Great Vintage Port Tasting
Fonseca Guimaraens
Guimaraens was the founder of the house Fonseca-Guimaraens from its start in 1822. Fonseca-Guimaraens is the second wine of Fonseca. It comes from the same quintas as Fonseca but is made in less good years. However, Guimaraens was a Port wine house long before 1952 when its modern 'second' label to Fonseca was established and vintages exist with that name.
The Wine Society 18% had a Great Tasting 19 November 2015 of 18 different vintages of Guimaraens. We were 19 participants. The tasting was semi-blind i.e. we know which vintages who participate but not what we had in the glass.
The tasting was conducted over two flights.
First flight:
Second flight:
Tasting notes. Note that the points are for the actual bottle tasted. Read about how we set point on the page "How to understand our points valuations"
Sort on: Vintage Sten's rank Jörgen's rank Stefan's rank Group's rank
| House | Guimaraens | Vintage | 1944 |
| Colour | Pale amber and turbid in colour. |
| Bouquet | Toasted aromas i.e. torched sugar, toasted almonds, toasted cashews and smoky walnut nuance in the nose. |
| Taste | Hardly medium body. Mature and even old. A light port with smokiness in taste and a quite nice but short finish. |
| SAI point | 14.50 | JB point | 17.00 | SS point | 16.40 | Group point | 15.35 |
| SAI rank | 17 | JB rank | 2 | SS rank | 9 | Group rank | 17 |
| Comment | The nose was quite odd. Some of us did not like it at all but some found it quite interesting. This was a hard wine to judge. |
| House | Guimaraens | Vintage | 1952 |
| Colour | Very mature and amber in colour. |
| Bouquet | Herbal, ginger, cinnamon and Christmas spiciness in the nose. |
| Taste | Medium body. Mature and of course a little old but perfect balanced and complexity. Herbal and spiciness in taste but easy to enjoy. Nice, interesting and quite attractive finish. |
| SAI point | 15.90 | JB point | 16.40 | SS point | 17.00 | Group point | 15.68 |
| SAI rank | 10 | JB rank | 8 | SS rank | 3 | Group rank | 7 |
| Comment | |
| House | Fonseca-Guimaraens | Vintage | 1961 |
| Colour | Mature beautiful yellow and amber in colour. |
| Bouquet | A full arsenal of aromas such as coffee, tea, cream toffee, crème caramel, Christmas spiciness and much more in the generous nose. |
| Taste | Medium body. Sweet. Mature and peaking. Elegant and balanced. Cream toffee, crème caramel and much more in taste. Lovely, long and very attractive finish. Will not be better so just drink up and enjoy life! |
| SAI point | 16.90 | JB point | 16.25 | SS point | 16.25 | Group point | 15.41 |
| SAI rank | 3 | JB rank | 9 | SS rank | 11 | Group rank | 10 |
| Comment | |
| House | Fonseca-Guimaraens | Vintage | 1962 |
| Colour | Mature yellow in colour. |
| Bouquet | Coffee, tea, some crème caramel and fudge in the nose but later on dill and crawfish broth. Very odd indeed. |
| Taste | Medium body. Mature and peaking. Balanced and complex when starting to taste and very long and attractive finish with toffee inn taste but later on the dill and crawfish took over. This was a strange experience! |
| SAI point | 15.90 | JB point | 16.75 | SS point | 15.75 | Group point | 15.15 |
| SAI rank | 10 | JB rank | 4 | SS rank | 15 | Group rank | 14 |
| Comment | |
| House | Fonseca-Guimaraens | Vintage | 1964 |
| Colour | Mature yellow in colour. |
| Bouquet | Black currant, cream toffee, cream candy and a bit pharmacy in the nose. |
| Taste | Medium body. Mature peaking and even maybe a little old but balanced and quite complex. Cream toffee and candy in taste. Easy to drink and enjoy with an excellent and attractive finish. |
| SAI point | 16.75 | JB point | 16.75 | SS point | 15.90 | Group point | 16.18 |
