/05
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The only 100-pt wine in the "Great Porto book" and Wine of the Year (Spectator). First tasted this at the Georgian Room of the Seattle Four Seasons with John & Christy in 1995. Other wines were '85 Veuve Cliquot, '89 Corton Charlemagne and 1949 Ch. Latour in magnum. We contrasted the '77 Fonseca with a '55 Graham's (both poured by the glass). With 22 years on it, the Graham's was in its high prime--simply lovely perfect porto. (If I could find another 55 Graham's, I'd buy it in an instant.) The Fonseca exploded with youthful fruit and vigor, tasting like it was just out of the pipe (even tho it was 18 yrs old at the time). Soon after, I found a bottle at City Cellars and snatched it up. Then found a bottle in Heathrow, very authentic with the original little card hanging around the neck with decanting instructions on it. Then found 3 pristine (looks like new capsules so maybe suspicious? These were imported by BWL.) bottles at Larry's in Bellevue. New note 4/2/01: Decided to open one of the Larry's bottles last night with the Krepkys and Fishbaks. It was still red through, with a slightly watered-out (just a hint of sienna) rim, no sign of maturation. The nose was subdued, some warmth and some fruit, but closed in. On the palate, soft and very smooth, hardly any alcoholic edge or bite. Very sweet, bright, almost like a sugar-charged pinot noir. Pleasant, but unremarkable finish. Verdict? This baby has closed down, not in a hard tannic way, but soft and subdued. It tastes almost light compared to all the 40yr tawny I've been drinking lately. April 2001 says wait, wait, wait. New note: Xmas Eve 2003, opened another of the "Larry's" bottles. Again the mouthfeel is much lighter than one would expect, the nose is not big but nice, and the flavor is soft and lingering. These last two "Larry's" bottles have been very good, but not as spectacular as I expected. The next to open will be the bottle I bought in the UK, the old dusty original one, and then we'll see if it is markedly different. If it is, I cry counterfeit on the others. (Rating withheld until then.)
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Wow should be all that is necessary. This even though this bottle was very slightly oxidized. This wine has tuned to almost a garnet shade. It has raisiny, prune, and plumb aromas but that is the weak part. The pallet explodes sending fruits and tannins around your mouth. I am scoring this a 96 and blaming the loss of 4 pts the fact that it was a little hot, and still has some harsh tannin. Some day this could be a perfect port!
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Seattle Tasting Group 'End of Year Dinner' (Sammamish, WA, USA): This was a perfect way to wrap up 7 hour dinner and tasting extravaganza. Heavenly with some floral elements and coffee on the nose. On the palate this has remarkable body and persistence. The notes are weak, but the wine was glorious.
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5/1/2024 - talbot61 Likes this wine: 91 Points
We drank this soon after decanting, so it was probably not yet showing its full richness. What we found was a notably spicy port, still quite hot, without much caramel, but already complex and lively, with well-balanced sweetness.
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4/22/2024 - cacastine Likes this wine: 94 Points
Just an excellent and great experience of an older vintage Port. Caramel, toffee, violets, nail polish, raisin and concentrated black fruits still ripe and integrated with perfect acidity. This is rich, well balanced although a little hot but drinking in a really exciting way right now.
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3/16/2024 - scottesterly wrote: flawed
Sad, sad, sad story. Recently purchased from a reputable online dealer. Upon removing the wrapper there was a tiny leak that had clearly been there for a long time. My fears were confirmed as I poured the wine into the decanter. It looked like an aged tawny, nothing all like a vintage port. Didn’t get much on the nose and the taste was clearly compromised, but you could sense there was something magic that has 99.9% removed. I have messaged the online entity to alert them of the issue (they guarantee provenance).
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12/28/2023 - europat55 wrote: 92 Points
1970-2000 Fonseca Vintage Ports Vertical (Palo Alto, California): Nose: 91-92; Palate: 92
My #4; Group's #5; Tasted blind
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12/22/2023 - JM_MadTown Likes this wine: 93 Points
This port has a delicate amber color. It has butterscotch, some caramel, and spices on the palate with dark red fruit. It’s very nice to sip and enjoy.
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12/2/2023 - Eric wrote:
ESTG Year-End Tasting (Newcastle, WA): Mmm, delicate and precise. People argued whether this had the stuffing, but I love when Port get lighter and more precise and focused with age.
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10/27/2023 - rwpalmer wrote: 94 Points
It might seem odd to give a wine of this antiquity a "plus" for potential, but alongside the 63 it showed great similarity of style with just not quite the refinement (yet) and more power. Better than the 70 and all perfect bottles.
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8/13/2023 - duchamp wrote: 93 Points
Medium garnet, well-stated nose of butterscotch, caramel, woody/earthy notes, followed by hints of cherry, and spice, sweet on the palate with dark, burnt caramel, fully resolved tannins, medium acidity and a little heat, finishes with lingering gingerbread notes, caramel, wood, allspice, orange rind, and more
Notes: Purchased from a reputable retailer about 2/3 into it's life, seemed to be a good bottle with no signs of leakage or oxidation
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8/2/2023 - crewald wrote:
Horizontal of 1977 Fonseca, Taylor, Smith Wodehouse, and Sandeman at 3rd weekend of encampment. My #1, edging out the Taylor.
This bottle purchased from Zachy's in 1993. Gorgeous, with an energy and acid not present in the Taylor.
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6/8/2023 - Slaz Likes this wine: 95 Points
Well developed, with a long and smooth finish and aftertaste.
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3/23/2023 - Shrewsram Likes this wine: 94 Points
Mid ruby, touch of brown/orange and a watery pink rim
Whiff of alcohol. Cherry brandy aromas initially, blue fruits and something savoury, understated sweetness… cotton!
Rich attack, full and sweet and very spicy. Plenty tangy, some chew, lots of energy. Stimulating.
Coming back:
Lots of candied red fruits, spice, and some earth. Blue touches and a cherry base, lovely floral quality and notes of sweet tea. The palate has a creamy core and some fat then that stimulating and very spice frame. Really like the energy in this.
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3/7/2023 - dream Likes this wine: 93 Points
A well-aged Port show excellent finesse with an ethereal texture and delicious flavors of dark red fruits, mocha and earthen spice. Layered and complex on the finish with lovely fading floral notes. Just a bit hot on the finish keeping it from a higher score for me.
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12/27/2022 - liber Likes this wine: 95 Points
6th of 12, pnp, soaked cork but perfect level, paler and more spirity than last bottle in December 17, otherwise excellent and nuanced as before, probably at a peak which should last many years yet. VF (18.5).
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12/24/2022 - mryev Likes this wine: 96 Points
Decanted for about 2 hours before the first taste and consumed it over 3 days or so. It was what I would call- a well aged vintage port! It definitely showed age but all that was present in the youth was still evident. Almost sparkling, a deeper medium ruby color with a very thin rim, or almost no rim at all. I would not have guessed that this port is almost 50 years old judging by just its appearance. Layered aromas and flavors speak of complexity and intrigue. Red fruit, flowers, herbs... what was more pronounced for me - the overripe cherry, lavender, and a hint of bay leaf. Excellent acidity held it all well together and added to a very long, almost a whole minute finish. It felt like a (lingonberry) berry burst in my mouth - with an explosion of sourish flavor and a pleasant long tapered end. Fantastic VP!
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12/4/2022 - skurtz wrote: flawed
Purchased at auction, seepage. A damaged bottle for sure. This port really needed the double decanting and resting overnight in the fridge. Initially light brown, this became more translucent and pinkish caramel overnight. Definitely more like a light port. Not spoiled, but definitely not the complexity from other CT reviews. Not a complete waste, but definitely not worth the price I paid, either.
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11/27/2022 - Verb Likes this wine: 96 Points
light red color - outstanding nose of black cherries, red flowers (peonies), and tertiary aromas (too many to describe verbally!)- full bodied with multiple layers of complex fruits, perfectly balanced in the mouth with enough fruit and structure to balance the sweetness - long 30+ sec finish - tasted alongside the 77 Taylors: the Taylor was more intense and richer in the mouth, but the Fonseca had the superior nose and overall elegance - I gave both the same rating but for different reasons - and both continued to drink well for an additional 2 weeks
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11/24/2022 - BernieMSY Likes this wine: 98 Points
Stunningly good. Complex and multilayered. Rich and delicious, with abundant nutty flavors undergirded by beautifully balanced sweet grape candy tones. Spectacular! There isn’t much else to say. It’s a 45 year old vintage port that is living up to its promise. Enjoy.
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11/24/2022 - skurtz Likes this wine: 91 Points
Purchased three bottles at auction, and it was noted there were signs of seepage - bought them anyway, what the heck. The first bottle was pale brown, the second bottle was cloudy brown, maybe I should have saved them to see if they would revive. Bottle three was much better, actually tastes like port! It had the best cork of them all. This is pale amber in the glass, very light, lots of vanilla and alcohol on the nose. Opened for Thanksgiving. This was *so* much better on day 2. Translucent pink in the glass. More like a smooth sophisticated ruby port, light, with no rough edges. Pepper cinnamon, sweet raisins. Lovely. 91/92
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8/30/2022 - remyworldpeace Likes this wine: 92 Points
Still fairly young. Vibrant, ripe red fruits and some tertiary nutty noted of walnut. Long and complex finish displaying more tertiary notes and walnut.
