1985 Fonseca

[Alex Bridgeman]

By the glass from the Oxford & Cambridge Club. Deep red in colour with a narrow rim and an opaque centre. No purple in the tone, but no real signs of age. Concentrated nose, deeply fruity like a cherry juice reduction; sweet but with a slight green counterpoint sourness. Initially closed on the palate but with powerful acidity wrapped around a concentrated black cherry core that appears on a terrific mid-palate. There is a hint of the bitters on the late palate that dominates the aftertaste and gives a marked greenness to the huge finish of amazing length. The tannins are nicely integrated but never intrude, providing a perfect harmony to the whole experience. Powerful and delicious port, but in need of a much longer decant (or another quarter of a century in the cellar) to show at its best. 92/100. Drunk 09-Dec-2015. Decanted 4½ hours.