Vintage 2016
THE GRADUAL AND EVEN RIPENING OF THE GRAPES HAS PRODUCED A WONDERFULLY BALANCED 2016 FONSECA VINTAGE, WITH PURE FRUIT, FIRM AND VERY WELL INTEGRATED TANNINS AND ATTRACTIVE FRESHNESS.
Fonseca has been part of the first category of Vintage Port wine producers since the mid-19th century. Fonseca Vintage Port wines are known for their lush fruitiness that develops great opulence and complexity with age. Their wines appeal to the enthusiast and connoisseur, perhaps more than the Vintage Ports of any other house, because they are the result of inspired production and a deep knowledge of viticulture and terroir.
Vintage Port wines represent the best of the products of an exceptional year. Unlike Port wines that age in wood, Vintage Port wines will continue to age and improve in bottle for decades, inscribing in their character both the characteristics of the vineyard and the influence of the winemaker.
The company's Vintage Port wines come from its own estates: Cruzeiro and Santo António in the Pinhão valley, which have contributed to the company's Vintage Port blend for 100 years, as well as the Panascal estate in the Távora valley.
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BOTTLE LAIN DOWN
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DECANTING RECOMMENDED
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VEGAN
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16ºC - 18 ºC
The Port continues to improve for decades after bottling. The bottle should be kept lain down in a cool place, ideally at a temperature below 16ºC.
Should be decanted before being served. Stand the bottle upright a few hours before decanting to allow the sediment to fall to the bottom of the bottle. Pour the wine in a slow, steady stream into a decanter, ensuring that only the clear wine is poured, leaving the sediment behind.
This Port wine is Vegan friendly
The wine benefits from being served between 16ºC to 18ºC.
The Port continues to improve for decades after bottling. The bottle should be kept lain down in a cool place, ideally at a temperature below 16ºC.
Should be decanted before being served. Stand the bottle upright a few hours before decanting to allow the sediment to fall to the bottom of the bottle. Pour the wine in a slow, steady stream into a decanter, ensuring that only the clear wine is poured, leaving the sediment behind.
This Port wine is Vegan friendly
The wine benefits from being served between 16ºC to 18ºC.
Tasting Notes
Deep purple color with a fine purple rim. The nose displays very fine and pure black fruit, a fusion of black cherry, cassis and blackberry jam aromas, with notes of crushed mint, an ethereal fragrance of violets and hints of ripe tropical fruit. The year has given an additional layer of purity and refinement to Fonseca's subtle and complex fruit character, as well as an attractive minerality.
In the mouth it is supported by vibrant acidity and taut tannins that provide structure but also texture and volume. Fresh berry flavors remain through the long finish. A finely crafted and perfectly balanced Vintage Port.
Notes on Viticultural Year
The weather pattern of the 2016 vintage was relatively unusual. Rainfall in April and May was almost three times the average of the last10 years. It replenished groundwater reserves that had been reduced due to the previous year's drought, but also resulted in significant fruit loss and consequent reduced yields in some areas, as well as a late start to the ripening cycle. In contrast, July gave way to the onset of hot, dry conditions that lasted for the rest of the summer. Ripening was uniform, gradual and completed after a few rains in mid-September.
Estates that delayed harvest until after the rains were rewarded with perfect harvest weather, in which cool nights contributed to long, well-balanced fermentations and smooth extraction. The winemaker's notes note that the young wines exhibited very fine aromas and pronounced tannins. The initial promise was fully realized, with the 2016 Vintages showing elegance, finesse, lively acidity and tannins of exceptional quality. Harvesting at Fonseca's Quinta do Panascal began on September 21 and at Quinta do Cruzeiro in Vale do Pinhão on the 28th. The third Fonseca property, Quinta do Santo António, started harvesting only on October 6th.
Vintage 2016
Awards & Press Comments
James Suckling - 98 Points
May 2018
" Lots of ripe fruit here with raisins and wet earth that turn to violets and hot stones. Full-bodied, tannic and powerful with fantastic grip and intensity. Grabs you. Impressive. Drink in 2025. "
Mark Squires - 97 Points
August 2022
" The 2016 Vintage Port is a field blend sourced from the typical three quintas (Panascal in the Tavora Valley and Quinta do Cruzeiro and Quinta de St Antonio in the Pinhão Valley). When last seen, this was in fine form. It was aged for 20 months in wood and comes in with 99 grams of residual sugar. Right now, surprisingly, this seems more tightly wound than the Taylor's, which usually seems to me the burlier as between the two. It has beautiful fruit as well, if not quite the wave of big fruit that Taylor's shows off. In 2017, I would say Taylor's wins. In this vintage, it may be Fonseca. However, there are great performances all around. "
Manuel Carvalho – 99 Pontos
Público, Novembro 2018
" O Fonseca de 2016 faz justiça aos pergaminhos da marca e nesta sua fase de juventude é um vinho muito exigente para os sentidos. Porque está ainda muito contido, quase fechado, em contraste com muitos dos seus pares. Mas é um Vintage com uma magnífica definição em todos os seus componentes, uma sensualidade e sedosidade iniciais que depois dão lugar a sensações de maior garra, profundidade, secura e tensão no final. Um vinho que enche a boca com uma extraordinária diversidade de sensações. "
James Molesworth - 97 Points
Wine Spectator, October 2018
" This leads in with bramble, spearmint and blueberry notes, with the energy extending through the core of dark plum, blackberry and fig fruit. The finish features a strong graphite spine, allowing this to draw deep water, but this remains stylish in feel overall. Best from 2030 through 2055 "