I enjoyed this but willing to accept that my relatively low score versus others was due to 1) only having a 25ml tasting glass 2) not giving it enough time to breathe and 3) this following a 1982 Claret which was sensational so being somewhat overshadowed. Keen to try another glass now.
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8/8/2022 - Salvy1 wrote: 100 Points
Strongly recommend decanting for at least 2 full days before drinking a single sip. On day one it’s overly alcoholic and the sweetness/fruit/flavors just don’t come through - by evening on day three it’s a completely different experience and wonderful.
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7/16/2022 - englishman's claret wrote: 93 Points
The '77 Fonseca shows nutty, treacle aromas, old leather, and red fig notes. Drinking well now, if without the depth and drama of some Fonseca.
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5/20/2022 - jlgnml Likes this wine: 96 Points
Drank over 2 weeks and only got better each night. Hold, drink or Buy.
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4/14/2022 - Sonoffalstaff Likes this wine: 95 Points
See JJYOYO NOTE BELOW. can’t say more. Closest port I have had to 1948 . Just wonderful.
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12/31/2021 - Gzberg Likes this wine: 97 Points
Amazing. Beautiful color, balance, fruit forward but still alcoholic, like a good Fonseca. Sweet Cherry, with currants then walnut finish. Will try again tonight. Hoping it evolved like others describe. Glad I have more. Should live long life.
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12/30/2021 - Goldstone Likes this wine: 92 Points
Lunch on the terrace (cafe EPURE, Shop 403, inside Epure, Level 4, Ocean Centre, Harbour City, Tsim Sha Tsui, Hong Kong): Drank over cigars at the end of lunch on the terrace at Epure. Decanted for around three hours or more. Long decant. Has developed a slightly translucent jewelled deep ruby colour over the years since I have previously drank it. Very rounded mulled Christmas pudding spiced nose but with some higher piano notes. Palate is sharp but nicely clean cherry liqueur but gets a sheen of new velvet with more time in the glass. Always a pleasure...I remember drinking this blind ten years ago when it was still quite precocious and guessing that it needed another decade, so I'm pleased I got that right. Is very open for business now but can only improve with another decade or two. 92-ish for now. Thanks, Daniel.
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12/19/2021 - JJYoyo Likes this wine: 95 Points
8 hrs decant. Deep ruby color. Still very youthful - bright and mot nearly as sweet as I would have expected. Heavier on the plum and maybe cassis flavors than the sugar and spice, although it has that as well. Penetrating and grippy. Fantastic now, decades ahead of it.
Day 2: Putting on a little bit of weight. Still quite a bit of fire and backbone. However the sweet side is coming out a little more: beginnings of Xmas pudding coming out. Oh yeah, this is going to be one of the greats in about 2 decades.
Day 3. Holy crap this is awesome. Everything resolved. Alcohol now under control. Incredibly smooth. Amazingly harmonious. Beautiful balance of plum pudding and strong grip. Wow. This is absolutely what the hype said. It takes three days in a decanter to get this now. This is going to be a legend in… 20 years?
Score : 95 for me for now, but I can totally see why others rated it higher. Higher in a couple of decades or , if you insist now, after at least 2 days in a decanter.
Relative to expectations +++ in the fullness of time.
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11/14/2021 - jgh123 Likes this wine: 95 Points
Spot on! This is a terrific Port. It's wonderful now and will last decades.
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2/25/2021 - europat55 wrote: 92 Points
1977-1990 Vintage Ports (Blind Tasting) (Zoom): Nose: 93 Palate: 91.5
My #1, Group's #2 (122 pts). Tasted blind.
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12/25/2020 - Beachfan Likes this wine: 95 Points
Lost a little Intensity but not fading, great finish and harmony
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8/31/2020 - Goldstone Likes this wine: 91 Points
Monthly Boys' Wine Night (Eric's House, Hong Kong): Long decant. With a cigar. Very mulled smooth nose. Palate is sharp but nicely clean cherry liqueur. Is smoother with more time in the glass. Always a pleasure...able to stand out even though the last of 17 wines tonight.
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8/27/2020 - bowesmana Likes this wine: 97 Points
The cork had pushed out 3 or 4mm and there was a slightly musty smell on the cork. A bright light garnet. An immediate taste of the last decanted 'waste' was quite hot. It took about an hour for it to open up and then over the next couple of hours developed further.
Some interesting stem notes on the nose after a couple of hours, almost like a whole bunch Pinot noir. Dry and spicy, without any cloying sweetness. Some dark chocolate and dried fruit, but also some cherries in the first hour.
Wonderful. Two more bottles left from the case I bought in the early '90s...
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6/19/2020 - njt_232 Likes this wine: 95 Points
Still drinking strong. Will keep forever!
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5/20/2020 - NickA Likes this wine: 92 Points
Port with Demetri Walters MW (Zoom!): Lovely ruby. A bit flat on the nose. Sweet entry, grippy and firm. Spicy! Cherry finish. Concentrated and vinous.
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4/5/2020 - BBBH Likes this wine: 97 Points
Spectacular. Rich, layered, smooth, beautifully balanced with tastes that lasted so long. Enjoyed over several nights of social distancing, it continued to be delicious although the first night was the brightest.
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4/4/2020 - Rogershkg Likes this wine: 94 Points
Strong slightly bitter first taste beautiful fruit flavour
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12/25/2019 - Rogershkg Likes this wine: 92 Points
Plenty of fruit left. It's hard to believe it's 40 years old
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12/6/2019 - RayOB wrote: 96 Points
Drank at P&G
Rich vibrant and full of fruit
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11/17/2019 - europat55 wrote: 92 Points
Tasted blind.
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11/6/2019 - NickBurwood Likes this wine: 96 Points
My previous note says it all. "... almost youthful in character with tight concentrated spiced desert fruits and wild strawberries. Spiritueux and warming in the mouth..."
Intense, superb - now and till 2027 (at least).
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6/9/2019 - AllRed wrote: 94 Points
Second Sunday Group: Geja's Cafe format (Marty's): Courtesy of our host. Cherry, kirsch and cinnamon tones; pretty red fruit on the nose and palate. No hint of heat; subtle floral element. Lingering finish. Decanted, though I am not sure just how long. Drinking very well.
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5/19/2019 - PinotPaul Likes this wine: 98 Points
Absolutely fantastic. Layers and layers of flavors. Wonderful richness all wrapped with a port structure.
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3/14/2019 - Burgundy Al wrote: flawed
Jordan Whitehead Organizes a Great (Mostly) Burgundy Dinner (Boka - Chicago IL): Something wrong here. Flat character throughout with pronounced alcohol.
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12/21/2018 - colin107 wrote: 94 Points
Very elegant. Light matured colour.
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12/15/2018 - Marc S wrote:
- Brick color. It's in total harmony and has flavours of raspberry, strawberry, strawberry jam and raisin with a full body. Juicy texture with a medium finish - Brick in color. Loads of red fruit.
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11/22/2018 - BernieMSY wrote: 95 Points
Deep dark garnet. Nuanced and complex. Wonderful.
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10/6/2018 - cos65 Likes this wine:
Light clear garnet.
Lovely sweet cherry,
with some savory herb and just the slightest hint of menthol. Wonderful balance
In a real sweet spot with plenty of life left.
Quite a treat tonight
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8/22/2018 - rmalloy Likes this wine: 96 Points
I love this port for its powerful, vibrant cherry flavors accented by baking spices. Always have. I figure this port has several decades more life in it.
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6/18/2018 - dream Likes this wine: 94 Points
Somewhat faded cherry color. Potent nose of floral red berries, smoked wood and eau de vie alcohol. On the palate, there is this wonderful floral note with flavors of cherries and blueberries and plenty of alcohol. Very smooth and silky texture with notes of violet flowers and allspice. Finishes very fine but perhaps lacks the complexity I expected at this point. Still, what a fine and lovely port that is hard to stop drinking. 94+
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5/24/2018 - Marc wrote: 97 Points
1977 and 1963 Vintage Ports... (Regional Wines and Spirits, Wellington, New Zealand): Perfect tawny hue - limpid, with great colour gradation. Slightly closed nose at the moment, but with sappy spice and spirit notes. Incredibly intense on the exotic palate, candy cane spice. This is clearly extraordinary port, with a hard alcohol finish that balances the sweet and rich character of the wine to perfection. 97+ (This approaches perfection)
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2/5/2018 - Mossrose wrote: 88 Points
A significant disappointment for a wine that now costs well over $200, received several 100 point scores, and is often lauded as a strong candidate for best port from the 1977 vintage. The color of most ports is pitch black, but here the color was a lighter brown tinged ruby. Often ports have an amazing ability to hide their high alcohol, but this bottle did the exact opposite - relentless flame thrower burning alcohol on entry, swallow, and finish. Ports often excel with complex tastes of nuts, chocolate, caramel, and a host of dried fruits, including raisin, dates, prunes, dried black currants, and candied fruits used in fruitcakes, such as orange and pineapple. At best here there was a tasty dried apricot. And finally, ports often have a lush and delicious sweetness that here amounted to a faded background. Overall, a decent port that is a shadow of how it is lauded, most likely indicating that this bottle is flawed, but not by any invasive taint, just by a loss of flavors.
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12/24/2017 - liber Likes this wine: 96 Points
5th of 12, decanted 2 hours and drunk over several nights, travelled cork, perfect level, splendid as per last year's note, 40 years young! VF (18.5).
