1998 Fonseca Guimaraens Vintage Port

[Eric Menchen]

From a 375, which a local b&m is selling for $17 each. These are my recollections from a day and two later.

Decanted about three hours before drinking. Clear and red with some brown. I first noticed a wood and musty aroma, but the mustiness passed and the wood faded. Nice mild fruit and some balanced warmth. Mild tannins, medium finish. On the second day my first sip seemed an improvement, but then it settled back to be about the same as day one. The wood showed up again, and identified itself as cedar. A nice Port and worth the $17, but not overly complex. To quote Roy from another thread, "it didn't suck." 90 points.

If this bottle, disclaimer: 375ml, is any indication, I would drink these now and maybe for a few more years. I wouldn't hold on to them for more than five. This drank more like something from the 1980s or a 1977 instead of 1998.

[Richard Henderson]

We bought a lot of this for our son's birth year. Glad we have it but I give it 86-88. We paid $12 for the 375 and $20 for the 750. Not Fonseca's best effort. I place it equal with the better NV's such as Warre's Warrior etc.
I gave it higher on previous posts but recent bottles have not been up to par. I thought it might be a sleeper but I think it is in a coma.