| SAI rank | 5 | JB rank | 4 | SS rank | 13 | Group rank | 2 |
| Comment | |
| House | Fonseca-Guimaraens | Vintage | 1965 |
| Colour | Wonderful, mature yellow in colour. |
| Bouquet | Elegant, complex bouquet of mint, dark chocolate, cacao and old grocery shop in the nose. |
| Taste | Almost full bodied. Mature and peaking. Excellent balance and an elegant port. Cacao and mint in taste. Long, attractive and lovely finish. Wonderful port and extraordinary for that vintage. Just enjoy life when sipping it. |
| SAI point | 16.90 | JB point | 16.50 | SS point | 17.50 | Group point | 15.97 |
| SAI rank | 3 | JB rank | 6 | SS rank | 1 | Group rank | 4 |
| Comment | |
| House | Fonseca-Guimaraens | Vintage | 1967 |
| Colour | Mature lovely yellow in colour. |
| Bouquet | Excellent bouquet of coffee, tea, violet, spring flowers and toffee but also ginger and cinnamon in the nose. |
| Taste | Full bodied. Mature and at its peak. Complex and balanced. Violet, ginger and tea in the taste. A wonderful, very long and very attractive finish. Quite extraordinary and a lovely port. |
| SAI point | 17.25 | JB point | 16.50 | SS point | 16.75 | Group point | 15.88 |
| SAI rank | 1 | JB rank | 6 | SS rank | 6 | Group rank | 5 |
| Comment | |
| House | Fonseca-Guimaraens | Vintage | 1976 |
| Colour | Still very dark blue but with a yellow rim. |
| Bouquet | Attractive bouquet of raisin, violet, crème caramel, ginger and liquorice in the nose but also some burned sugar and cream candy. |
| Taste | Full-bodied and still tannins. Complex but still a little immature. Will be better. Crème caramel, burned sugar and toffee in taste. Balanced and very tasty port with an astonishing long and wonderful finish. It will be better so have patience! |
| SAI point | 17.00 | JB point | 17.00 | SS point | 17.25 | Group point | 16.35 |
| SAI rank | 2 | JB rank | 2 | SS rank | 2 | Group rank | 1 |
| Comment | |
| House | Fonseca-Guimaraens | Vintage | 1978 |
| Colour | Yellow mature quite beautiful in colour. |
| Bouquet | Cream candy, toffee, crème caramel, fudge, but also French plum and prune in the nose. |
| Taste | Medium body. Mature and at its peak. Cream candy and toffee in taste. Elegant and balanced. A complex port with a long and very attractive finish. Drink it and just enjoy this lovely port! |
| SAI point | 16.50 | JB point | 17.25 | SS point | 16.25 | Group point | 15.47 |
| SAI rank | 6 | JB rank | 1 | SS rank | 11 | Group rank | 9 |
| Comment | |
| House | Fonseca-Guimaraens | Vintage | 1982 |
| Colour | Quite beautiful yellow mature in colour. |
| Bouquet | Cream candy, burned toffee, French prunes, figs and Christmas raisin in the nose. |
| Taste | Medium body. Mature band peaking. Cream candy, figs and raisin in taste. Elegant and balanced. Quite sweet. A complex port with an attractive and appealing finish. |
| SAI point | 16.25 | JB point | 15.25 | SS point | 16.40 | Group point | 15.88 |
| SAI rank | 7 | JB rank | 16 | SS rank | 9 | Group rank | 5 |
| Comment | |
| House | Fonseca-Guimaraens | Vintage | 1984 |
| Colour | Yellow mature in colour. |
| Bouquet | This bottle seems a bit old in the nose with some pharmacy and old hospital in the nose but also some herbs. |
| Taste | Medium bodied. Mature, peaking and maybe a little old and light but still elegant. Herbs and pharmacy and some liquorice in taste. Still very easy to drink with a nice finish. |
| SAI point | 14.75 | JB point | 15.00 | SS point | 14.90 | Group point | 14.58 |
| SAI rank | 16 | JB rank | 17 | SS rank | 17 | Group rank | 16 |
| Comment | |
| House | Fonseca-Guimaraens | Vintage | 1986 |
| Colour | Yellow, beautifully mature in colour. |