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10/20/2017 - La Cave d'Argent Likes this wine: 97 Points
2017 New York Wine Experience Trip; 10/16/2017-10/25/2017 (New York City, NY): Sourced from Taylor Fladgate's cellar, this light-to-medium amber specimen is something very special. It has an impressive core of black plums, mulling spices, pine nuts, leather and dark chocolate that resides in an unctuous, silky smooth frame. The middle palate is impressively dense and the finish seems to last forever. Savor this gem over the next 2-3 decades if you are able to avoid the Grim Reaper. Drink now-2045.
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10/20/2017 - rmalloy wrote: 96 Points
The 1977 Fonseca isn't among the most powerful ports I've tasted, but it has enough power to maintain a sense of purity after 40 years. Indeed, the fruit is as good as it gets, with a seamless spectrum of flavors ranging from prune to red cherry. The fruit is seasoned with warm baking spices. The texture is as silky as it could be. If it had more acidic energy, perhaps this would be a perfect wine.
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8/16/2017 - CamWheeler wrote: 92 Points
Decades of Decadence - x7s: Coffee, clove, spice, cherry and some medicinal notes along with chocolate - a good mix on the nose, there is some spirit but it is well hidden. Nicely sweet on the palate, shows very good balance and length. It takes a very good Port for me to find a lot to personally like and I did with this!
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7/29/2017 - CamWheeler wrote: 92 Points
Truffles with the SLDS (CFs): Toast, coffee, plum, blueberry and wooden notes with a little chocolate note as well. Intense on the palate, with sweetness and good drive and length. Showed a class above the 77 Grahams VP tonight.
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7/23/2017 - theportguy wrote: 93 Points
FTLOP 12th Anniversary; 7/21/2017-7/23/2017 (Seattle, Washington): Transparent with a dark amber-brown center and orange lightning at the edges. Subtle nose with cedar and some red fruits peeking through. Milk chocolate and some red fruit on the elegant mid-palate. Well-balanced, long finish.
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6/6/2017 - NickBurwood Likes this wine: 96 Points
Actually decanted yesterday but noting from tonight's glass.
Bottle variation again albeit within the high end of the excellent range. This one was almost youthful in character with tight concentrated spiced desert fruits and wild strawberries. Spiritueux and warming in the mouth. A particularly fine bottle.
Absolutely no rush to drink up - should easily last 50+ years from vintage if your bottles are in half decent nick.
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3/28/2017 - bobdobilina wrote: 95 Points
Very dark ruby color.
Hugely aromatic nose of spirit, flowers, and all types of herbs.
Smooth and luxurious palate of cassis, strawberries ad caramelized sugar. Very long and lush with plenty of life left.
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3/3/2017 - WinoRick wrote: 92 Points
I had this a year ago and was wowed and gave it 100 points on the same night I gave the '82 Mouton a 96. This time, it wasn't as good. Properly stored, Just not as much flavor and complexity.
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2/8/2017 - henrymale wrote:
Slightly disappointed - I fear that the bottle has led a busy life before I got my hands on it. Perfectly pleasant, sweet and alcoholic, but not much fruit. Not rated for that reason.
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2/4/2017 - NickBurwood Likes this wine: 95 Points
From the same source as my previous noted bottle and like it, scoring a mere 95pts rather than my earlier 96-97pt bottles. But who's complaining!
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1/20/2017 - Jeremy Holmes wrote:
Great detail of red fruits on the nose. There was a little mushroom development and plenty of earth. It was fresh with good cut from the spirit and drinking very well.
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1/5/2017 - Barry Rothof wrote: 94 Points
A Few of My Favorite Things !! (@ Oegstgeest - the Netherlands): Pure, intense, chocolate, expressive, mouth-coating black fruit, deep, voluptuous, powerful and still young!!
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12/30/2016 - rmalloy Likes this wine: 99 Points
This was the port that got my hooked on vintage port. I think one of the big draws for me is that it's not too sweet or syrupy. The fruit flows naturally.
The nose of spices, tobacco, candied cherries, and prunes is more exciting than I had remembered. On the palate, this always reminds me of chocolate covered cherries, but this time it seems to expand into caramel and strawberry. And the spices are so much more prominent than I had remembered.
I love this wine. I wish I could taste it next to the 1994 Fonseca, which I rated 100. These are the only two wines I've scored 99 or 100 (out of 938 tasting notes). They have very different characters right now. The 1994 Fonseca is huge and decadent, whereas the 1977 Fonseca is noble and elegant.
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12/24/2016 - liber Likes this wine: 96 Points
4th of 12 (cellared by me since early 80s), decanted and drunk over several nights, perfect cork and level, improving trend since first bottle in 2013 and step up since last in 2014, the fruit is now showing better through the spirit than early bottles and happily coming into balance in what always promised to be a big wine in a top long lived vintage. At last this wine is getting into its delightful stride. VF (18.5).
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12/24/2016 - tcosgriff Likes this wine: 97 Points
Wonderful garnet color with copper at the edges. If wine could be rated for color alone, this would be spectacular. Bouquet and flavor of candied cherry-apple, with hints of toasted nuts, all wrapped up in that defining port essence, that I can appreciate better than dissect, and that identifies these wines the way that botrytis identifies Sauternes. Wonderful mouthfeel with great definition and balance. I must confess that I find it more difficult to rate sweet wines than dry wines, as it is easy to be carried away by the sugar. So I will make no claim to being the "go to" Port rater, but if you have the opportunity to taste this wine, don't pass it up, preferably after a great meal, where you haven't already had enough to drink and are not too full. No need to keep this in the cellar.
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12/22/2016 - Burgaddict wrote:
Leiden dinner December 2016: Impressive to drink this almost 40 year old port. Red fruit, lots of concentration, balance. Also chocolate and nuts. Very fine.
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12/11/2016 - zootle Likes this wine: 93 Points
Still youthful and quite fruit driven
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12/5/2016 - NickBurwood Likes this wine: 95 Points
A touch of bottle variance (and/or different source) seemed to show itself in the form of a relative leanness compared with my earlier notes. But once again, after 4 days (9th Dec) in a sealed decanter this has opened up into a fine bottle if not quite the 96-97pts of earlier examples.
Who's complaining!!
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11/30/2016 - mxpbuy Likes this wine: 96 Points
So much richer than the Taylor's '77 from the night before. Granted, no seepage in this bottle probably helped, but I still tend to prefer the Fonseca style anyway.
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9/20/2016 - rmalloy wrote: 98 Points
Absolutely delicious. Like chocolate-covered cherries made from the world's tastiest cherries (which don't actually exist in real life and have been macerated in fine brandy). That's what this wine is about, though if I have to be complete, there are baking spices, leather, and tobacco too. The power in the fruit is incredible. I agree with James Suckling now: The fruit is perfect. My prior reviews of 96 and 95 are unfair. I have never tasted any wine with such pure, intense, expressive, mouth-coating fruit.
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9/9/2016 - rmalloy Likes this wine: 95 Points
Of the 1977 ports I've tried (Fonseca, Dow, Graham, Warre), the Fonseca is overwhelmingly my favorite. The Fonseca has the richest and purest fruit. I love the ruby-copper color. It is a great wine and the only wine among those 1977 ports that I would consider calling "great."
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7/29/2016 - KenPlace Likes this wine: 94 Points
Very good port, but not a Wow wine.
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7/1/2016 - rmalloy Likes this wine: 96 Points
Deep and voluptuous. Figs, black currants, and chocolate-covered cherries swirl around and around in the mouth. Ground coriander seed and cigar appear quietly. Smooth and satisfying. This tastes incredibly young and powerful for a 39-year-old wine, but any rough edges that may once have existed are rounded out.
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4/1/2016 - dase13 wrote: 94 Points
Enjoyable
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3/25/2016 - PinotPaul Likes this wine: 95 Points
WOW. Fruit is still brite but oh so smooth. A big hit with our dinner party to finish off the night.
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3/12/2016 - peternelson wrote: 90 Points
Very pale almost translucent garnet-orange, clearly a sign of bad bottle condition--cork was completely saturated and disintegrated upon opening; with my expectations very much lowered, this still was alive and quite nice. Only Port could still be on all fours in such a condition. This had notes of faint fig, raisin, orange peel, dried herbs, and a slight diesel "outboard motor" (!) note. Still good nutty sweetness, lighter body, but not bad. No tannins left at all. I would love to taste this in good condition. Vintage Port Tasting 2011-1963.
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1/19/2016 - jmoore431 wrote: 94 Points
Surprise treat at end of a tasting. Host had opened this weeks before and laid Argon over it. Very much evolved, soft and complex. It no doubt lost something with time opened. Excellent but not profound as it may have been a couple weeks ago.
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12/21/2015 - JM_MadTown Likes this wine: 95 Points
This is a great port that is really just getting started. Lovely dark fruit, but not that sweet. A very complex and satisfying port.
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12/14/2015 - WinoRick wrote: 100 Points
I've rated and written about 350 reviews and given out maybe 4 100 point scores... all while drinking some pretty good wines. 1977 is my daughter's birth year, and she brought out a bottle that I had given her about 8 years ago. But it's been stored in a rack in her kitchen. All that was left was alcohol and little bit of fruit = 84pts. But last night my friend, Cork, brought over a properly stored bottle and we all agreed it was the WOTN, even after having the '82 Mouton! Enough said.
