Fonseca Unfiltered Late Bottled Vintage 2018

Fonseca Unfiltered Late Bottled Vintage Port, 2018

Grapes: A blend of Tinta Roriz, Touriga Nacional and Tinta Barroca

Producer Tasting Note:

Very deep, intense ruby colour with a very narrow brick rim. The nose is almost impenetrable, tightly packed with dense dark berry fruit aroma, back cherry, blackberry, and blackcurrant. The uncompromising berry fruit character is archetypal Fonseca, the intensity taken to an even higher degree by the fact that the wine is unfiltered, carrying all its body and extract into the bottle. The dark brooding fruit is lifted by a discrete minty, resiny aura of wild herbs. The palate is round and full bodied, with dense, beautifully integrated granular tannins providing structure and weight, the luscious flavours culminating in an intense burst of black berry fruit. 

Critic's Tasting Note: 

"Spice, liquorice, dense bramble fruit, and notable grip. Fiery and serious with hints of black olives"

89/100 points, Decanter World Wine Awards, 2024

This superb Late Bottled Vintage port is aged to full maturity in oak vats where it gradually matures and falls bright. It is then drown off into battle with no fining or filtration. As a result the wine loses none of its richness and concentration and preserves all of its natural fullness, body and flavour. As the wine is not filtered a haze or light sediment may form after a year or two, or if the wine is subjected to the cold. This is a natural process and is quite normal. If it occurs, the wine will benefit from being decanted.

Fonseca Unfiltered gives all the benefits and feel of a Vintage Port at a more accessible price, this is great value. Excellent with fully flavoured cheeses, especially blue cheeses such as Stilton or Roquefort. It is also delicious with desserts made with chocolate or berry fruits.