Fonseca Porto Vintage (2000)

This Fonseca is remarkably expressive, lifted and gloriously fresh. 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. Winemaker David Guimaraens said that 2016, the first declaration since 2011, was a cooler year with purity of fruit and less power compared to the muscular and concentrated 2011s. That is pretty obvious on tasting them. They are enchanting for their freshness, though. In the meanwhile, if you're looking for muscle, Fonseca delivers all you could want. It is one of the more powerful 2016s.