1975 Fonseca

Tasting notes for individual Ports, with an index sorted by vintage and alphabetically.
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Tasting notes for individual Ports, with an index sorted by vintage and alphabetically.
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uncle tom
Dalva Golden White Colheita 1952
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Location: Near Saffron Walden, England

1975 Fonseca

Post by uncle tom »

A lone bottle bought as part of a mixed lot last year, my only F75, and (I think) the first time I have tried this wine.

Decanted yesterday. Virtually no sediment emerged from the bottle. Nice colour, if a little pale, small amount of bottle stink.

At D + 0 it was a little harsh and lacking composure, but very Fonseca, its luscious signature loud and clear.

A little improved at D + 10hrs, but left overnight in the hope it would find some composure.

Now at D + 30 hrs it is much better, but there is still a fiery edge on the palate. It is not quite fully mature.

This is not however, a typical '75, and might narrowly outgun both F80 and F83 if the trio were tasted blind.

Will return tomorrow to score, but this is clearly one of the winners from this vintage.

Tom
I may be drunk, Miss, but in the morning I shall be sober and you will still be ugly - W.S. Churchill
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DRT
Fonseca 1966
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Re: 1975 Fonseca

Post by DRT »

uncle tom wrote: this is clearly one of the winners from this vintage.
Agreed - it's a tough call between this and the Croft for WotV, although in my experience both show significant bottle variation so you would have to comapre good with good to get a fair comparison.
"The first duty of Port is to be red"
Ernest H. Cockburn
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uncle tom
Dalva Golden White Colheita 1952
Posts: 3518
Joined: 23:43 Wed 20 Jun 2007
Location: Near Saffron Walden, England

Re: 1975 Fonseca

Post by uncle tom »

D +36 - fire much reduced, much improved

D+ 54 - really very good now, a little light but almost fire free.

To score.

For immediate gratification, the wine is showing as being very slightly immature, and a little bit light, but really very agreeable. Not quite in the top quartile of all VP's, but close, so a 7.

Where's it going? In another decade it will surely find full maturity, but being a bit light may also move towards decline; so a similar prospect.

Score 7-7

Will I look to buy more? Yes, although all 75's are tending to sell above their worth now. If I can get half a case for £120 + BP, I'll buy - I might even go an extra tenner.

Tom
I may be drunk, Miss, but in the morning I shall be sober and you will still be ugly - W.S. Churchill
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Axel P
Taylor Quinta de Vargellas 1987
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Re: 1975 Fonseca

Post by Axel P »

Hey Tom, please buy the full case and leave the other 6 with me.

Axel
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RonnieRoots
Fonseca 1980
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Joined: 08:28 Thu 21 Jun 2007
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Re: 1975 Fonseca

Post by RonnieRoots »

Axel P wrote:Hey Tom, please buy the full case and leave the other 6 with me.

Axel
Or with me for that matter. Croft will also do nicely. :)
LadyR never lets me buy any '75. Waste of money, she says, better spent on '77. But I'd love to have a couple of bottles of '75 that are actually a pleasure to drink.
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jdaw1
Cockburn 1851
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Re: 1975 Fonseca

Post by jdaw1 »

RonnieRoots wrote:LadyR never lets me buy any '75.
You have a wife who is most wise: heed her words.
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RonnieRoots
Fonseca 1980
Posts: 1981
Joined: 08:28 Thu 21 Jun 2007
Location: Middle Earth

Re: 1975 Fonseca

Post by RonnieRoots »

jdaw1 wrote:
RonnieRoots wrote:LadyR never lets me buy any '75.
You have a wife who is most wise: heed her words.
I knew you would say that! :mrgreen:
And you're right of course, but still...
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