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11/3/2015 - johneagle Likes this wine: 90 Points
These bottles were really odd - they tasted like a very young port indeed. Good but completely immature
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10/1/2015 - jonnyoro wrote: 98 Points
9 months later, laid on its side with the coravin gas. Leak created a seal as I guess it dried a bit and the sugar blocked the hole. The coravin worked! Opened the cork and the wine tasted the same as the day it was first pierced - 12/31/14. No signs of oxidation; garnet colored; perfumed, floral, tarragon/licorice nose. Full bodied, deep, sweet, balanced acidity and mouthwatering tannins that create an ultra long finish (literally 90 seconds). Unbelievable. Even better with some Neal's yard Stilton and some may tag bleu.
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8/18/2015 - Vinterest Angus Likes this wine: 94 Points
Lovely drop
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6/13/2015 - AllRed wrote: 94 Points
Time to Taste 2000 Bordeaux (R&D's): From 750ml, again thanks to our hosts. Initially a bit hot, but then notes of violets, rose petals, cherry and currants come to the fore. Full-bodied and balanced with flavors of chocolate, cassis, cherry and licorice. Lengthy finish.
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6/9/2015 - phellstrand Likes this wine: 97 Points
Very nice and remarkably still feels young. Very soft. delicious and well worth having now. Leaving the second bottle for a little longer.
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5/21/2015 - rexmerlot wrote: 96 Points
Clear light garnet in color. Still lots of fruit considering age. Has burned off lots of the hotness of the alcohol. Great port
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5/19/2015 - johneagle wrote: flawed
Corked
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5/19/2015 - johneagle Likes this wine: 92 Points
Not quite as good as might have been expected - having drunk the 70 recently it fell way below that. Drunk at Whites against a magnum of Taylors 70 which was less good than the bottles drunk at Brooks's last November
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4/17/2015 - Rieslingfan wrote:
Decanted 5 hours in advance, this was a very good but not great bottle of Port. The dominant aromatic and palate impression was cherry vanilla, supplemented by some subtle spice elements and a bit of finishing nuttiness. I was surprised that it was only light to medium bodied. It was very well integrated, and made for a very pleasant drinking experience, but it did not excite me.
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3/18/2015 - Peter Kleban Likes this wine:
***
Had a first taste of this at a WB offline:
Medium weight. Not cloying at all. Super interesting. A WOTN.
Then I bought a bottle, opened on 1/24/18:
The cork came out fairly easily, but a bit of the bottom broke off and had to be strained out. Didn't seem to effect the flavor.
N: Full, rich, and very Port-like. Raisins, nuts and brown sugar.
P: Beautiful entry, slightly sweet but not cloying in the least. Deep, dark and rich with great length. Fills the mouth with a wonderful comforting flavor, but doesn't overwhelm in the least. Port is not generally my thing, but this was exceptional!
NB: It held for about two weeks with no noticeable changes (mostly under vacuvin on the counter). There was a fair amount of residue at the bottom of the bottle, but it didn't get stirred up easily. This bottle was stored on its side for a long time, and I didn't decant it or shake it up at all.
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3/18/2015 - J @ y H @ c k wrote: 96 Points
Unnumbered March 2015 PDH Berserkerfest (PDH): This was delicious port that I have had two or three times before. It is right at the sweet spot where it has shed all of its baby fat but had not been completely taken over by nutty caramel. There is still fruit to blend with the complexity that great port takes on with age. Bravo. I think that Jeff brought this, but whoever brought it deserves the thanks of everyone who tasted it.
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3/9/2015 - Charogers Likes this wine: 93 Points
Yum. Drinking really well
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1/25/2015 - Wrighty Likes this wine:
Stunning and drinking beautifully - at this point on Christmas days detailed mental notes were limited. Fully mature though and no doubt with some life ahead of it.
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12/31/2014 - jonnyoro wrote: 98 Points
Tried to Coravin; wine leaked out through side of cork as well as coming through Coravin needle...delicious though...
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12/30/2014 - bacchusnyon wrote: 95 Points
In a perfect place. Sweet without being cloying, long finish, slightly nutty, but with secondary notes of dried cherries and leather. Excellent
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11/28/2014 - rockyvig wrote: 84 Points
Cork was wet
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11/22/2014 - NickBurwood Likes this wine: 96 Points
As per earlier notes...fabulous!! 96pts after a day in stoppered decanter and may hit 97 after three.
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11/1/2014 - melzar wrote: 94 Points
Deep fruity nose leads to a very fresh fruity palate. Light bodied for a port, but packed with flavor. Tamed tannins and a finish filled with the fire that makes vintage port unique.
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10/25/2014 - Per-Harald Likes this wine: 96 Points
An almost perfect vintage port, ripe, need not be stored longer. Layer upon layer of nuance and flavor. The aftertaste lasts for several minutes. 1977 Fonseca has always been good, but now it's on top, but may still be stored many years in a cold winecellar
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9/27/2014 - cephomer Likes this wine: 94 Points
Drank at Bar Lees last nite as a surprise from the owner. Deliciously fresh, though a tad on the sweet side. Lots of vanilla here, along with caramel and some clove. Very enjoyable, and far more vibrant than I would have thought
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9/7/2014 - theb wrote: 93 Points
was 98 pt 14 years ago but is loosing it ! weakening and not for the long haul like the 1970 the 77 is now thinning and getting a brown edge proper it has pleasant fruit fine balance but i am not impressed with the variation in bottles we dont get this in the 70 or 63 much this will drift and never be a great vintage fonseca sadly not in the same devision as the 94 or 48
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5/19/2014 - Tim Heaton Likes this wine:
Cellared since release, and the extra care it's been given till now showed in the freshness and overall experience. EtOH is fully integrated; the color only just beginning to show some age. Consistent with the color, the nose and palate confirms this has (only recently) entered its preferred drinking window where it will no doubt remain for the next 20 years. Nothing dense or chewy, just elegant and very well balanced. If you've got several and haven't checked in lately, now would be a great time to visit this. As we were poolside at Caesar's Palace, at midnight, with our cigars, we did not have time to aerate in decanter, though it was clear it certainly would have helped as this gained weight, complexity and length with just a few minutes in the glass. Beautiful stuff, and highly recommended. 20,0% abv
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3/1/2014 - EndreS wrote:
Vintage Port (Fem Bord, Trondheim): Rich, but very tight. Fruity and nicely balanced. Hint of alcohol and tannin in the finish. Seems very young. Best '77 for me.
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3/1/2014 - LWI wrote: 92 Points
A Portnight (Fem Bord, Trondheim): Violent attack, some heat in the finish. Way too young.
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1/25/2014 - rpk99 Likes this wine: 95 Points
perfectly balanced, pop and poured, started to show better by the bottom, so needs probably 2hrs of air time at least
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1/25/2014 - Bill Johnson Likes this wine: 97 Points
Beautiful, elegant, aged port. Spices, mahogany clove and caramel. All woven together wonderfully. If you get the chance do yourself a treat and taste this
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1/5/2014 - Rogershkg wrote: 94 Points
Really nice Port goes down a treat at the end of a meal. It does not taste as though it's nearing the end although it is becoming slightly tawny in colour
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12/25/2013 - Cooky474 wrote: 97 Points
Simply stunning port. Translucent, ruby colour with a sweet, red fruit bouquet and extraordinarily long finish. Would love a case of this to see if it improves over the next decade...
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12/23/2013 - Norb Likes this wine: 98 Points
Radiant, clear and precise palet. I have guarded this bottle for 20 years, most of that time in a professional cave. Radiant, ruby colour, rich and complex nose, taste still with a spring in the acidity, wonderful complex candy-like flavour. Very long finish. A fantastic wine well with waiting fore.
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12/12/2013 - NickBurwood wrote: 97 Points
Initially no note - but previous note now completely confirmed. Once again a finest quality 95pt wine has evolved after four days in a stoppered decanter to a 97+ great.
On a plateau with no obvious end in sight. 10 bottles to go!
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11/28/2013 - Pimmer wrote: 97 Points
Fantastic. Well aged and wonderful.
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10/26/2013 - PinotPaul Likes this wine: 96 Points
Fabulous port. Still full of fruit but very smooth. Drinking extremely well.
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10/22/2013 - awineo Likes this wine: 97 Points
This was the finale to the October SCWC dinner.
This was a 100 point bottle and you know why when you drink it.
At 37 years old it was still solid. Fruit was well integrated and the tannins smooth. Very pleasant.
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10/19/2013 - TastesGoodToMe Likes this wine: 96 Points
South Charlotte Wine Lovers - Pre and Post Millennium Tasting (Tom and Sue's Casa): Tom went deep in his cellar for this one. Dust on the bottle and everything. To say this was a joy to taste would be an understatement. By far, the best Port I have had to date and oldest as well. Bricking and almost orange in color with a thin clear edge. The smallest of sips was completely mouth filling with pleasing cherry, raspberry and strawberry flavors. Unbelievable way to end the night (if only I had had a nice cuban cigar to go with it...) WOTN
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10/18/2013 - alittle wrote: 91 Points
Friday Night in Toronto (10tation Catering): Not sure of the treatment before it was served, but this sat in my glass for perhaps 30 minutes as I worked my way through it. I was quite looking forward to trying this legendary Port, but overall it fell short of expectations. I found the nose to be very spirit like, more so than I normally get from Port, with accents of cherry, fruit preserves, toasted nuts, spice cake, earth and cedar. On the palate, well rounded, but picking up quite a bit of heat on the back end.
