1980 Fonseca

[jdaw1]

A tasting of 1980s, on Wednesday 20th October 2021, at the Boot & Flogger, arranged George G.

Links:

• Review of the evening as a whole;
• 1980 Fonseca;
• 1980 Taylor;
• 1980 Croft Quinta da Roêda;
• 1980 Sandeman;
• 1980 Offley;
• 1980 Burmester;
• 1980 Dow;
• 1980 Graham;
• 1980 Warre;
• 1980 Smith Woodhouse;
• 1980 Gould Campbell;
• 1980 Quinta do Noval Nacional;
• 1980 Niepoort;
• 1980 Cálem Quinta da Foz;
• Placemats (mentioned in issue 151; a revisit of the design of 02Mar2012);
• Planning and arrangements.

[winesecretary]

Quite pale, with an orange rim. A not unattractive hint of boot polish on the nose. Liquorice and orange caramel feature on the palate. Pretty port for drinking now, on this showing, but undistinguished when compared to the heights of the same producer's 1970 and 1977.

[jdaw1]

Would you like some more Nacional?

I expected the Symington wines to top the bill the bill last night, but in the opposite order to that which emerged.

Taylor was better than I expected, and the Fonseca, which seemed to be fading fifteen years ago, is still exactly the same.

My last encounter with the NN80 was of a very pale wine, and this one seemed a little darker, but for a Nacional to get the wooden spoon without being obviously faulty is a very poor show..

[JacobH]

A touch lighter than the Taylor. Bit more expressive in the nose. Simple sugar and fruit with limited acidity in the mouth. Fine but no better.

[M.Charlton]

Dark to mid red. Nose muted. Not much going on on the palate, either. I was left wondering if this wine will it ever come out of its long slump?

[Alex Bridgeman]

A mature brick red , 40% opaque. Soft glace cherry, gently spiced, muted but attractive. Satin smooth texture and more glace cherry; light bodied and floral with Fonseca's reliable elegance and acidity. A big burst of floral perfume and powdery icing sugar on the finish. Drinkable but simple and a bit dull. 80/100. Drunk 20-Oct-21. Decanted 10 hours.