1992 Fonseca

[winesecretary]

Cork came out clean. Fairly heavy sediment.

(i) Decanting sample after 1 hr:

90% opaque red juice; splendid legs. Strong note of cinnamon (I thought of Dentyne chewing gum), and some poached plum with star anise, on the nose. On the palate, smooth, smooth port with more cinnamon, and cherry jam, but the sweetness is balanced by the acidity. Sacher torte (the apricot and chocolate notes are both distinct) on the finish. A little blackcurrant, late.

(ii) Re-tasted after 24 hours in decanter in 'fridge:

Colour and visual texture identical. The cinnamon has faded somewhat but is still present, alongside some black cherry. On the palate very smooth with lots of cherry jam notes, but it's very high quality cherry jam. A slightly warmer finish. The sharp/sweet hint of apricot is still there. Perhaps some white pepper at the end with the blackcurrant. Balanced. But, barely more ready to drink than yesterday.

(iii) Re-tasted after 48 hours in decanter in 'fridge:

Now 95% purple juice, red rim. Visual texture identical. Spiced poached plum predominates on the nose. Smooth entry to the palate, which is now almost entirely black-fruit dominated. The Sacher torte now very dominant on the finish, Valrhona couverture note, the pepper largely gone.

(iv) Re-tasted after 72 hours in decanter in 'fridge:

Now almost completely opaque. Mint and cinnamon on the nose. Still some red fruit on the front palate, mid-palate plums and stem ginger in syrup, and a bit of pontefract cake and increasingly chocolate towards the finish with a prickle of spice again at the end. Gastronomic. Delicious.

Really interesting wine, with lots to think about in it. Drinking now if you enjoy port in the full flush of its youthful strength; but happily good for the next twenty years and, I would respectfully suggest, better in ten years than it is now.