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10/18/2013 - Wine Canuck wrote: 91 Points
A Friday Night Toronto Wine Dinner: This poured very light in color and had a very boozy nose. Also featured were walnuts, cherries and red currants. Nice sticky bitter finish of toasted nuts and red fruit. Perhaps not as good a showing as other scores would indicate.
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10/15/2013 - johneagle Likes this wine: 95 Points
I'm only giving this 95 because its so young that it isn't really showing properly yet. Astonishing. I'm going to try the next one in 10 years time.
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5/23/2013 - Hoffmnron wrote: 99 Points
This is the ultimate in Vintage Port. After decanting and waiting a short time, this is near perfection. Color, texture, taste are what every vintage port should deliver. Thanks to the folks at the Wine Discount Center in Chicago for making me buy a couple of cases many many years ago.
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3/15/2013 - AllRed wrote: 95 Points
Deep ruby color with aromas of dark fruit, fig, florals and spice. Balanced, with lovely red and black fruit, florals and cedar on the palate. long finish.
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3/13/2013 - Rogershkg wrote: 93 Points
This was a really good port. Colour garnet, Aroma was sweet port, red berry. The consistency was smooth, delicate not strong alcohol. Strong fruit taste
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2/13/2013 - NickBurwood Likes this wine: 97 Points
Saturated cork, but clean nose on decanting leaving heavy deposit behind.
Clear edged with remarkably pale almost opaque ruby core. Nose of alpine wild berry eau de vies with a touch of tar and smoke betraying its true origins.
Flavour classic Fonseca. Intense but focused sweetness that prevents cloying. Flavours of smokey sweet dark berries and spiced desert fruits (dates figs etc). Racy, earthen tannins and balancing fruit acid bringing this masterpiece together.
I can see no reason why this wine won't be around to celebrate its 50th birthday. 95+
PS: drinking the remains 4 days later from my stoppered magnum decanter. Wine has improved taking on even more complexity, ?nougat, more defined acidity and velvet concentration. My initial mark of 95 was a disservice. Where will this wine be in a few years time? Lucky me! I've 12 more bottles loitering in my cellar to find out.
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2/10/2013 - monk8miles Likes this wine: 98 Points
The best porto I have had.
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1/1/2013 - lewrose@gmail.com wrote:
Drinking beautifully. What a treat.
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12/25/2012 - Border Boss Likes this wine: 95 Points
Double decanted and then served five hours later. Color is dark red with some bricking. The nose was big with plums and raspberries. It was still pretty hot with alcohol, so it needs a lot longer than a five-hour aeration. I would recommend a 12-hour decant prior to service. There's some excellent sweetness here as well. The wine pairs extremely well with blue cheese. Still on the uphill of maturity with probably another 5-7 years to hit peak, then drinking well for another 20 years after that.
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12/8/2012 - Grinner Likes this wine: 98 Points
PHMG WAG: #100 (Chez Lyon in Eugene, OR): Cork was soaked, but the wine was not. Medium garnet w/ a hint of brick at the rim, the nose was amazing. Kirsch, Chambord, and other liqueurs with some earth and floral notes. Perfectly integrated! Just went on and on, a real crowd pleaser.
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11/24/2012 - Marc S wrote: 96 Points
- Brick color with medium forming legs. It's in total harmony and has flavours of blackberry, raspberry, black currant, prune and vanilla with a medium/full body. Smooth texture with a medium finish - Wonderful bottle of port. Please disregard my last rating. Ruby red. Full body that could still age but tastes great right now.
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11/17/2012 - Tenuta Stefan Likes this wine: 98 Points
Great bottle in perfect shape. This wine is almost perfection.
Great colour of red velvet a la Moulin Rouge.
Coffee, liqourice and spices on the nose. Even some green notes behind the sweetness, alcohol and spices.
Damn! This is elegant!
Even on the palate this Port offers lots of coffee, liqourice and spices. I also find some cherries ... in a bit medecine-like style.
The taste goes on forever. At least five minutes after a sip I still taste this Port "loud and clear". I just love this elegant Port!
Absolutely fabulous!!
And yes, it's Edina and Patsy all the way!
I just love Jennifer Saunders :-)
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11/1/2012 - Rogershkg wrote: 90 Points
Funny this is the same as the first one. I think it has a bitter first taste. It's a good port no doubt about that but may be it needs a few more years to get that first taste out. The nose is good port. The taste is good apart from that slight bitterness to begin. Long taste no complaints there. May be I am just fussy as nobody else complained, but then who would when the host gives them a '77 port?
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9/14/2012 - Rogershkg wrote: 93 Points
Beautiful fruit, really good port. great way to finish the meal - no hangover, did not seem it was that strong
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5/26/2012 - lewrose@gmail.com wrote:
Drinking beautifully. A real treat.
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5/8/2012 - Beck wrote:
Drank ta the 20th anniversary party
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5/2/2012 - Lord of the Bottles wrote: 94 Points
he Wine Society Dining Club 250th Dinner (Drapers' Hall, London): Really lovely, surprisingly alcoholic and young but with a long, long finish.
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5/1/2012 - Xavier Auerbach wrote: 95 Points
The Wine Society Dining Club 250th Dinner (Drapers' Hall, London): Unmistakeable Fonseca exotique, wonderfully sweet, orange and tangerine, raisins, has a piquancy to it (quite unlike the calm 1970), lovely balance and acidity, great length. The outstanding 1977.
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4/3/2012 - Paul S wrote: 95 Points
Dinner at Gunther's (Gunther's, Purivs Street, Singapore): This was quite spectacular. It could easily have been wine of the night on most nights, except that it had the misfortune of coming just before a far more mature and astoundingly good 1963 Grahams this time round. Make no mistake though - this was a marvelous vintage Port in its own right. It had a beautiful nose, with nicely integrated aromas of sultanas, dried apricots and figs, some malt honey scents, and then dried cranberries and a pretty little whiff of maraschino cherries unfolding all the while. A lovely bouquet. The palate was incredible. Still a tad too young perhaps, but this was certainly starting to approach its peak drinking window, with a beautifully rounded feel to its pretty flavours of plums and berries, figs and cherries, and a little earthy, truffley nuance - this had a gentle, un-showy complexity to it, wrapped in a package of velvety tannins and absolutely pitch perfect balance. While starting to mellow, it still had a lovely sense of structure and energy to it, along with a sense of something still being coiled up in its depth, waiting for time to unfold. The finish just refused to quit, haunting the backpalate with a wafting linger of dried figs and mushrooms and herbs and spice thta filled the mouth wonderful. Incredible stuff. I loved this - it will be quite amazing in a decade or so.
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2/11/2012 - Gbelsher wrote: 95 Points
Decanted 4 hours. Was too long. Much better at opening.
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1/28/2012 - cweiss wrote:
Tet Dinner. Very satisfying Beautiful balance. A glass two nights later still gaining in volume though more spirity.
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12/31/2011 - DonalOB Likes this wine: 97 Points
Slight leakage on cork - no major oxidation though. Tried at the open and, although mute, it had a dense nose of chocolate, coffee, and spice. Beautiful limpid ruby core with slight bricking on edge. Gave off a huge deposit.
Decanted for four hours and we started to drink it throughout the day. Not very sweet now, nicely balanced by the acidity. This, and the colour change, probably explains the deposit. Intense dark fruits with waves of peel and spice. Fabulous length. I love this wine.
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12/31/2011 - Rob MacKay wrote:
Fantastically smooth with near perfect balance on the palate. However, it gives up very little on the nose. Still, quite an awesome Port.
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12/28/2011 - Rogershkg wrote: 90 Points
Undoubtedly a good wine but I thought a little disappointing because it had a slightly bitter overtone - everybody else enjoyed it.
Colour perfect deep ruby. Nose perfect port. Taste had fruit and the slight bitter overtone
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12/25/2011 - robbied111 Likes this wine: 98 Points
Spectacular! An absolute stunner, with the standard heady 77 nose, wonderful mixture of fruits & berries, powerful and heavy. Amazing finish that almost re-fills the glass for you!!!
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12/25/2011 - rupertg wrote: 93 Points
Sediment well settled although a fair bit of fine sikh made it through the funnel. Pale garnet red, lovely spicy nose, mellow lingering taste. Worth the wait.
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12/18/2011 - KeithSurg wrote: 92 Points
Cork soaked through entirely. Nice nose of crushed red fruit. Soft, fresh palate of raspberry, cherry and walnuts. Smooth finish. Light to medium-bodied.
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12/18/2011 - plitton wrote: 95 Points
This bottle was spectacular. Great acidity/fruit balance. Young crushed berries. Can definitely go the distance
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12/4/2011 - RedLoverJim Likes this wine:
Decanted for three hours before bottling two small portions for dinner and rebottling the rest to take to a tasting. On opening, the cork was stained along the full length. Gorgeous aromas on decanting, like crushed ripe dark berries and flowers. When tasting the larger portion about 3 hours after rebottling, some signs of oxidization were present, but it was still very enjoyable. Rich, flavorful and smooth. When we opened the smaller bottled portions about 6 hours later at a separate event, the nutty signs of oxidization were very clear and most fruit flavors were gone, though it was still very tasty. One person, smelling it blind, guessed it was a sherry. For all that, it showed how a great port, even when, "spoiled," can still be a great bottle.
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11/24/2011 - Robbinson wrote:
Lovely - rich port with a soft texture, solid fruit and a smooth finish. Consumed with family and a good time was enjoyed by all (as it should be) as this was a perfect ending to a wonderful meal with dinner wines from Tuscany.
