Fonseca 10 Year Old Tawny is russet in color with brilliant crimson highlights and a fragrant, ripe-fruit bouquet. Its smooth, silky texture and subtle oak nuances are balanced by a fresh acidity and tannic “grip” that culminate in a long, elegant, plumy finish.

During the January following each vintage, Fonseca sets aside a reserve of very concentrated, powerful vintage quality red ports, selected primarily from the firm’s own quintas and judged according to their aging potential.

As tawny ports age, they grow lighter in color, as they throw their deposit in the cask rather than in the bottle. The process of racking contributes to the oxidation process whereby the wine’s fruit qualities gradually diminish and its nutty characteristics are acquired. Moreover, Fonseca cellars its aged tawnies in the Douro rather than in Vila Nova de Gaia; the considerable difference in heat, and humidity between these two areas lends Fonseca’s tawny Ports of age a very distinctive “baked” richness more reminiscent of butterscotch than of caramel.

Serving Suggestions

Fonseca 10 Year Old makes a delicious dessert wine, and combines particularly well with flavors of almonds, berry fruit, or dark chocolate. It can also be enjoyed as an accompaniment for rich, blue veined cheeses. It is excellent at the end of the meal, as a crowning moment of an enjoyable evening, served on its own or with a plate of walnuts or roasted almonds. They benefit from being served slightly chilled.

Pairs with Blue Cheeses.