1966 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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jdaw1
Cockburn 1851
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1966 Fonseca

Post by jdaw1 »

As part of the plan to drink JDAW’s US-located port, a tasting of Taylor, Fonseca, Warre was held on Saturday 18th April 2009 at Petite Abeille, 401 East 20th Street at First Avenue, NY 10010-7501.

Links:This thread is to hold tasting notes and comments on the Fonseca 1966.
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jdaw1
Cockburn 1851
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Re: 1966 Fonseca

Post by jdaw1 »

Image
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jdaw1
Cockburn 1851
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Re: 1966 Fonseca

Post by jdaw1 »

F66 decanted 15:00. The red is fantastic: this wine is forty-three years old, and looks twenty. Cougars of New York behold, and weep! And full-bodied red fruit, strawberry with cranberry, that rolls on and on and on. And this is at D+0.
And gentlemen in England now-a-bed
Shall think themselves accurs'd they were not here
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Alex Bridgeman
Graham’s 1948
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Re: 1966 Fonseca

Post by Alex Bridgeman »

jdaw1 wrote:F66 decanted 15:00. The red is fantastic: this wine is forty-three years old, and looks twenty. Cougars of New York behold, and weep! And full-bodied red fruit, strawberry with cranberry, that rolls on and on and on. And this is at D+0.
And gentlemen in England now-a-bed
Shall think themselves accurs'd they were not here
I do just happen to have one knocking about at home. Hmm, nothing in the decanter at the moment...
Top Ports in 2023: Taylor 1896 Colheita, b. 2021. A perfect Port.

2024: Niepoort 1900 Colheita, b.1971. A near perfect Port.
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jdaw1
Cockburn 1851
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Re: 1966 Fonseca

Post by jdaw1 »

AHB wrote:I do just happen to have one knocking about at home. Hmm, nothing in the decanter at the moment...
The decanter needs to be primed, and then washed bottle needs to be rinsed. I’ve just finished the glass containing these two too-small F66 samplettes, and let me tell you, opening one for yourself wouldn’t be the wrong thing to do.
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Alex Bridgeman
Graham’s 1948
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Re: 1966 Fonseca

Post by Alex Bridgeman »

I'm convinced. I've finished my chores for the day, cooked large and well seared steaks for all the family and now intend to settle down with a good book and a glass of port.

Now to find where I put that bottle.

:piginpoo: :piginpoo: :piginpoo: :piginpoo:
Top Ports in 2023: Taylor 1896 Colheita, b. 2021. A perfect Port.

2024: Niepoort 1900 Colheita, b.1971. A near perfect Port.
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DRT
Fonseca 1966
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Re: 1966 Fonseca

Post by DRT »

jdaw1 wrote: let me tell you, opening one for yourself wouldn’t be the wrong thing to do.
...and niether would it be wrong to finish it alone in one session. Hmmm, from the PMs exchanged this evening this advice seems to have come too late :wink: :lol: :lol:
"The first duty of Port is to be red"
Ernest H. Cockburn
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jdaw1
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Re: 1966 Fonseca

Post by jdaw1 »

F66: Wonderful translucent red. Tasting soft, and huge, like the winner of some giant-teddy-bear contest. With strawberry, and just lively port-ness. Is it the perfect mature port? No, not this bottle, which is an edge lighter than being of the seventh heaven. Still, wonderful port.
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g-man
Quinta do Vesuvio 1994
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Re: 1966 Fonseca

Post by g-man »

Dark deep red with a touch of purple.

Soft cinnamon, crushed graham crackers, strawberries on the nose.
Fellow tasters mentioned nutmeg too.

Full lush and silky on the mouth. Coats the palate with baked cinnamon strawberries with a touch of currants for acidity. Perfectly integrated and drinking very very well now.

So smooth going down, a sweet spice finish with more of the baked fruit coming up and lingering for a good 30+ seconds.

I think this is perfect drinking now.

98+
Disclosure: Distributor of Quevedo wines and Quinta do Gomariz
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RonnieRoots
Fonseca 1980
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Re: 1966 Fonseca

Post by RonnieRoots »

Probably the darkest of the line-up, with the exception of the Fonseca 1985, which is in a league of its own. I found it difficult to get anything on the nose, except that it was very dense. To taste, incredible! Dark, dense fruit. Very elegant but powerful at the same time. It's still floral, with eucalyptus freshness and spicy, dark chocolate. A long, still tannic finish makes you long for more. Fantastic port, and I now understand what all the fuss is about. 98 points. Easily.
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SushiNorth
Martinez 1985
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Re: 1966 Fonseca

Post by SushiNorth »

Beautiful deep red color; hot and some menthol, but not fruit in the nose. The mouth was much happier to have this inside it, as it was beautifully balanced, smooth, and tasted of baked cinammony fruit. I agree with Jeff's suggestion of Rhubarb. 98 pts, and the best of our 1966's this night.
JoshDrinksPort
Image Port wine should perhaps be added -- A Trollope
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