2016 Fonseca - Porto Vintage Port HALF BOTTLE (375ml)

Fonseca has ranked among the first category of Vintage Port producers since the mid nineteenth century, prized for wines that develop uncommon opulence and complexity with age. The house is known for a lush, generous fruit character that many drinkers and critics consider unmatched among Vintage Port houses, the product of deep knowledge of the Douro's terroir passed down over generations.

This 2016 Vintage Port is a field blend sourced from three of Fonseca's key properties, Quinta do Panascal in the Távora Valley and Quinta do Cruzeiro and Quinta de Santo António in the Pinhão Valley. Harvest began on September 21st at Panascal, delayed at Cruzeiro until October 6th, following a growing season marked by unusually heavy spring rainfall that replenished groundwater and helped produce a vintage of real distinction across the Douro. The wine spent about 20 months aging in wood before bottling.

The finished wine is a dense purple black with a narrow purple rim, its nose built on pure black cherry, cassis, and blackberry jam layered with crushed mint, violet, and a hint of ripe tropical fruit. On the palate it is full bodied and sweet, framed by vibrant acidity and taut, structured tannins that carry fresh berry flavor through a long finish. Pair it with dark chocolate, blue cheese, or simply let it age further in the cellar.