Fonseca 1977
Vintage Port
35 years old and still has the vibrancy of the grape of a youthful wine and not mellowing into more varied flavours.
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Tasting Note
Remarkable colour - 38 years old and still has the vibrancy of the grape of a youthful wine - and not mellowing into more varied flavours - touch of dark chocolate with berries and spice, lingering finish with enough tannic firmness to keep it going on and on. Remarkably youthful for its age - with all the best that age brings to a great Vintage Port. This can go on for many years evolving in the way of great vintages.
Robert Parker
Robert Parker
The Wine Buyers Guide
96 points
"The 1977 has consistently been at the top of my list of vintage ports in this great vintage. It is a mammoth, opaque, statuesque vintage port of remarkable depth and power."
Joe Czerwinski
Joe Czerwinski
Wine Enthusiast
February 2007 – 97 points
"This wine's dark garnet color with minimal bricking suggests a relatively youthful wine and certainly could age longer, although it's also delicious now. Wonderfully complex floral and herbal scents easily move into deep, rich flavors of chocolate and cherries, sprinkled with a healthy dose ofDourominerality and spice."
James Suckling
James Suckling
Wine Spectator
2008 – 100 points
What a Vintage Port. Dark ruby center, with a dark garnet edge. Aromas of flowers, blackberry and licorice. Subtle and complex. Wow. What a palate. Full, concentrated and rich, yet balanced and beautiful. Solid and sleepy. Still not giving all it has to give. This is just coming around. Gorgeous and classy. Love it.
Notes on the year
The year started with a wet winter and cold spring with some frost as late as May. The grapes were slow to mature during the cool summer but September was extremely hot and by the end of the month the grapes were ready to pick. Musts were reported as having high acidities and the cool weather at the beginning of October produced long fermentations with plenty of extraction. The year was declared by nearly all the major shippers.
