FONSECA

This leads in with bramble, spearmint and blueberry notes, with the energy extending through the core of dark plum, blackberry and fig fruit. The finish features a strong graphite spine, allowing this to draw deep water, but this remains stylish in feel overall. Drinking range: 2030 - 2055 Rating: 97 James Molesworth, The Wine Spectator (Oct 2018)

The 2016 Vintage Port is a field blend that was not quite bottled when seen (set for a week later), but it was the final blend. It was aged for 20 months in wood and comes in with 99 grams of residual sugar. This Fonseca is remarkably expressive, lifted and gloriously fresh. It has good concentration but some years have had more and seemed sexier. However, the most notable feature is the structure. It is very impressive in structure, that classic Port power and firmness coming to the fore and overshadowing the rest at the moment. This is very tight and very unevolved. Don't even think of buying it if you aren't prepared to cellar it. The 2030 start date that I have will not be even close to late enough if you want harmony and complexity. To me, this is the best of the three 2016s from the Fladgate Group this issue (Croft and Taylor being the other two), thanks to its pure intensity, but time will tell if it becomes as sexy as I'm sure Taylor's will be. In the meanwhile, Fonseca looks like one of the greats of this vintage. Drinking range: 2030 - 2075 Rating: 96-98 Mark Squires, robertparker.com (Jul 2018)

The 2016 Fonseca Vintage Port began to be picked on 21 September at their Panascal vineyard, their Quinta do Cruzeira vineyard not picked until 6 October. It is deep, almost inky in colour. The bouquet is very intense with luscious black fruit laced with embers, clove and hints of bay leaf. There is wonderful purity here and a broodiness that suggests you'd better be patient. The palate is sweet and lively on the entry with some gorgeous ginger and curry leaf notes littered over the compact black fruit. There is wonderful density to this Fonseca. It is like a coiled spring with so much energy towards the finish that you just know this will be a long-term prospect. Superb. Production is 4,900 cases. Drinking range: 2026 - 2070 Rating: 96 Neal Martin, www.vinous.com (Jun 2018)

Dark crimson with a slightly chestnut hue. Very much a cloud rather than a rapier on the nose – hedonistic and ripe with masses of sweetness almost masking a rigorous corset of tannins. You really taste the heat here – but in a very ripe fruit way, not in a hot spirit way. Drinking range: 2036 - 2066 Rating: 17.5+ Jancis Robinson OBE MW - www.JancisRobinson.com (May 2018)

More muted and less engaging than some, this is a powerful and slightly introverted wine with seriously impressive detail and a distinguished air. The tannins are present and they warn the taster that unlike the majority of the wines at this tasting Fonseca will require more patience to allow it to slowly come to life. Rating: 18.5+ Matthew Jukes www.matthewjukes.com (May 2018)

The cornerstone of this wine is Quinta de Panascal in the lower reaches of the Tavora Valley alongside quintas Cruzeiro and Santo António in the Pinhão Valley: closed and rather withdrawn on the nose with an underlying dusting of tannin evident; firm, sweet cassis and berry fruit, dark chocolate intensity at the core, backed by broad yet tight-knit peppery tannins which grip on the finish. All there and very fine. Rating: 18+? Richard Mayson, www.richardmayson.com  (May 2018)

Lots of ripe fruit here with raisins and wet earth that turn to violets and hot stones. Full-bodied, tannic and powerful with fantastic grip and intensity. Grabs you. Impressive. Drink in 2025. Rating: 98 James Suckling, www.jamessuckling.com (May 2018)