Fonseca Guimaraens is an approachable vintage Port, which is released when ready to drink. There are layers of dark bramble fruit, dried fruit, figs and wild herbs on the palate. It is heady, seductive and extremely silky with wonderful perfume, concentration and power.
Guimaraens is not a single Quinta Port, but a vintage Port made in years that the classic vintage Port is not declared. The grapes are sourced from the same three estates that Fonseca makes its main vintage Port from, but in years when the components are more supple and early maturing. The result is a magnificent Port with all the hallmarks of the classic vintage, but in a more supple and approachable style.
Fonseca is undoubtedly one of the great names of the Douro Valley, having consistently produced excellent vintage Ports since their first release in 1840. The first recorded sales from founder Joao dos Santos Fonseca were recorded in 1815. The company then flourished with additional investment from the prominent Monteiro merchant family. A trading arm was established in London in 1822 after a young Manoel Pedro Guimaraens was exiled from Portugal due to his political allegiance. This allowed the company to grow further, only moving their office back to Portugal from London over 100 years later in 1927. The company was sold to Taylors in 1948, but the company is still largely run by members of the Fonseca Guimaraens family. Most of their grapes are grown within their three brilliant and unique Quintas – Do Panascal, De Santo Antonio and Do Cruzeiro.
