1985 Fonseca

[jdaw1]

As part of the plan to drink JDAW’s US-located port, a tasting of Taylor, Fonseca, Warre was held on Saturday 18th April 2009 at Petite Abeille, 401 East 20th Street at First Avenue, NY 10010-7501.

Links:

• Review of evening as a whole;
• 1948 Taylor;
• 1963 Taylor;
• 1966 Taylor;
• 1966 Fonseca;
• 1966 Warre;
• 1970 Fonseca;
• 1977 Taylor;
• 1977 Fonseca;
• 1977 Warre;
• 1985 Fonseca;
• 1985 Warre;
• Planning and arrangements;
• Placemats.

This thread is to hold tasting notes and comments on the Fonseca 1985.

[jdaw1]

[jdaw1]

Decanted 09:45. The colour was pantone Fonseca 1985; nose a little subdued but with dark fruit; taste showing newly-decanted F85 astringency.

Previous bottle from this batch of F85 had TCA: hopefully a repeat isn’t heralded by the ‟nose a little subdued”.

[jdaw1]

Twenty minutes in the glass has improved the nose a lot. Good.

[jdaw1]

‟Opaque black-red. Absolutely bog-standard magnificent F85.” You know what that this, and this was it.

Note to self: accumulate.

[g-man]

Palate dominator in the line up.

Tons of reddish and purple fruit with loads of cinnamon and anise.

Full on body of condensed milk with cherries and blueberry mash.

Incredibly smooth for such a rich and powerful port.

95

[RonnieRoots]

Darkest of the bunch, but that shouldn't be a surprise. Closed nose, with some perfume. Big! Very dark, with magnificent dark fruit, coffee, chocolate, dark cherry and black pepper. Dry, tannic and spicy finish. Very young, and always great to drink. Already have a healthy stash but definitely need more. 96 points.

[SushiNorth]

Very very dark Port with subdued fruit for an 85. In the mouth, however, it's a monster -- huge fruit and very smooth (though it left my tongue rough). I felt this bottle was lacking in tannin needed for a long haul, though everyone else seems insistent it's going to need decades. Too late for this one, we've drunk it too soon. 92