| Bouquet | An almost full arsenal of aromas. Violet, coffee, spring flowers, roses and some spiciness in the nose. |
| Taste | Medium bodied. Mature and peaking. Coffee and roses in taste. Complex and balanced. Easy to enjoy with a nice and very interesting finish. |
| SAI point | 15.90 | JB point | 16.00 | SS point | 15.50 | Group point | 15.26 |
| SAI rank | 10 | JB rank | 10 | SS rank | 16 | Group rank | 13 |
| Comment | |
| House | Fonseca-Guimaraens | Vintage | 1987 |
| Colour | Mature yellow in colour. |
| Bouquet | Some cream candy and cream toffee but also a lot of uncleaned cloths in the nose and this bottles is obviously corked |
| Taste | Full-bodied. Very corked in taste and still some dirty cloths. This is pity. We usually love this vintage! |
| SAI point | 12.00 | JB point | 14.50 | SS point | 12.00 | Group point | 12.24 |
| SAI rank | 18 | JB rank | 18 | SS rank | 18 | Group rank | 18 |
| Comment | This bottle was corked. |
| House | Fonseca-Guimaraens | Vintage | 1988 |
| Colour | Still dark blue, almost black in colour. |
| Bouquet | Dark chocolate, cacao, toffee, some mulberry and old grocery shop in the nose. |
| Taste | Quite full-bodied. Rather mature but still tannins and will be better. Cacao and dark chocolate in flavour. Balanced but sweet. Quite complex and easy to drink and like with a lovely finish. |
| SAI point | 15.90 | JB point | 15.50 | SS point | 16.50 | Group point | 15.29 |
| SAI rank | 10 | JB rank | 12 | SS rank | 7 | Group rank | 12 |
| Comment | |
| House | Fonseca-Guimaraens | Vintage | 1991 |
| Colour | Yellow mature in colour. |
| Bouquet | Crème caramel, vanilla, liquorice and coco in the nose. |
| Taste | Almost full-bodied and sweet. Mature and almost peaking with coco and vanilla in the taste. Excellent and quite complex with an attractive finish. |
| SAI point | 15.40 | JB point | 15.40 | SS point | 17.00 | Group point | 16.00 |
| SAI rank | 15 | JB rank | 15 | SS rank | 3 | Group rank | 3 |
| Comment | |
| House | Fonseca-Guimaraens | Vintage | 1995 |
| Colour | Still very dark blue in colour now with a yellow edge. |
| Bouquet | Elegant bouquet of toffee, cream candy, fudge, violet and ginger in the nose. |
| Taste | Medium bodied. Rather mature but still with some soft tannin. Will be better. Elegant and balanced and very tasty with fudge, violet and cream toffee in flavour. Easy to like and drink with a quite long and attractive finish. |
| SAI point | 16.25 | JB point | 15.50 | SS point | 16.90 | Group point | 15.68 |
| SAI rank | 7 | JB rank | 12 | SS rank | 5 | Group rank | 7 |
| Comment | |
| House | Fonseca-Guimaraens | Vintage | 1996 |
| Colour | Rather dark blue but with a yellow mature edge. |
| Bouquet | Liquorice, Christmas spiciness, cinnamon, cacao, coffee and ginger in the nose. |
| Taste | Medium bodied. Still tannins and will be better. Very tasty with lots of spiciness and herbs in taste. Elegant and a balanced port with a long, quite complex and attractive finish. |
| SAI point | 15.90 | JB point | 15.90 | SS point | 16.50 | Group point | 15.41 |
| SAI rank | 10 | JB rank | 11 | SS rank | 7 | Group rank | 10 |
| Comment | |
| House | Fonseca-Guimaraens | Vintage | 1998 |
| Colour | Still rather dark but yellow, quite mature in colour. |
| Bouquet | Roses, raisin, figs, but also some mulberry, burned sugar and tobacco in the nose. |
| Taste | Rather full bodied and mature but still with soft tannins. Will be better. Flavour of spring flowers, roses, but also some herbs. Easy to drink and like. Elegant and balanced port with a rather complex and attractive finish. |
| SAI point | 16.00 | JB point | 15.50 | SS point | 15.90 | Group point | 15.09 |
| SAI rank | 9 | JB rank | 12 | SS rank | 13 | Group rank | 15 |
| Comment | |