Fonseca : Vintage Port 2024

Characteristics and Tasting Notes of Fonseca's Vintage Port 2024

Tasting

Appearance
Deep ruby and purple hue, highlighted by delicate violet reflections that testify to its lovely youth.

Nose
Remarkably precise, the aromatic bouquet seduces with its purity. It releases intense aromas of ripe black fruits such as black cherry, blackcurrant, blackberry and black grape. This fruity framework is enhanced by notes of violet, exotic fruits, freshly crushed mint, as well as a touch of sweet spices such as cinnamon, all wrapped in a captivating minerality.

Palate
Generous and rich, the palate offers a silky texture supported by tannins that are both firm and finely polished. It reveals a juicy fruit concentration, sublimated by a vibrant acidity. Flavours of wild herbs, exotic woods, fresh mint, liquorice and dark cocoa unfold through to a persistent, luminous and particularly refreshing finish.

Food and wine pairings

This wine pairs wonderfully with dark chocolate desserts (at least 70% cocoa) or blue-veined cheeses such as Stilton, whose saltiness contrasts ideally with the sweetness of the wine. For an original experience, it perfectly accompanies dried figs paired with walnuts. However, it is advisable to avoid overly spicy or acidic dishes in order to preserve its subtle complexity.

Serving and ageing

Endowed with exceptional ageing potential, this Vintage Port 2024 can be cellared for many years and will drink well until approximately 2064.

A Vintage Port of rare elegance from the heart of the Duriense terroir

The estate

Founded in 1815, Fonseca is a historic and essential house in the Duriense region. Now owned by the Fladgate Partnership family group and led by Adrian Bridge, this prestigious reference has succeeded in preserving its traditions while modernising its approach. With a vineyard stretching over more than 400 hectares, the estate stands out for its strong environmental commitment and its demanding philosophy of the integral vintage. Recognised worldwide, the property produces wines of great longevity, capturing the very essence of its exceptional terroir.

The vineyard

The vines used for this great Vintage Port thrive in the sub-regions of Cima Corgo and Douro Superior. The terroir is characterised by schist soils and an extreme continental climate, favouring a slow and optimal ripening of the berries. The grapes come from historic estates such as Cruzeiro and Santo António in the Pinhão Valley, as well as from the Panascal property, located at a higher altitude in the Távora Valley.

The vintage

The year 2024 benefited from excellent water reserves thanks to a rainy winter. Spring, cool and punctuated by light rains, encouraged an early budburst from 5 March. Summer proved hot before giving way to cooler temperatures, 2°C below seasonal averages during the harvest that began on 18 July. These mild conditions in late August and September allowed perfect phenolic ripening during an extended harvest.

Vinification and ageing

The making of Vintage Port 2024 is based on gentle extractions and long fermentations, bringing remarkable complexity to the wine. Ageing is then carried out in Portuguese oak vats, previously seasoned for half a century before use, thereby guaranteeing the tannic finesse characteristic of the House.

Grape varieties

Touriga Nacional, Tinta Roriz