Fonseca Choco 30 years old?

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HattNoble
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Fonseca Choco 30 years old?

Post by HattNoble »

Hello there!

Has anyone ever heard of (or tasted) Fonseca's Choco 30 year old?
Any additional information about this botteling would be very welcome!

Jeroen
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Alex Bridgeman
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Re: Fonseca Choco 30 years old?

Post by Alex Bridgeman »

I've not heard of this before. Do you have a picture you could post?
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Re: Fonseca Choco 30 years old?

Post by PhilW »

Fonseca's choco is mentioned on their website in the history section, as an old Tawny delivered to Harrod's in 1916; see
http://www.fonseca.pt/en/fonseca/histor ... -business/

If the bottle you have is very old, perhaps it might be one of these. If it is new, perhaps they have brought the name back, though I have not seen any press release on this.
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HattNoble
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Re: Fonseca Choco 30 years old?

Post by HattNoble »

Here’s a picture of the bottle, it was bottled in 1977
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Last edited by HattNoble on 17:51 Wed 18 Oct 2017, edited 1 time in total.
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Alex Bridgeman
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Re: Fonseca Choco 30 years old?

Post by Alex Bridgeman »

Really interesting. I've not seen this before, but it should be enjoyable if you open and drink it. If you do, let us know your thoughts on how it tastes.
Top Ports in 2023: Taylor 1896 Colheita, b. 2021. A perfect Port.

2024: Niepoort 1900 Colheita, b.1971. A near perfect Port.
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HattNoble
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Re: Fonseca Choco 30 years old?

Post by HattNoble »

I will certainly do so after we've opened and tasted this one!
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Re: Fonseca Choco 30 years old?

Post by Andy Velebil »

It appears to be a regular 30 year old tawny, but with a fancy name that was quite common in years past. It was bottled in 1977 and if stored well should still drink ok, however that's a long time for something not intended to be aged so long in bottle. I wouldn't expect a blockbuster this many years later but it should still be enjoyable.
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DRT
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Re: Fonseca Choco 30 years old?

Post by DRT »

A very rare find. As far as I a aware Fonseca have not made a 30 year tawny since losing a significant part of their cellared Ports when part of the lodge collapsed in 2001.
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Re: Fonseca Choco 30 years old?

Post by Andy Velebil »

DRT wrote: 17:46 Thu 19 Oct 2017 A very rare find. As far as I a aware Fonseca have not made a 30 year tawny since losing a significant part of their cellared Ports when part of the lodge collapsed in 2001.
Are you talking about the landslide from the neighbor? If so, That damage took out mostly lower end ruby stocks and very little upper end stuff, thankfully.
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DRT
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Re: Fonseca Choco 30 years old?

Post by DRT »

Andy Velebil wrote: 19:45 Thu 19 Oct 2017
DRT wrote: 17:46 Thu 19 Oct 2017 A very rare find. As far as I a aware Fonseca have not made a 30 year tawny since losing a significant part of their cellared Ports when part of the lodge collapsed in 2001.
Are you talking about the landslide from the neighbor? If so, That damage took out mostly lower end ruby stocks and very little upper end stuff, thankfully.
Yes, but I bought an old Fonseca 30 yr old about ten years ago and remember discussing it with someone from TFP who told me that the loss of a few older casks led them to decide to stop the 30 yr tawny blend until the blending stocks recovered, which would take a few decades.
"The first duty of Port is to be red"
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Re: Fonseca Choco 30 years old?

Post by Andy Velebil »

DRT wrote: 22:47 Thu 19 Oct 2017
Andy Velebil wrote: 19:45 Thu 19 Oct 2017
DRT wrote: 17:46 Thu 19 Oct 2017 A very rare find. As far as I a aware Fonseca have not made a 30 year tawny since losing a significant part of their cellared Ports when part of the lodge collapsed in 2001.
Are you talking about the landslide from the neighbor? If so, That damage took out mostly lower end ruby stocks and very little upper end stuff, thankfully.
Yes, but I bought an old Fonseca 30 yr old about ten years ago and remember discussing it with someone fro TFP who told e that the loss of a few older casks led the to decide to stop the 30 yr tawny blend until the blending stocks recovered, which would take a few decades.
Interesting. I've had two people tell me it was palates of mainly boxed inexpensive rubies that were ready to ship that got wiped out. And that no significant older stuff was damaged. And that all the juice ran down the hill, a sea of ruby. Now you've peaked my curiosity and I'll have to ask when I see one of them.
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DRT
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Re: Fonseca Choco 30 years old?

Post by DRT »

Are you suggesting that people in the port trade might embellish stories a little to add to the mystique of their products?

Surely not :roll: :lol:
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Re: Fonseca Choco 30 years old?

Post by Andy Velebil »

DRT wrote:Are you suggesting that people in the port trade might embellish stories a little to add to the mystique of their products?

Surely not :roll: :lol:
Never ;) LOL!!!


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