PLEASE NOTE: This is a recurring auction. The seal number(s) you see on the photos might differ from the one(s) on your bottle(s). 2018 Fonseca Unfiltered Late Bottled Vintage Port 6 x 0.75L DESCRIPTION Since 1815 producing the best and most iconic port wines Fonseca is the only Port house with four 100 Point scoring wines. Perhaps more than any other Port producer, Fonseca has built a loyal community of Port enthusiasts who value its individuality and the inimitable character of its wines. From the legendary 1840, Fonseca's first Vintage Port release, to the superb declared vintages of the last decade, the house has produced a succession of highly acclaimed wines even in the most adverse moments of history. James Suckling, in his authoritative book on Vintage Port, put it as follows: 'The vintage Ports of Fonseca are perhaps the most consistently great of them all. Not only do they have a striking fleshiness and powerful richness when young, but they retain that youthfulness for decades.' This consistency derives not only from continuity of family involvement, and the knowledge and skill passed down from one generation to the next, but also a close link with the vineyard. The firm's three estates of Cruzeiro, Panascal and Santo António are the heart of the distinctive character of Fonseca's Vintage Ports. Fonseca's respect for the vineyard and the unique environment of the Douro Valley expresses itself in the firm's leadership in the field of sustainable and organic viticulture. It was the first house to offer a Port made entirely from organically produced grapes. WINEMAKER: David Guimaraens. AWARDS/RECOMMENDATIONS 92 Points, Wine Enthusiast 90 Points, Decanter World Wine Awards 17.5 Points, Revista Vinho Grandes Escolhas 17 Points, Revista de Vinhos WINE VARIETIES: Old Vines. VINIFICATION The wines used to produce Fonseca LBV were drawn from a reserve of some of the best full-bodied red Ports produced at the 2018 harvest, from grapes grown on Fonseca’s own vineyards and on other top properties in the Cima Corgo and Douro Superior areas of the Douro. LBV Unfiltered is aged in large wooden vats and then drawn off into bottle with no fining or filtration. The result is a naturally expressive wine which has sacrificed none of its depth and fullness of flavour. Late Bottled Vintage is bottled when ready to drink. A limited quantity of this outstanding blend was produced. TASTING NOTES Very deep, intense ruby colour with a very narrow brick rim. The nose is almost impenetrable, tightly packed with dense dark berry fruit aroma, back cherry, blackberry, and blackcurrant. The uncompromising berry fruit character is archetypal Fonseca, the intensity taken to an even higher degree by the fact that the wine is unfiltered, carrying all its body and extract into the bottle. The dark brooding fruit is lifted by a discrete minty, resiny aura of wild herbs. The palate is round and full bodied, with dense, beautifully integrated granular tannins providing structure and weight, the luscious flavours culminating in an intense burst of black berry fruit. SERVING Fonseca LBV is the perfect finish to any meal. Excellent with fully flavoured cheeses, especially blue cheeses such as Stilton or Roquefort. It is also delicious with desserts made with chocolate or berry fruits. The wine benefits from being served between 16ºC to 18ºC. The particular qualities of this wine allow it to be enjoyed over an extended period of time once opened, without losing its freshness and vibrancy. Optimum drinking time after opening the bottle is two months. Late Bottled Vintage is bottled when ready to drink. This Port benefits from being decanted before serving, as it is not filtered when bottled. The bottle should be kept upright, protected from light and at a cool and constant temperature