1983 Fonseca

[LGTrotter]

It looked very pale in the funnel but a bright clean colour which decanted very cleanly, almost no wastage. The colour while light showed no browning, with clarity and a glow at the centre. Strong and long legs down the side of the glass. A bit woody but mainly aniseed on the nose. Delicately flavoured with a little more heat than might be ideal but very interesting palate of aniseed and clove. Red fruit, acidity, very toothsome and coating the mouth with flavour. The heat did simmer down with a few more hours open.

I am reluctant to score this wine as it would score low but I am fond of this style. So unlike the 85 but a lesser wine? If it could be found cheaply (it's Fonseca, who am I kidding) it is worth having a few. I doubt it will change dramatically over 20 years, but probably around it's peak now.

[Glenn E.]

That could have been the TN for the last bottle of F80 that I tasted.

It is certainly an interesting profile. I, too, would normally score it relatively low (mid-80s) but I enjoy the Port.

I suppose you could call it a guilty pleasure. You know it isn't a great Port, but you like it anyway.

[LGTrotter]

I suppose you could call it a guilty pleasure. You know it isn't a great Port, but you like it anyway.

I seem to have a lot of guilty pleasures; this port, the 67s, old Cockburn, Croft 77, the list goes on and on. Perhaps I should do a thread on what is your favourite port that always flunks at tastings? Or name the port do you think most deserves a score of 95 or above which will never get one? I think that horizontals can be very cruel to some ports.