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11/14/2011 - Goldstone wrote:
Group de Degustation Diner, L'Anniversaire de Daniel, '1970s in France & Elsewhere' (Hong Kong Wine Vaults, Aberdeen, Hong Kong): Drank double-blind. Bright, light, totally transparent young purple-tinged colour. Nose is petrol and petroleum jelly ("Vaseline" in the UK), very high toned notes but just from the fruit and the alcohol.....no noticeable oak or tannin on the nose. Palate is...port..to my surprise, lovely but very young....well, probably old but it tastes like it's not even a third of the way through its life. Hmmm, but it's all fruit and no oak, so it can't be port...whatever, it is way too alcoholic and young. Lots of sour cherry as you keep it in your mouth. Heady and alcoholic. I would have scored this as 84 and guessed it was some very unusual very local concoction....so I was flummoxed when it was revealed as 1977 Fonseca. Clearly it needs many hours of decanting if it is to be enjoyed this early in its life. I much preferred the Graham's 1977 that followed because it was entering its fully-fledged drinking window. However, the Fonseca will ultimately triumph (probably in around 2020).
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11/14/2011 - Revenga wrote: 92 Points
DS Bday dinner. Blind T. Light ruby colour. Would have expected a darker colour. Medicinal, Chinese herbal, anis seed nose. Caramel, smokey vanilla palate. Alcohol is palatable. Viscous mouthfeel. Much more aging potential, but drinking nicely.
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11/12/2011 - coremill wrote: 86 Points
David Turns 30 -- 1981 Cabs: Massively disappointing. Well stored, condition looks great, color looks fine ... but this just isn't that good. Totally lacking the depth and power you'd expect from a good VP in a good year. Instead it's a bit soft, plummy, raisiny, with a bit of alcohol poking through. I've had LBVs I like better. It's a little bit nutty, maybe there was some slight oxidation?
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10/31/2011 - YWG Wine Guy wrote: 89 Points
Not sure current value - i've heard around 300$...this has been in Dad's cellar for 20+ yrs and opened for special occasion. Aged well, pleasant, but not sure i would rate so high as everyone else. I would pay no more than 20$ for this...Likely lost a little edge over last few years in cellar. Nose is nice and "port like" Palate is sweet and fruity, but ends very fast with some smooth heat. Not a lot of complexity. Decent, but would not search this out.
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10/9/2011 - Marc S wrote: 98 Points
- Brick color with slow forming legs and aromas of blackberry and smokey and has flavours of black currant and almond - This truly is an outstanding bottle of Port. Ready now for sure.
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7/31/2011 - wabi47 wrote: 94 Points
tawny coloring, toffee, walnut, dark currant, clean must; elegant and refined more than powerful.
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7/3/2011 - tfmelham Likes this wine: 95 Points
Delightful - but a little lacking in power - almost "charming". Still, a lovely bottle with plenty of flavour & life left in it.
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6/29/2011 - Goldstone wrote: 91 Points
Cold War Nuclear Escalation Wine Club Dinner (Hong Kong Wine Vaults, Aberdeen, Hong Kong): Half-opaque, deep ruby red colour. Nose is subdued (maybe under-decanted?) black fruit and molasses. Palate is an explosion of rich nuts, white shoe cream, christmas cake, almonds, stollen fruit cake. Length is long and smooth with a long-resoundng finale but touches of Christmas spices and cinnamon which emerge on the back end suggest that this has a lot longer to mature and fully unfold. Delicious.
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6/29/2011 - cortoncharlie wrote: 92 Points
Dinner with JP and friends: Fonseca is one of my favorites and 77 supposed to be a strong vintage but maybe we didn't give this bottle enough air to fully reveal it's glory or perhaps it was the end of the evening and I was feeling the effects of the previous 9 bottles. This was good but it didn't rock my world (but then again I'm not big on port in general). Nonetheless a very nice accompaniment to the lovely cheese plate prepared by our friends at Chez Patrick and a fitting end to a stupendous evening.
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6/18/2011 - Invinoverytas wrote: 98 Points
Singing beautifully at age 34. Just what you dream a port should taste like.
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6/10/2011 - Sleepy Dave wrote:
2011 Simple Series 7: Gary (Paradise Pavilion @ MBFC): Alcohol :: 21%
Pretty, expressive aromas of red floral scents along with red cherry liquor, earth and alcohol spice, the depth of the aromas is remarkable. The palate is definitely a WOW. Super rich with pure complex flavors of sweet orange, red cherry liquor, salted plum and spices all wrapped in highly focus, precise package, intense but never come across heavy and show some finesse even with its 21% alcohol content. Loads of fine tannin provided grip and extra dimension, with quite powerful, long finish. Still young and when the tannin resolved, this will be even better. Excellent. Buy - Maybe - Yes.
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4/1/2011 - godx wrote: 93 Points
The Fladgate Partnership Vintage Port Tasting (Vancouver Playhouse International Wine Festival): Medium rusty red at the colour moving to orange/brown at the rim. Slightly sherry like nose with notes of oxidized apples, ripe cherry, spice and some nuttiness. Soft in the mouth with flavours of baked cherries, papaya, tobacco, chocolate and baking spices. The alcohol was slighty more noticeable here than on the ’77 Taylor. More refined than the Taylor with smooth and concentrated flavours. Long finish. Like the Taylor, this is drinking very well right now and has a long time to go. Outstanding.
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3/29/2011 - jantor wrote: 98 Points
Still deep warm red with some brick at the edge. Richl, open, fresh, very complex, sweet nose with milk chocolate, black tea, coffee, creamy fudge, newly sawn wood, raisins, dates, sweet cherries, apricots. Incredibly powerful, sweet, elegant, fruity and aromatic taste with perfect tannins and freshness. Long is just the foreword.
Can be compared with how Taylor 1948 was 20 years ago - i.e as good as it gets.
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1/14/2011 - bblx wrote:
Wonderful port, quite a treat, drinking very well right now. Stewed plum on the nose, dried fruit, wood on the palate, lovely color.
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12/31/2010 - ecnemergut wrote: 97 Points
Another wonderful Fonseca '77!
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12/24/2010 - Didman wrote: 97 Points
Intense flavors and dark purple color. Tasted beside a '63 Sandeman. The '77 Fonseca was much darker in color with far more intense flavors. Fabulous!
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10/17/2010 - Faryan wrote:
Wines before the dawn of points (Chez Dave): While I’m generally not a port lover (I find the alcohol to be like a flamethrower to my nostrils sometimes), this port was quite refined and suave, with interesting notes of mocha, toffee and chocolate covered berries. This port was like the interesting European gentleman who still has some tattoos that poke out of his sleeves, but clearly has grown beyond the days of such recklessness.
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10/7/2010 - KPB wrote: 98 Points
A really delicious port. Sensational spicy aromas overlay cranberry cocktail, wax, old books, red licorice. Sweet, rich, and with a kind of silky finish. Wonderful stuff!
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9/27/2010 - Seth Rosenberg wrote: 92 Points
A little spice on the nose. Sweet, but somewhat restrained. Perfect on the palate - huge, spicy, sweet, perfumed. Explosive when trilled. Great. Nose - 3/6, Palate - 6/6, Finish - 5/6, Je Ne Sais Pas - 2/2 = 16/20.
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8/28/2010 - rnellans wrote: 96 Points
WOTN. Medium ruby with some orange-browning. Wonderful plum, cherry bouquet with secondary notes. Elegant with a smooth balanced finish that goes on and on. Fully mature. Outstanding.
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8/13/2010 - franco rosso wrote: 98 Points
A superb port. I decanted through a strainer only to remove sediment. The nose was blueberries and plums and cane syrup. Very berryful, smooth, and velvety. This port had all of the qualities you look for in a great port; finesse, great flavor, and a long smooth finish. I would serve this wine to anyone.
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8/7/2010 - davidn wrote: 97 Points
Better than ever!
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7/26/2010 - Padraig wrote: 97 Points
Tasted as a closing course at Wine Dinner in Portland, OR. Decanted for 5 hours after cracking the neck with tongs. Exceptionally rich vintage port, room filling nose, and great burnt orange/carmel color. This is a wonderful sipping port that will flatter well matched foods. Get some while its still available!
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7/9/2010 - jkoenen wrote: 87 Points
Fonseca Offline @ Joost B.'s (Netherlands): Shy, muted, reticent on the nose, slightly one-dimensional. Soft, friendly and pure in its fruit, which comes across as a bit hot or cooked. Balance is not what it should be. I suspect this was a sub-par bottle. It was fair, certainly not great. Heat-damage? 16/20
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5/9/2010 - Marc S wrote: 96 Points
Perfect bottle of wine. Perfectly balanced with a wonderful smooth finish.
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4/18/2010 - chapinde wrote: 97 Points
Ruby in the glass, slightly translucent with a fair amount of sediment. Nose of sweet red fruits, plums stewed in rum, and nutmeg. On the palate this is amazingly balanced and even tastes slightly young. Beautiful acidic backbone and a spice cabinet finish make this one to savor.
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4/4/2010 - Captain Haddock Likes this wine: 95 Points
Wow, even with minimal decanting this was a beautiful, glossy port with plenty of figgy, plummy fruit and the merest hint of the development to come. Young, but approachable. For me, one of the wines of the year so far.
