Porto Tawny 10 years

Fonseca was founded in 1815 by the Fonseca and Monteiro families, with the Guimaraens family taking over in the second half of the 19th century. It is a Porto house renowned for the consistency of quality and the fresh and generous style of its vintages. Owning 3 estates across the Douro region, the house offers a variety of styles, from ruby ​​(vintage, LBV) to white port to Tawny ports of different ages.

This port is aged for an average of 10 years in small oak barrels of around 630 liters where the low volume of wine relative to the oak surface allows greater contact with the wood. As it matures, the wine gradually loses its dark ruby ​​red color and turns towards a delicate amber hue, called “ tawny ”. At the same time, the port becomes rounder and its aromas become richer and more complex. Finally, aging promotes the concentration of the wine by evaporation of part of its volume, commonly called the “angels’ share”. The longer the contact with the wood, the more complex, spicy and persistent the aromas become. When tasting, we feel beautiful aromas of fig , raisins, strawberry , kirche cherry , prunes , tobacco , grilled hazelnut , walnuts , and caramel . Its smooth and silky texture, with finely woody accents, is balanced by a lively acidity and extends to an elegant finish with notes of dried fruits.

Portugal's rich history is intertwined with its wines, particularly its most famous wine, Port. From the ancient cities of Lisbon and Porto to small medieval towns and Roman ruins, the past is still alive today in modern Portugal. A great vacation in the heart of this country, where Port wines were born, is a unique way to experience Old World culture, climate, beautiful countryside and of course delicious wines. Although the history of wine in Portugal dates back to the Romans, it was not until the early 19th century that the wine we know today as Port came into being. Table wine from Portugal was already in high demand since the mid-17th century, mainly by the British. To make rustic Portuguese wines more stable and palatable, small amounts of brandy were added to wine barrels before shipping. Eventually, British companies began to invest in the region and perfected the process of adding brandy during fermentation, rather than after, which helped preserve the distinctive fruity flavors of red wine that were unique to the Douro Valley region of Portugal. In recent years, a small revolution has occurred in the Douro region in terms of the development of modern style dry red and white wines, alongside the very traditional production of Port wines. Table wines also continue to play an important role. The increase in investments, the improvement of viticultural techniques and the modernization of the industry are producing interesting results. What is unique about Portugal is the very large number (over 500) of indigenous (although sometimes unpronounceable) grape varieties. Even most wine experts aren't familiar with the grapes that produce Port, Madeira, or any other Portuguese wine. Like its neighbor Spain, Portugal has been experiencing a quiet revolution for around twenty years. The reluctance to follow trends and plant international grape varieties is now paying off and the new breed of wines full of "terroir effect" and fruit are more than capable of competing on the world stage. The unique flavors that characterize Portugal's native grape varieties have become its strength. Good news for those looking for a change from wines made from the ubiquitous international grape varieties. The terroir is so diverse. From north to south, from east to west, from the mountains to the maritime vineyards, hot and dry or cool and green. In every style, from vinho verde to port, from dry, crisp whites to elegant reds, in so many different ways, Portuguese wines are unique.