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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.

25% opacity. Sweet lively nose, oranges and cherries. Dried red fruits, long aftertaste - cherries.

Sourced from Davy's Fine Wine, UK bottled but bottler unknown. Light in tone, a copper red that is around 30% opaque. Absolutely nothing on the nose! Even a further 90 minutes in the glass allowed nothing to develop. On the palate this brings gentle sweet fruit that is light and elegant with delicate sweet redcurrants and sweetened cranberries. The fruit develops to a nice volume on the mid-palate although it is a little slow to come through. Some slight tannins show on the aftertaste and form part of a lovely fruity and slightly chewy finish of decent length. 87/100. 15-Jun-16. Decanted 3 hours.