2026, Fonseca 1948-1997, Tuesday 10th February 2026

[winesecretary]

A vertical of Fonseca is arranged for 10 February 2026 at the B&F in the Red Room. It is proposed we taste the following.

1997
1994
1992
1985
1983
1980
1977
1975
1970
1966
1963
1960
1955
1948

All of the above have been proffered. Given the difference in relative market values, equalisation payments may be necessary.

Attendees:

1. winesecretary (who has 77, 83, 85, 92, 94, 97)
2. nac (who has 60, 63, 70, 75 (maybe), 77, 83, 85, 97)
3. CPR1 (who has 60, 77, 80)
4. flash_uk (who has 63, 77, 92)
5. M. Charlton (who has 66, 85)
6. PhilW (who has 60, 66, 70, 77, 85)
7. forest26 (who has several)
8. idj123 (who has 75, 94)
9. mcoulson (who has 48, 55, 63, 66, 70, 77, 83, 85, 92, 94)
10. Glenn E. (adopting from winesecretary)
11. NigelM (adopting from mcoulson)
12. Justin K (who has 70, 83, 85)
13. rich_n
14. jdaw1

Reserves:

1. Guest of Winesecretary
2. Hadge
3. pommy42

Current draft of the placemats.

[M.Charlton]

Yes please. Have F66 and F85.

[CPR 1]

Yes please

Put me down for the 1960, 77 or 80

[flash_uk]

Yes please. 63,77,92 (I think).

[Bertie3000]

Wish I could make this as sounds great but away that week.

[PhilW]

Yes please; 60/66/70/77/85.

[nac]

Yes please.
Have a few, but can't confirm exactly what at the moment (currently in Crete).
Definitely have 97.

[forest26]

Yes please - I have a few and will advise nearer the time

[winesecretary]

@Bertie3000 - apologies, but am trying to fit things round floating court hearings so that's really the only week that currently certainly works

[idj123]

Count me in!

[idj123]

Of the vintages not offered up thus far, I have 94 and (I believe) 75.

[mcoulson]

Yep - may I join in please ?

I can do 48,55,63,66,70,77,83,85,92,94

[winesecretary]

@ all - on the list and wines proffered noted, thank you.

[hadge]

yes please. will check when back.

[Justin K]

Yes please have ‘70, ‘83 & ‘85.

[rich_n]

I would very much like to attend. Currently I have none of the years listed but may have acquired some by the time this rolls around.

[jdaw1]

Yes please. (Damn: hope I’m not too late.)

[Glenn E.]

I would like to be on the list, and if I have read the responses correctly I should be first reserve which is perfect. I won't know for a few months whether or not I can make it, so being a reserve is probably best anyway.

I have several of the listed vintages, but we wouldn't want me to carry one half way around the world to open anyway. So I would participate via equalization payment.

[NigelM]

I would love to join you if y'all will have me. Likely I will adopt from @mcoulson x

[winesecretary]

@ hadge, Justin K, rich_n, jdaw1 - you're in

@ Glenn E. - would be lovely if you could make it. If you can make it, I will disinvite my guest, who will understand being turfed out for someone who has travelled 5,000 miles for the evening, but you are top of the reserves for now.

@ NigelM - second reserve, also statistically likely to be able to attend

[winesecretary]

@rich_n - much opportunity to adopt, so no need to scour market

[rich_n]

@rich_n - much opportunity to adopt, so no need to scour market

Understood, but I'm already scouring the market for my own benefit as I'd like to add more Fonseca and more 80/90s VP to my cellar so the two may combine handily for this tasting.

[winesecretary]

@ rich_n - ah, using a tasting as an excuse to buy more lovely wine, that’s a different matter…

[rich_n]

@ rich_n - ah, using a tasting as an excuse to buy more lovely wine, that’s a different matter…

Absolutely!

[hadge]

I have reviewed the date of this and I'm not sure if i will be able to make it as it is the middle of half term for me. We might be away, plans haven't been confirmed yet but will be shortly. therefore the fairest thing to do is for me to drop out and then if we don't go away I can join the reserves.

[winesecretary]

@ hadge - in the same way that Doctors are getting younger and younger, school half term is getting earlier and earlier…

@ Glenn_E - I will keep you as first reserve.

@ NigelM - you’re in.

[NigelM]

Very kind thanks. Looking forward to it.

[Glenn E.]

@ Glenn E. - would be lovely if you could make it. If you can make it, I will disinvite my guest, who will understand being turfed out for someone who has travelled 5,000 miles for the evening, but you are top of the reserves for now.

Thank you, that is very kind.

If prices remain as they are now ($500 RT on Icelandair) then I might just pull it off. As usual the main issue for me is having sufficient vacation time saved up, and that's going to be building back up from zero after our safari in October.

[hadge]

@ hadge - in the same way that Doctors are getting younger and younger, school half term is getting earlier and earlier…

@ Glenn_E - I will keep you as first reserve.

