1985 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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flash_uk
Graham’s 1977
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1985 Fonseca

Post by flash_uk »

Decanted 24 hours. 70% opacity, red with a little bricking. Lively nose, clean, fruity, plum, damson, prunes, figs. In the mouth, nice balance, real substance, chewy sweet then a little spice. Nice long finish with sweetness but also an edge of acidity.

So, true to form for F85 right now for me - very nice, but lacking that final little bit of integration. Bottle retired to fridge in readiness of a 48 hour sample.
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djewesbury
Graham’s 1970
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Re: 1985 Fonseca

Post by djewesbury »

flash_uk wrote:Decanted 24 hours. 70% opacity, red with a little bricking. Lively nose, clean, fruity, plum, damson, prunes, figs. In the mouth, nice balance, real substance, chewy sweet then a little spice. Nice long finish with sweetness but also an edge of acidity.

So, true to form for F85 right now for me - very nice, but lacking that final little bit of integration. Bottle retired to fridge in readiness of a 48 hour sample.
Interesting, you refrigerate. I don't bother as I find it mutes the wine whenever I return to it and it needs all sorts of coaxing to come back to temperature. If necessary (and it rarely is in Belfast), the decanter can go in the cellar, which is cool but not cold.
Daniel J.
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LGTrotter
Dalva Golden White Colheita 1952
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Re: 1985 Fonseca

Post by LGTrotter »

I am astounded by the strength of will needed to await the 48 hour sample. A wine I find it hard to keep my hands off.
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flash_uk
Graham’s 1977
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Re: 1985 Fonseca

Post by flash_uk »

LGTrotter wrote:I am astounded by the strength of will needed to await the 48 hour sample. A wine I find it hard to keep my hands off.
I had the benefit of some wine earlier which made it a little easier to hold off!
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flash_uk
Graham’s 1977
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Re: 1985 Fonseca

Post by flash_uk »

At 48 hours. Nose now clean and crisp, more fruit and hints of a slight medicinal scent. On the palate, now nicely integrated. The acidic bite at the finish is no longer there. This is now a full, syrupy, sweet juice. Plums and chocolat, with a super long aftertaste.

I wonder if this will improve further at 72 hours.
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jdaw1
Cockburn 1851
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Re: 1985 Fonseca

Post by jdaw1 »

Seventy-two hours: astounding self-control.
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flash_uk
Graham’s 1977
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Re: 1985 Fonseca

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jdaw1 wrote:Seventy-two hours: astounding self-control.
All in the name of science!
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flash_uk
Graham’s 1977
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Re: 1985 Fonseca

Post by flash_uk »

At 72 hours. The nose has retreated slightly, no longer so crisp and fresh, still giving prunes and fig. In the mouth no longer so long, with that slightly acidic finish reappearing. Don't get me wrong, I could polish off many glasses of this, but from this experiment, 48 hours was perfect.
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flash_uk
Graham’s 1977
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Re: 1985 Fonseca

Post by flash_uk »

DRT wrote:It is worth noting that no one has asked Flash how many bottles of F85 he decanted for his multi-day experiment.
Just the one.
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DRT
Fonseca 1966
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Re: 1985 Fonseca

Post by DRT »

flash_uk wrote:
DRT wrote:It is worth noting that no one has asked Flash how many bottles of F85 he decanted for his multi-day experiment.
Just the one.
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