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3/20/2010 - ricknat1 wrote: 94 Points
At Talulahs table.
The best port I have had in a long while. Rich, full and demanding to be savored
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3/19/2010 - Padraig wrote: 97 Points
After tonging the bottle and decanting for 4 hours, we poured this beautiful port along side a 1985 Quinto do Noval and served it with dates stuffed witl blue cheese and wrapped in bacon. The pairing was wonderful, the Fonseca outstanding. I could go on about the forever finish (well over a minute), the nose, the color, etc. Suffice it to say that this is drinking perfectly and was the WOTN to many at the table of 16. I need more.....
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12/28/2009 - drycab wrote:
Can't score as this was a little off. Cork disintegrated and had to filter the wine through a coffee filter but the taste was just too cedary for my palate. Since this is the first bottle of Fonseca I have ever had, I won't score until the next to see if it is a characteristic of the wine.
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12/13/2009 - peternelson wrote: 94 Points
Conrad’s: Liter color; nutty, beaut. bla, silky, elegant, gd bal., swt crystalized sugar notes More depth.
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12/13/2009 - WetRock wrote:
EWG Parties Like It's 1999 (Conrad Greens Abode): Restrained elegant nose. Clean, balanced and pretty. In a very nice place and clearly in a better drinking window than the huge baby of the '70.
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11/27/2009 - CHarder wrote: 96 Points
WOW. This is an absolutely stunning vintage port. Smooth, full-bodied as only the very best ports are. Decanted an hour or so in advance and it kept developing in the glas.
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11/26/2009 - keilcpa wrote: 95 Points
Thin but still very good.
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11/7/2009 - robw wrote: 97 Points
light in colour but still young and vibrant, an excellent finish to a nice evening
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8/1/2009 - ews3 wrote: 97 Points
Spain and Portugal Tasting (Casa Roberts): Sadly my last bottle of this divine aged port... but thankfully, prices have fallen, so I can get more to celebrate future birthdays! Surprisingly light color -- but equally surprisingly fresh and light nose. Plum notes dominated, with red cherry, chocolate, spice, and some lovely floral nuances. This cast of a crazy amount of sediment -- the stuff that came out of the bottle looked incredibly foul. Drank again for dessert the next night and it was holding up well... there was very little left though! It's nice to know that things from 1977 arestill so youthful!
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8/1/2009 - jrobs7777 wrote: 94 Points
Spain and Portugal (2033 Brandywine): Surprising fresh and light. I expected a denser, chewy port for a wine over 30 years old. But it was not. Exhibited secondary notes, but a lot of brighter red fruit. Very interesting. Not overly sweet. Good sweet spice, red fruit, chocolate and maybe some secondary toffee. This had a very nice finish. Very enjoyable.
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6/4/2009 - RR47 wrote: 95 Points
Double decanted. Then drank 4 hours later after a multicourse dinner. Medium red, lighter color than expected. Cherries dominate the nose and first taste. Then more complexity as it breathed. Very nice port.
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5/17/2009 - ecnemergut wrote: 93 Points
Decanted about six hours. Wonderful chocolate-cherry nose. Some raisin as well. Wonderfully sweet on the palate with a long finish. Excellent, but not as good as previous bottles.
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5/9/2009 - plitton wrote: 92 Points
Delicious but tasting a little young. Really nice balance of alcohol, raisins, sherry and maraschino cherries, The middle experience is the best part. The alcohol is a little too present at the onset and finish (leaving a dentist's Novocain taste). I agree at this point it's best after a few hours of air time.
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12/26/2008 - MauriceE wrote: 97 Points
My last bottle, and an excellent one! Decanted nearly 4 hours before drinking, the wine was immediately good, but opened up considerably during the evening. Beautiful rondeur, lovely palate. Very broad in the nose as well as on the palate. Excellent!
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12/25/2008 - austincarty wrote: 99 Points
Cork and capsule quite dry. No ullage. Cork broke in only two pieces on extraction. Heavy sediment but decanted easily. Deep sunset red clear wine. Dark grapes dominating nose. Intense peppery spirit on first sip opening to glorious ripe dark grape fruit in total harmony with the feiry spitit perfectly supported by tannin which merely rested in the background. It is unlikely I shall ever tast port as fine as this again but, in case I do, I have reserved the last scoring point for it.
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12/24/2008 - fcarrano wrote: 97 Points
I drank this over the course of about 30 hours. Every time I took another glass, it was a different port. Initially tasted of cherry cough syrup and alcohol; an hour later, this had burned off into a lovely mouthful of dark fruit. Honestly, every glass after that, up until it was gone, was better than the one before it. A remarkable port.
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12/14/2008 - Marc S wrote: 96 Points
Very impressinve port. Dark red to ruby in color. Wonderfully balaned.
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12/5/2008 - andrewstevenson.com wrote: 90 Points
A lovely bright, fairly youthful appearance (though more of the appearance of a youthful red wine, than a thick young port). There's black sweet fruit on the palate. Really quite young feeling. Nice class, but not really ready yet.
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11/30/2008 - Marc S wrote: 79 Points
Dark deep viloet in color. Blackberries and plumbs galore.Delicious port that needs no more time.
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11/28/2008 - bon vivant wrote:
lovely bottle consumed over 3 days during Thanksgiving weekend. Needed some time to open up: best on 2nd & 3rd day. Nice balance between smoothness elegance & power
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11/14/2008 - monzell wrote: 93 Points
Very rich, smooth, fragrant. Soft, seductive caramel notes that I recall from the outstanding '63.
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7/2/2008 - ronnieroots wrote: 96 Points
Tasted at the July 2 1977 horizontal.
Somewhat lighter than the Smith Woodhouse, but still one of the darker of the bunch. On the nose, some floral notes, fresh and light, with some sweet red fruit and a touch of fresh chilipepper. Medium sweet and round, with a great balance. Very delicate and elegant, with lovely dark fruit flavours (blackcurrant, brambles). The palate keeps on building in the mouth. Very complex, and the best of the evening for me.
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6/21/2008 - ecnemergut wrote: 98 Points
Decanted about 3 hours and consumed over 2 hours. Probably at it's best 4 hours after opening. Wonderful nose of spice and dark fruit. Chocolate on the palate with a w wonderful dried cherry finish. So smooth! Wonderful.
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6/2/2008 - hudamang wrote: 97 Points
Poured into a decanter to capture sediment. A LOT of sediment! The color was surprisingly lighter than I expected. I had high expectations of this wine after my friend told me it's one of his favorites and it actually exceeded my expectations. Beautiful nose of jammy fruit, cocoa, and spices that continued onto the palate. There is some roasted nut flavors too that I really enjoyed. My tongue was coated from this wine and it left a super long finish. Very well balanced. Delicious!
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4/25/2008 - wineismylife wrote: 94 Points
WIML94
Tasted April 25, 2008 at an offline. No formal notes. Good Port that's in it's drinking window. Worth seeking out in my opinion.
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2/21/2008 - theportguy wrote: 95 Points
light herbal nose. Medium long finish with some elegance. Just a touch of heat still on the finish.
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2/18/2008 - JeffGMorris wrote:
Dinner at Steve & Barb's house with Bob C., Bill H. & John & Jen. Garnet in color with a very nutty nose but the finish, while long, was a little warmer than I would have liked. Maybe I'm a bit palate-fatigued at this point but this is not doing it for me tonight. NR.
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1/20/2008 - BradA wrote: 97 Points
As I finish my Holiday bottle, I must add how impressed I have been with the resiliance of this wine. Simly stoppered and left upright on the cellar floor, the wine hasn't degraded in power, fruit or richness. I realize the higher alcohol level has helped, but some credit must be given to the winemaker.
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1/14/2008 - wastedphd wrote: 100 Points
Absolutely wonderful. Incredible ruby color, lots of chocolate, leather, dark flavors well balanced by front-palate fruit. Enough heat to carry every thing around. Flavor profile isn't round--it is even and intense from start to finish. Luckily I bought two so we can cellar one for a few more years. This wine makes me want to invest in more old vintage port.
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1/8/2008 - winefool wrote:
IWFSC 731st Dinner (Les Nomades): Medium full prune color. Rich hot plum black fruit on the nose with some floral notes. Big rich round chocolate notes, but still with a bit of heat. Could probably use a few more years to round out.
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1/6/2008 - ove wrote: 95 Points
I'm not a huge fan of port but this definitely is the stuff to drink. Powerful with intense crushed red and black juicy fruit but what is also very notable is the alcohol content.
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12/25/2007 - BradA wrote: 98 Points
Christmas dinner: This was just a phenomenal way to end Christmas dinner:
I opened this yesterday to check on the wines status; a brief pour became a second. Then I slid a cork in and placed the bottle in the cellar. Tonight (Christmas) the wine showed brilliantly with deep flavors of plums, some orange o on the finish and just a velvety feeling that caressed the palate---makes me want to open more of the subsequent vintages. Don't be in a hurry to drink these--but if you must, give it time to open.
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12/22/2007 - tacman wrote: 97 Points
Spectacular! Silky smooth, with minimal tannin that does not fight the soft fruit ... plum more than prune
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12/6/2007 - mdefreitas wrote: 94 Points
Taylor vs Fonseca @ The Warwick (NYC): Nice fruitcake, spice and hints of coffee. Plump and delish. Fonseca? CORRECT.
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10/4/2007 - theportguy wrote: 92 Points
Dark plum color. Cassis and slight spice on the nose. Heat on the approach. Prune on the mid-palate and a medium long finish with a touch of heat. The heat dissipated after some swirling in the glass.
