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Subject: 2003 Vintage Port (Fonseca, Taylor Fladgate, Delaforce, Croft)

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Seek

Upstate NY

Wine Thief
Posts:2772

11/22/2005 1:37 PM
I attended a tasting in Rochester NY this past weekend and had the opportunity to taste through some 2003 Vintage Ports. I was running short on time as I had dinner reservations and the tasting got started a little late, but I managed to get in a taste with no notes taken. TheFonseca is gigantic with sureal levels of flavor, power, and weight yet suprisingly suave and velvety on the palate. The dark fruits are amazingly abundant and all over the palate. The finish goes on for over a minute retaining an amazing intensity of flavor. TheTaylor Fladgate has an awesome focus and balance to its charachter. At first you are dealt a generous blow of dark fruits and sweetness only to finish strong with spice, flowers, and creosote. TheCroft displays a much richer and fatter characteristic than the other two along with more liqour like flavors. A slight bit of heat at first but the wealth of fruit extract quickly suppresses it. Rich with black cherry, licorice, spice and fruit cake. A Port for pairing with desserts. TheDelaforce shows a more austere style of Vintage Port. Focused flavors of fruits and spice. A finish of 45-60 seconds you are still presented a well made enjoyable Vintage Port.

Rothko

Palm Beach

Wine Thief
Posts:2849

11/22/2005 7:38 PM
Damn you and your notes! Because of you I had to order a case of the Fonseca.

Seek

Upstate NY

Wine Thief
Posts:2772

11/22/2005 7:43 PM
Well I am glad I could help. The Fonseca was fantastic. The friend I went with tasted it at the same time I did and we both looked at each other and said "Wow".

Rothko

Palm Beach

Wine Thief
Posts:2849

11/22/2005 8:23 PM
I am sure that I will not regret my decision. I just hope I live the 30 years or so it will take for this port to really shine!

Jim

Grape Stomper
Posts:182

11/23/2005 4:36 AM
Seek- great TNs as usual. Could the friend you mentioned be the infamous "Cabhead"?

Seek

Upstate NY

Wine Thief
Posts:2772

11/23/2005 5:11 AM
Indeed it is Cabhead, as well as MTpockets.

love_cab_chard User is Offline

Master of Wine
Posts:12349

11/23/2005 12:19 PM
Rothko, a case huh? I see, so you now what 6 years old or so?

skwid

Wine Connoisseur
Posts:5452

11/23/2005 4:56 PM
Actually I don't think you will have to wait 30+ years on the Fonseca. I had this one evening and it was amazingly drinkable. Good up front fruit. The tannins didn't kick in until very late. There were a couple of other portheads along and they said that the 2003's (and 1994 forward) seem to be made differently to drink younger.

ChangeMe

Grape Puncher
Posts:986

12/13/2005 8:23 PM
Quote: There were a couple of other portheads along and they said that the 2003's (and 1994 forward) seem to be made differently to drink younger. I'm not so sure they were made in any different way. I think we have been dealing with some unusually ripe and forward vintages, plus Fonseca being frequently the "lushest" of the top line Ports. Granted my experience does not go back past the 1992 declaration (at least with new releases), but the house style of Fonseca does seem to be the most forward of the big guns, but with so much stuffing that 30 years of positive aging is still assured.

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Forums > Tasting Notes -- Other > Port TNs > 2003 Vintage Port (Fonseca, Taylor Fladgate, Delaforce, Croft)

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