@ NigelM - you’re in.

with Easter being a the beginning of April, it an early half term this year. due to them breaking up so early too.

I'm a little gutted to be missing this but that is life.

[pommy42]

Would love to be added to the reserves, and offer 1997 only
..

[winesecretary]

@pommy42 - added

[Alex Bridgeman]

I am gutted at having missed out on this tasting — I love the Fonseca style and interpretation of what Vintage Port should be.

Perhaps I should follow George's lead from the old Taylor tasting and organise an event around the Fonseca vintages not being tasted on 10th February. Fonseca: 1948 and older...

[flash_uk]

I am gutted at having missed out on this tasting — I love the Fonseca style and interpretation of what Vintage Port should be.

Perhaps I should follow George's lead from the old Taylor tasting and organise an event around the Fonseca vintages not being tasted on 10th February. Fonseca: 1948 and older...

I’m in. F34.

[mcoulson]

I am gutted at having missed out on this tasting — I love the Fonseca style and interpretation of what Vintage Port should be.

Perhaps I should follow George's lead from the old Taylor tasting and organise an event around the Fonseca vintages not being tasted on 10th February. Fonseca: 1948 and older...

I’m in. F34.

I'd play that game but I've only got 34 as well in that range

[CPR 1]

I like the sound of that

[winesecretary]

Alex, I thought you weren’t interested in the more youthful end of the port market, or I would have included you as of right! If Glenn doesn’t make it, you can have my guest’s space - I’ll tell her now she isn’t going to make it to avoid later disappointment.

[nac]

Yes please.
Have a few, but can't confirm exactly what at the moment (currently in Crete).
Definitely have 97.

Checked and I have 60, 63, 70, 75 (maybe), 77, 83, 85, 97.

[Glenn E.]

@ Glenn E. - would be lovely if you could make it. If you can make it, I will disinvite my guest, who will understand being turfed out for someone who has travelled 5,000 miles for the evening, but you are top of the reserves for now.

Tickets purchased and I can now confirm attendance. Kari will be coming with me, and after the tasting we're going to take the train up to Scotland for a few days to see a few sights. "Elliott" is one of numerous derivations of "Elot" and the clan can be traced back to the time of Robert the Bruce, so there are lots of fun things for us to check out in the ancient homeland.

Kari will not be attending the Port tasting, just to make that clear. She enjoys Port, but not tastings. Apparently we are too geeky.

I have a few Fonsecas, but since they would have to cross the Atlantic I suspect the best option will be for me to adopt. I for sure have 1977, 1985, 1994, and 2011, and I believe that I might also have 1970 but would need to dig around to find it. I can bring one of those to replace someone's bottle if that would be preferred over adopting.

[winesecretary]

@ Glenn E. - wonderful! On list. Look forward to it. You can adopt one of mine.

[Justin K]

Kari will not be attending the Port tasting, just to make that clear. She enjoys Port, but not tastings. Apparently we are too geeky.

I resemble that remark!

[winesecretary]

Hello. This tasting is now less than two months away. I would be grateful if you could each confirm whether you will be able to attend, so that I may start assigning bottles.

[mcoulson]

I'm still very much up for this

[NigelM]

Would still love to attend (63 is all I have, or will adopt another from @mcoulson)

[Alex Bridgeman]

Please add me to the reserves, just in case enough people have to drop out for me to be promoted to be an attendee.

If I reach that hallowed status, I’m sure I have some Fonseca that would fit into the line-up without duplicating any of the other bottles.

[Glenn E.]

@ Glenn E. - would be lovely if you could make it. If you can make it, I will disinvite my guest, who will understand being turfed out for someone who has travelled 5,000 miles for the evening, but you are top of the reserves for now.

Tickets purchased and I can now confirm attendance. Kari will be coming with me, and after the tasting we're going to take the train up to Scotland for a few days to see a few sights. "Elliott" is one of numerous derivations of "Elot" and the clan can be traced back to the time of Robert the Bruce, so there are lots of fun things for us to check out in the ancient homeland.

Kari will not be attending the Port tasting, just to make that clear. She enjoys Port, but not tastings. Apparently we are too geeky.

I have a few Fonsecas, but since they would have to cross the Atlantic I suspect the best option will be for me to adopt. I for sure have 1977, 1985, 1994, and 2011, and I believe that I might also have 1970 but would need to dig around to find it. I can bring one of those to replace someone's bottle if that would be preferred over adopting.

I confirm!

[jdaw1]

I confirm.

[CPR 1]

I confirm

[M.Charlton]

Confirmed - thank you, George.

[jdaw1]

An early draft of the placemats has been added to the first post.

Attentive students of the placemats will doubtles recognise the use of the font from the Fonseca bicentenary (placemats), and the flowers from the June 2009 mini-vertical of Fonseca (placemats).

[winesecretary]

There may be some desire to move this tasting - either to the day before or the day after. I invite thoughts (especially from Glenn - we’re holding it on a day he’s available, and if that’s just the 10th that’s just the 10th).