Fonseca Quinta Do Panascal Vintage - 1996
By reaching its bicentennial, the Fonseca house continues to define itself among the great houses of Porto Vintage, a wine producer by enthusiasts for the enthusiasts. The Fonseca house traces its origins to the first part of the 19th century. The first official line of the company in its accounting book is the 8th April 1815, when it bought 32 casks of Porto. In 1863, the brothers Guimaraens took control of the fate of the Fonseca brand and its trade in London and Porto. The London office continues to develop its market and already at this time, the Fonseca house can enjoy a very good reputation. The Phylloxera crisis and the consequences on the vineyard, the First World War and the pressure on transport, the development of new market like Holland and Asia, the closing of its office of commerce in London, And the consequence in Europe, the introduction of export quotas in 1938 and the increase in the stocks of Porto were so many tests that, if they did not destroy the Fonseca house, had at least negative consequences for its cash . In 1949 the company was sold to one of its major creditors: Taylor, Fladgate & Yeatman. In 1972, Fonseca created the "Bin 27", which became one of the most popular and well known, to occupy the space between the high-end Vintage Porto and the more reasonable Porto LBV. From then on, through the purchase of vineyards, his acclaimed and recognized cuvees, Fonseca returned to life as a brand in its own right in 1986 under the name Fonseca Guimaraens Vinhos. Wine critic James Suckling, author of the most complete book on Port Vintage, once described Fonseca as the "Bentley" of Vintage Harbor, which means the wine producer for connoisseurs and enthusiasts alike. Like the famous luxury cars, Ports Fonseca Vintage combines both the power of a thoroughbred, the result of craftsmanship and skill, but also passion and creativity.