Fonseca

The vineyards of Fonseca are located on the spectacular slopes of the Douro River. The vines are on a stony slate soil with very steep slopes. Due to this location, it is not possible to work the vineyards with machines. So, everything is done by hand.

The company dates back to 1815 when the Fonseca and Monteiro family entered into a partnership. Fonseca brought its first vintage port on the market in 1840 and the company grew steadily ever since. After many years, the company came into the hands of the Guimaraens family. They were responsible for the success of Fonseca for more than a century. Ultimately, the baton was handed over to the Yeatmans family. In 1990, David Guimaraens returned to the winery and he is currently guiding the new generation. In the meantime, the property has grown to include three other estates: Panascal, Cruzeiro and Santo António. All have their own unique terroir. Quinta do Cruzeiro and Quinta de Santo António have been supplying grapes to Fonseca for hundreds of years. So, it makes perfect sense that these quintas are now officially part of the company.

The grapes that come from the Cruzeiro vineyards mainly yield a lot of black fruit and tannins. These properties fit in well with the character of the grapes from the Panascal vineyard, which yield jammy juice with a velvety texture. The bunches of Santo António are intense with exotic scents. The combination of these three plots and their properties creates a complex and layered port with a long aging potential. This is what makes Fonseca so successful!

The Quinta do Panascal vineyards were one of the first in the Douro Valley to be certified organic. The other vineyards are also farmed organically. After all, it was at Quinta de Santo António that the award-winning vineyard model for sustainable and organic viticulture was developed.

Fonseca has produced several port wines that have been awarded 100 points by professional juries. That is why it it is not surprising that their port wines are very popular among connoisseurs!