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At Bonham’s on 18 February 2016 was sold most of a pipe of Fonseca 1963, not moved since original purchase (lots 324 to 343).

So, on Wednesday 15th June 2016, we gathered in the Boot & Flogger to compare six of these, which were joined by a selection of other English-bottled Vintage Ports.

Links:

• Review of the evening as a whole;
• The six Fonseca 1963s:
  • 1963 Fonseca, α = alpha;
  • 1963 Fonseca, β = beta;
  • 1963 Fonseca, γ = gamma;
  • 1963 Fonseca, δ = delta;
  • 1963 Fonseca, ε = epsilon;
  • 1963 Fonseca, ζ = zeta;
• The other English-bottled Vintage Ports:
  • 1955 Mackenzie;
  • 1963 Berry Bros & Rudd;
  • 1963 Martinez;
  • 1963 Warre;
  • 1970 Fonseca;
  • 1970 Warre;
  • 1970 Smith Woodhouse;
• And one colheita:
  • 1937 Warre colheita;
• Food order.
• Placemats;
• Planning and arrangements.

30% opacity, mature red. Velvety and syrupy, long finish, burnt orange.

One of the 36 bottles sourced from the pipe sold at Bonhams in February 2016, which had been bottled and stored under identical conditions. 6 bottles with the same fill (top shoulder) were opened and tasted together to investigate the extent of bottle variation in mature port.

Bottle 6: Subdued on the nose, but clearly suffering from bottle stink - a smell which faded over the 90 minutes the wine sat in the glass. Gentle fruit flavours come through on the entry, fruit which has been baked or perhaps even toasted. The fruit flavours grow well and fill the mid-palate with a lovely dryness to the core of the wine, although the whole is slightly dirty. The aftertaste is dry and shows smokey tannins which hold a good grip on the very long finish. 86/100. 15-Jun-16. Decanted 3½ hours.