Fonseca's motto is determination and quality. As long as you're determined, quality will follow. With this consistent quality, which the port house has offered for many years, Fonseca Ports are a popular choice in the hospitality industry. Many top restaurants feature one or more Fonseca varieties on their menus. Fonseca Ports are also often used in wine pairings because they are also perfectly paired gastronomically.
We're often asked what exactly constitutes a Late Bottled Vintage Port. Well, that's actually quite simple. The grapes for this port come from a single harvest year. However, unlike a Vintage Port, the Late Bottled Vintage is a blend of different Ports from that year. These are aged for between four and six years in oak barrels, after which they are bottled. This Fonseca Late Bottled is aged for five years in oak barrels. The bottle always indicates the vintage year and the year of bottling. However, before bottling can take place, a lot of work needs to be done in the vineyards. These grapes grow on old vines, ensuring perfect quality. The vineyards are selected by the Fonseca Port winemaker, and great care is taken! The best bunches are hand-picked at peak ripeness, and each one is transported in small crates to prevent damage.
When the port is finally ready to be tasted, we're more than happy to queue up! Because this port is unfiltered, it's recommended to decant it beforehand. When poured into the glass, we see a beautiful ruby-red color with a light brownish hue. It's a soft, fragrant port with a subtle hint of berry and fresh fruit aromas. This port has great finesse, is powerful, and vital; the alcohol is beautifully integrated. At the finish, we notice a slight tingle on the tongue from the oak aging, which makes this port truly complete.
