1963 Fonseca

Tasting notes for individual Ports, with an index sorted by vintage and alphabetically.
Forum rules
Tasting notes for individual Ports, with an index sorted by vintage and alphabetically.
Post Reply
User avatar
jdaw1
Cockburn 1851
Posts: 23613
Joined: 15:03 Thu 21 Jun 2007
Location: London
Contact:

1963 Fonseca Vintage Port

Post by jdaw1 »

Fonseca 1963 tasted on 1st September 2007 in St. Helens. Tasted that evening were Fonseca 1920, 1963, 1966, 1970, 1975, 1977, 1980, 1983, 1985, 1992, and 2000. Also see the review describing the evening as a whole.

From the cellar of Uncle Tom, at the bargain price of £105.
User avatar
DRT
Fonseca 1966
Posts: 15779
Joined: 23:51 Wed 20 Jun 2007
Location: Chesterfield, UK
Contact:

Post by DRT »

All the hallmarks of a UK bottling but no markings to confirm by whom. A slightly damaged capsule confirms "FONS 1963 VINTAGE".

Level is about 1cm into the neck and 2.5cm below the base of the cork.

ImageImage
"The first duty of Port is to be red"
Ernest H. Cockburn
User avatar
DRT
Fonseca 1966
Posts: 15779
Joined: 23:51 Wed 20 Jun 2007
Location: Chesterfield, UK
Contact:

Post by DRT »

Decanted at 08:10 on 1 Sep 07. Cork out in one piece. Lovely smell and colour. Lighter than the 66. Well formed crust allowed it to decant very easily.

Image
"The first duty of Port is to be red"
Ernest H. Cockburn
User avatar
jdaw1
Cockburn 1851
Posts: 23613
Joined: 15:03 Thu 21 Jun 2007
Location: London
Contact:

F63

Post by jdaw1 »

Beautiful red, slightly less opaque than the 1966. Medium-wight nose, with a non-pepper spice. Cardoman? MOuth-filling soft sweetness, a great port, plums, and more huge plums. Why I drink port. UncleTomScore = 9-8.
User avatar
Ghandih
Fonseca LBV
Posts: 124
Joined: 08:43 Thu 26 Jul 2007
Location: Oxford
Contact:

Ghandhi's twopenneth

Post by Ghandih »

This was another fantastic port; although not in my top three, it did grow on me (and didn't have to try that hard, either), and I came round to everyone else's opinion - a great port.

I initially enjoyed the lovely colour (but didn't expand, so that's helpful, Ganhdi), and found the taste slightly alcoholic, but plummy and with a great texture. I got more smell out of this one than any of the others, and that was also dominated by plums. As JDAW mentions, very soft, too - a lovely feel in the mouth, though quite different to the big mouthfeel of the F66.

Incidentally, JDAW, it's cardamom, not Cardoman - sounds like a tarot super-hero.
A man who likes vintage ports, and we're not talking Carthage
User avatar
DRT
Fonseca 1966
Posts: 15779
Joined: 23:51 Wed 20 Jun 2007
Location: Chesterfield, UK
Contact:

Post by DRT »

Apart from the obvious delight in seeing Jdaw taken down a peg or two, Ghandi's post has made me remember that I did not finish posting my notes on these great wines. Here is my F63 note...

A beautiful bright red colour. No nose, until we took it inside where it revealed very complex spicy aromas. Extremely soft and smooth in the mouth. Plums, plums, plums and plums. A very long finish. Fabulous.
"The first duty of Port is to be red"
Ernest H. Cockburn
User avatar
KillerB
Taylor Quinta de Vargellas 1987
Posts: 2425
Joined: 22:09 Wed 20 Jun 2007
Location: Sky Blue City, England

Post by KillerB »

Now this was gorgeous as well. Very close to winning the night for me. Slightly lighter than the 1970 and less tannic than the 1966 it was in perfect drinking condition. Another peppery one with flowers and fruit (is this like being in hospital?) Fabulous mouthfeel and great coffee finish.

Port is meant to be this good.
Port is basically a red drink
Post Reply