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8/5/2007 - ews3 wrote: 97 Points
Great vintage port -- still tasted young... may have to track more bottles of this down for the next 20-30 years.
Chocolate and coffee, black fruit and plum... loads of complexity and a finish that went on and on...
Decanted 3 hours prior to drinking.
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6/2/2007 - reiport wrote: 98 Points
My favorite port producer and my favorite vp. Decanted 8 hours before tasting together with my wife. 25th wedding anniversary!!! The wine has been stored in my own wine cellar since I bought it at BBR Heathrow early 1990's (luckily I still have 14 bottles left). A tint of orange around the rim, but still very purple in its color. The wine has become more mature since I tasted it 3 years ago- not young , but not old. The wine was superb, velvety in its consistancy. Distinct dark plumb, prune taste, with a hint of anise, lasting almost a minute. Fairly strong tannins. This wine will last at least another 20 years.
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4/15/2007 - gjberdy wrote: 98 Points
Defiinitely the ugliest and oldest bottle in my cellar. Purchased by my parents in Portugal and carried back to the States for me as gift a decade ago. I kept this wine for a special occasion, my 50th birthday celebration with my wife and 12 friends at a wine dinner (I brought all seven flights from my cellar). When I took off the foil, the cork was bulging, but it remained intact upon removal. The wine was just fine. It was reminiscent of a 1962 that I tasted in the early 1990's, aromas and flavors of prunes, blackberries, not too sweet, perfect balance. We served it with a blue cheese and figs. Great.
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2/13/2007 - cct wrote:
By this time, my palate was a bit fried. I have loved the aromatics on this wine before and found it very good with still more primary notes than anything approaching tawny. Sweet dark chocolate, tons of dark balckberries and plums, more floral notes ? violets? A dark mineral or slatey feel as well. Very primary still and sadly I did not appreciate this wine as much as I would have under less excessive circumstances. Every other time I have had this form the same case I scored it in the upper 90's, but I was probably too far along to fairly give it a number this night.
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10/13/2006 - Xavier Auerbach wrote: 95 Points
A private tasting (The Hague): Deep and rich, figs and spices, concentrated, delicious, quintessential Fonseca, a beauty. Now - 2015.
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9/30/2006 - archer752000 wrote: 96 Points
Ethereal aromas of coffee, chocolate, creme-brulee. Silky on palate and finish with bitter chocolate and dark fruits.
The best port I've ever tried.
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8/17/2006 - 2p8h wrote: 99 Points
Sadly, my only bottle of this stunning wine. Enjoyed it with friends on a lovely summer evening. Vintage port is the best reason I know to live a long life.
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6/1/2006 - Hank Gillespie wrote:
The Wine Summit; 6/2/2006-6/3/2006 (The Post Hotel in Lake Louise): Amber ruby color; penetrating aromas; good split between the spirit and the fruit; good balance – weighty – integrated sweetness. An OK Port, but I’m not particularly enamoured with finishing a meal that way.
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5/3/2006 - cos82 wrote: 98 Points
Purchased on release and stored in my cellar since then. Consumed with 5 friends at byob dinner. I am not a big port fan and usually prefer sauternes. That said, of ports I tend to like Fonseca best, since they appear to be less overtly sweet. This wine was great and close too perfect. Slightly faded (but not brown) , beautiful nose, and a wonderful soft, nutty, berry flavor with a long finish. No harshness, no tannin, and no noticable alcohol. A wine to end the meal that quieted the table to just be sipped and enjoyed by itself. Fabulous. Can't see it getting any better, and I would consume it now.
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3/27/2006 - Arbitrage wrote: 96 Points
i am in love. berries galore. decant this for 6 hours and the tannins will soften to heavenly status.
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12/18/2005 - NJSpinDoctor wrote: 93 Points
Ugliest bottle in the cellar, but I've had good experiences with ugly port bottles and found this was no different. The cork came out whole with some careful pulling, but was stained from top to bottom. Fortunately, this was not an indicator of spoiled wine as what came out was a beautiful ruby red. I decanted the wine, then flushed the bottle before returning the wine for presentation. Lots of berries and cooked fruits on the palate, and overall very pleasant. Tried it with a chocolate dessert, and it stood up very well. A nice, stinky bleu cheese also made a nice combo on another night (stored the wine with the WineKeeper nitrogen system). After about a week in the kitchen--I wanted to stretch it a bit--the wine was showing more brick than previously, but the flavor and mouthfeel were undiminished. Overall, a worthy and rich wine that changes with the menu.
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12/11/2005 - kris.h wrote: 93 Points
SWS Port Tasting (Seattle, WA): This looked very old for being a '77. Just a tinge of red left. The nose had hints of dried fruit and spice. Very smooth on the palate with good body. Nice length to the finish but not quite as long as it should be.
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8/27/2005 - GlenD wrote: 92 Points
Chicago Cabernet dinner (Chicago NW Suburbs): The cork came out in one piece, but was stained from top to bottom. Is this unusual for a 28 year old? Probably not. The color had some brick in it, but still a healthy strawberry red. It had a balance and breadth of flavors I haven't experienced before in a fortified. Elegance instead of power. Lengthy finish.
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8/13/2005 - GlenD wrote: 93 Points
The Best for The Best 2005 (Chicago NW Suburbs): Let's start out this note by admitting that I'm no port specialist. I was saving this bottle for a special occasion, and the time arrived. After removing the capsule, I was a little worried to see the cork pushed up a bit. The cork came out in one piece, but was stained from top to bottom. Is this normal or unusual for a 28 year old? Probably not. The color had some brick in it, but still a healthy strawberry red. No decanting. I opened and poured. It was well received by port drinkers and non-port drinkers alike. It had a balance and breadth of flavors I haven't experienced before in a fortified. Elegance instead of power. Lengthy finish.
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4/10/2005 - JasonD wrote: 99 Points
This was the worst looking bottle in my cellar, the cork was protruding, the label was torn the capsule was oxidized. What come out a great port! I decanted it for 4 hours and drank it with friends over the next 4. Mmmm, this is evolving nicely! Great fruit of plumbs, prunes and strawberries. The structure is amazingly integrated. There are tannins there but they fit perfectly. The finish is not to hot as the wine just sits there on your tong. Wow.
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4/1/2005 - winefool wrote: 91 Points
Group #8, My #10 - Medium red garnet. Round forward aroma of red fruit and orange rind. Clearn focused fruit on the palate, but not really jammy or forward. Still shomewhat tannic. 4/05
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1/31/2004 - JeffO wrote:
The only 100-pt wine in the "Great Porto book" and Wine of the Year (Spectator). First tasted this at the Georgian Room of the Seattle Four Seasons with John & Christy in 1995. Other wines were '85 Veuve Cliquot, '89 Corton Charlemagne and 1949 Ch. Latour in magnum. We contrasted the '77 Fonseca with a '55 Graham's (both poured by the glass). With 22 years on it, the Graham's was in its high prime--simply lovely perfect porto. (If I could find another 55 Graham's, I'd buy it in an instant.) The Fonseca exploded with youthful fruit and vigor, tasting like it was just out of the pipe (even tho it was 18 yrs old at the time). Soon after, I found a bottle at City Cellars and snatched it up. Then found a bottle in Heathrow, very authentic with the original little card hanging around the neck with decanting instructions on it. Then found 3 pristine (looks like new capsules so maybe suspicious? These were imported by BWL.) bottles at Larry's in Bellevue. New note 4/2/01: Decided to open one of the Larry's bottles last night with the Krepkys and Fishbaks. It was still red through, with a slightly watered-out (just a hint of sienna) rim, no sign of maturation. The nose was subdued, some warmth and some fruit, but closed in. On the palate, soft and very smooth, hardly any alcoholic edge or bite. Very sweet, bright, almost like a sugar-charged pinot noir. Pleasant, but unremarkable finish. Verdict? This baby has closed down, not in a hard tannic way, but soft and subdued. It tastes almost light compared to all the 40yr tawny I've been drinking lately. April 2001 says wait, wait, wait. New note: Xmas Eve 2003, opened another of the "Larry's" bottles. Again the mouthfeel is much lighter than one would expect, the nose is not big but nice, and the flavor is soft and lingering. These last two "Larry's" bottles have been very good, but not as spectacular as I expected. The next to open will be the bottle I bought in the UK, the old dusty original one, and then we'll see if it is markedly different. If it is, I cry counterfeit on the others. (Rating withheld until then.)
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1/1/2004 - JasonD wrote: 96 Points
Wow should be all that is necessary. This even though this bottle was very slightly oxidized. This wine has tuned to almost a garnet shade. It has raisiny, prune, and plumb aromas but that is the weak part. The pallet explodes sending fruits and tannins around your mouth. I am scoring this a 96 and blaming the loss of 4 pts the fact that it was a little hot, and still has some harsh tannin. Some day this could be a perfect port!
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12/12/2003 - Eric wrote:
Seattle Tasting Group 'End of Year Dinner' (Sammamish, WA, USA): This was a perfect way to wrap up 7 hour dinner and tasting extravaganza. Heavenly with some floral elements and coffee on the nose. On the palate this has remarkable body and persistence. The notes are weak, but the wine was glorious.
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3/20/1993 - tomandlu wrote: 96 Points
Spectacular. Drank with Easley Blackwood and Alex Matro.
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