1997 Fonseca Porto Vintage, Portugal, Douro, Wine Review

Decanted for about 6 hours prior to drinking. This is a good if not great declared vintage. Deep ruby in color. The nose has milk chocolate, cherries, and raspberries. Full bodied. On the palate, this is sweet with chocolate covered raisin notes. Very tasty. Some complexity. Solid finish. This is drinking very well now and should probably be consumed over the next decade though it will certainly have something ot offer after that. Drinks well on its own, it would work well with a chocolate cake.

Grade:

Score:

Vintage:

1997

Current Price:

$75.00USD

1997 Fonseca Porto Vintage, Portugal, Wine Review

Vintage:

1997

Score:

Grade:

A-

Current Price:

$65.00USD

A bit lighter in style than say the '94 or '00 vintages, but drinking well nevertheless. Inky purple in color, ruby at the rim. The nose has black raspberries and chocolate covered raisins. Medium to full bodied. Good acidity. On the palate, slightly sweet chocolate covered cherries. There is a nice depth and complexity. Drink over the next ten years. A nice match with a chocolate dessert.

1997 Romariz Porto Vintage, Portugal Douro, Wine Review

Vintage:

1997

Score:

Grade:

A-

Current Price:

$150.00USD

Deep garnet in color, mostly opaque and bright. The nose has milk chocolate covered raisins. Full bodied. Viscous. On the palate, slightly sweet with milk chocolate covered raisins. Tasty. Some depth. Some heat on the finish. This is at or just past peak. Drink up. Nice on its own and worked well with Blue Cheese.

1997 Quinta do Noval Porto Vintage, Portugal, Douro, Wine Review

Vintage:

1997

Score:

Grade:

Current Price:

$350.00USD

Purple in color, ruby at the rim, mostly opaque and bright. The nose has raising, black raspberries, milk chocolate and char. Full bodied. Viscous texture. On the palate, black raspberries, black cherries, kirsch, milk chocolate and raisins. Deep and complex. At or near peak but probably another ten to fifteen years left. Great with Blue Cheese, this would also work with a chocolate dessert.

2003 Fonseca Porto Vintage, Portugal, Douro, Wine Review

Vintage:

2003

Score:

Grade:

Current Price:

$80.00USD

Nice to revisit this. At age 19, this is still youthful but starting to show some refinement. Purple in color, ruby at the rim. The nose is great with chocolate covered raisins and some red raspberries. Lots of energy. Slightly viscous. On the palate, chocolate and raisins. Sweet, not cloying. Some heat on the finish. This should easily go another fifteen or twenty years. Great on its own or with some type of blue cheese.

Port Wine: Portugal's Douro Valley, Making Port Wine & the History of Port

Port is a fortified wine from the remote vineyards in Portugal's Douro Valley. Here, in the Douro Valley, time has almost stood still. You will not find the latest wine making techniques and fancy equipment. Instead, you will find a wine industry much the way it was over a hundred years ago. Yet, in spite of it, or because of it, vintage Port is one of the world's greatest wines. Port takes its name from the city of Oporto that is situated at the mouth of the 560-mile long Rio Douro or River of Gold. Although many port-style wines are made around the world – most notably Australia, South Africa and the United States – the strict usage of the terms Port or Porto refer only to wines produced in Portugal. It is these wines that we will explore here.

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1997 Fonseca Porto Vintage, Portugal, Douro, Wine Review

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Port Wine: Portugal's Douro Valley, Making Port Wine & the History of Port