Written By Treve Ring Fortified Wine / Libations Dec 20, 2009 Fonseca Guimaraens – 10 Year Old Tawny & Vintage Port 2007 SHARE VIA: Facebook Twitter PinterestDouro Valley, Portugalwww.fonseca.ptChampagne and oysters, Pinot Noir and truffles – Christmas and Port? In my mind anyway, these are natural pairings. Much like rum and eggnog, I can’t quite imagine one without the other in my holidays.Fonseca Guimaraens [fawn-SAY-kuh GIH-mah-rahns] is a classic port house, and whether you’ve been good, or very, very good this year might just determine which Fonseca bottle Santa picks up for you on his flight over Portugal’s Douro Valley.First off – for the good: Fonseca 10 Year Old Tawny is a mainstay, and for good reason. With an average in-cask age of ten years, this wine has had enough time to smooth out the edges and transform into a complex, elegant elixir. Honeyed and rich with a walnut rancio nuttiness throughout, this port has a lot going for it – grippy tannins, seductive nose and a graceful finish. Fantastic value around the $20 mark for 375ml. Aged tawnys will not improve once bottled – all the more reason to drink right now! And for the very, very good: Fonseca Vintage Port 2007. 2007 was easily deemed worthy of a Vintage Port (only declared in above average vintages). The finest grapes and finest wines are selected and meticulously blended for maximum intensity, depth and aging potential. On average, this happens three times/decade at Fonseca – and 2007 is one of those blockbuster years. A highly potent nose of rich floral, cherry and chocolate leads to a voluptuous and dense sweet palate of spice, anise, tea, wild cherry, wood, dark chocolate and vanilla. Rich, seamlessly balanced with a lengthy fruit finish. Such a delight to drink – and will only improve over the next 10+ years. Pair the tawny (liberally) throughout the holiday season with roasted nuts, dried fruits, hard milder cheeses or classic vanilla crème brûlée. A personal fave is tawny meets hazelnut torte. And for the 2007 Vintage Port? On its own, by the fire with a very special someone. Santa perhaps? Rating: (click here to see what our wine ratings mean) Fortified WinePortugalWine Reviews SHARE VIA: Facebook Twitter Pinterest Written By: Treve Ring Treve Ring is a wine writer, editor, judge, consultant and certified sommelier, and has been with EAT Magazine for over a decade.\r\n\r\nIn addition to her work with EAT, she is a Wine Critic and National Judge for ... Read More You may also like Fortified Wine April 28, 2017 Madeira: intense, indestructible… and overlooked What comes to mind when you hear “Madeira wine “? If anything, it’s likely to be a dusty bottle sitting alongside the Marsala, balsamic vinegar ... Read More Dessert Wines / Fortified Wine / Red Wine / Rosé / Sparkling Wine / White Wine February 4, 2013 Westside Wine Trails – Sip With Your Sweetheart Event The Westside Wine Trail wineries return for their annual Sip with Your Sweetheart Event in celebration of Valentine’s Day. All nine wineries of ... Read More Food Pairings / Fortified Wine December 7, 2012 Wines of Worth: Sherry + Food I was thinking about this week’s topic, as I so often do, over a late night drink. In my glass? Palo Cortado Sherry. On my plate? Salty Grana ... Read More Fortified Wine February 21, 2012 Bodegas Hidalgo Manzanilla La Gitana I love sherry. Ancient, lengthy, site-specific, traditional, rare, haunting, lingering, unique. What’s not to like? People complain that it’s too ... Read More Fortified Wine February 9, 2011 Gonzales Byass Noe Pedro Ximénez, VORS Pedro Ximénez , or PX as it’s affectionately called, epitomizes the adage that a little goes a long way. Made from a white grape with the same ... Read More Fortified Wine December 19, 2010 Carlo Pellegrino Passito de Pantelleria A pretty common holiday scenario: friends over for dinner, perhaps impromptu, you’re all indulging in the merriment of the season, you want to ... Read More Comments are closed.
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