Fonseca Guimaraens
Encyclopedia
Fonseca Guimaraens, often simply called Fonseca, is one of the largest Port wine
houses in Portugal
. Manuel Pedro Guimarães established the company in 1822 when he acquired control of the Fonseca and Montiero Company from the Fonseca Family by purchase of the majority of Fonseca owned shares. A condition of the sale of Fonseca's shares was that the name Fonseca remain as the brand name. David Guimarães, the great-great-great grandson of the founder Manuel Pedro, has been the head winemaker since 1994, and oversees the winemaking and blending for all four Taylor Fladgate Port houses: Taylor Fladgate, Fonseca Guimaraens, Croft
, and Delaforce.
Fonseca maintains an estate, Quinta do Panascal, open to the public for tastings and tours. The vineyard Quinta do Panascal in the Douro has been classified as a Grade A producer of grapes. Fonseca currently ships a variety of Ports, including vintage
, 10, 20 and 40-year traditional tawnies, a 10-year white tawny, late bottle vintage, non-classic vintages (Quinta do Panascal, Guimaraens Vintage), among others.
It is often confused with the similarly named, but completely unrelated, Portuguese wine
producer José Maria da Fonseca
, based in the Arrábida IPR on the Setúbal peninsula
.
Fonseca was originally a very small Port shipper operating under the name of Fonseca, Monteiro & Co. in the early 19th century. In 1822, Portuguese business man Manuel Pedro Guimaraens acquired operating control of the business and renamed it to Fonseca Guimaraens. During the Liberal Wars
of 1828-34, Guimaraens was a supporter of the liberal reforms of King Pedro IV of Portugal. When the absolutist party of Portugal put Pedro's brother Miguel
on the throne, Guimaraens found himself in danger due to his liberal support. He fled Portugal
, hidden in an empty Port wine barrel
and later settled in England
where the Fonseca company was headquartered until 1927.
Guimaraens and his family greatly expanded Fonseca's commercial interesting the Port wine industry as well as its vineyard holdings in the Douro. In 1948, the large Port wine corporation of Taylor, Fladgate and Yeatman purchased the house but allowed Fonseca to remain opportunity as its own separate entity. The Guimaraens family has been intimately involved in the winemaking production with nearly every single vintage label Port from 1896 being made by Frank Guimaraens, his great nephew Bruce Guimaraens
and now Bruce's son David Guimaraens. One notable exception is the 1955 vintage which was made by Frank's daughter Dorothy after her father died and before Bruce was ready.
is the single largest market for Fonseca's vintage Port-with more of this wine being exported to the US than to any other market. Most of these wines are simply labeled as "Fonseca" with a second wine
series of Fonseca Guimaraens also being produced.
Port wine
Port wine is a Portuguese fortified wine produced exclusively in the Douro Valley in the northern provinces of Portugal. It is typically a sweet, red wine, often served as a dessert wine, and comes in dry, semi-dry, and white varieties...
houses in Portugal
Portugal
Portugal , officially the Portuguese Republic is a country situated in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula. Portugal is the westernmost country of Europe, and is bordered by the Atlantic Ocean to the West and South and by Spain to the North and East. The Atlantic archipelagos of the...
. Manuel Pedro Guimarães established the company in 1822 when he acquired control of the Fonseca and Montiero Company from the Fonseca Family by purchase of the majority of Fonseca owned shares. A condition of the sale of Fonseca's shares was that the name Fonseca remain as the brand name. David Guimarães, the great-great-great grandson of the founder Manuel Pedro, has been the head winemaker since 1994, and oversees the winemaking and blending for all four Taylor Fladgate Port houses: Taylor Fladgate, Fonseca Guimaraens, Croft
Croft
Croft may refer to: * Croft, an area of land with a crofter's dwelling, used for crofting .* Bleachfield, an open space used for the bleaching of fabric, sometimes called crofts.Locations in the United Kingdom:...
, and Delaforce.
Fonseca maintains an estate, Quinta do Panascal, open to the public for tastings and tours. The vineyard Quinta do Panascal in the Douro has been classified as a Grade A producer of grapes. Fonseca currently ships a variety of Ports, including vintage
Vintage
Vintage, in wine-making, is the process of picking grapes and creating the finished product . A vintage wine is one made from grapes that were all, or primarily, grown and harvested in a single specified year. In certain wines, it can denote quality, as in Port wine, where Port houses make and...
, 10, 20 and 40-year traditional tawnies, a 10-year white tawny, late bottle vintage, non-classic vintages (Quinta do Panascal, Guimaraens Vintage), among others.
It is often confused with the similarly named, but completely unrelated, Portuguese wine
Portuguese wine
Portuguese wine is the result of traditions introduced to the region by ancient civilizations, such as the Phoenicians, Carthaginians, Greeks, and mostly the Romans. Portugal started to export its wines to Rome during the Roman Empire. Modern exports developed with trade to England after the...
producer José Maria da Fonseca
José Maria da Fonseca
José Maria da Fonseca is the oldest table wine company in Portugal. Founded in 1834, it is now in its 7th generation and sells its wines in all continents. Among its best known wine brands are Periquita and Lancers.- History :...
, based in the Arrábida IPR on the Setúbal peninsula
Setúbal Peninsula
Setúbal Peninsula is a peninsula in Portugal. The Portuguese language name is Península de Setúbal and gives its name to Península de Setúbal Subregion which coves more than only the peninsula....
.
History
Liberal Wars
The Liberal Wars, also known as the Portuguese Civil War, the War of the Two Brothers, or Miguelite War, was a war between progressive constitutionalists and authoritarian absolutists in Portugal over royal succession that lasted from 1828 to 1834...
of 1828-34, Guimaraens was a supporter of the liberal reforms of King Pedro IV of Portugal. When the absolutist party of Portugal put Pedro's brother Miguel
Miguel of Portugal
Dom Miguel I, sometimes Michael , was the King of Portugal between 1828 and 1834, the seventh child and second son of King John VI and his queen, Charlotte of Spain....
on the throne, Guimaraens found himself in danger due to his liberal support. He fled Portugal
Portugal
Portugal , officially the Portuguese Republic is a country situated in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula. Portugal is the westernmost country of Europe, and is bordered by the Atlantic Ocean to the West and South and by Spain to the North and East. The Atlantic archipelagos of the...
, hidden in an empty Port wine barrel
Wine barrel
The use of oak plays a significant role in winemaking and can have a profound effect on the resulting wine, affecting the color, flavor, tannin profile and texture of the wine. Oak can come into contact with wine in the form of a barrel during the fermentation or aging periods...
and later settled in England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
where the Fonseca company was headquartered until 1927.
Guimaraens and his family greatly expanded Fonseca's commercial interesting the Port wine industry as well as its vineyard holdings in the Douro. In 1948, the large Port wine corporation of Taylor, Fladgate and Yeatman purchased the house but allowed Fonseca to remain opportunity as its own separate entity. The Guimaraens family has been intimately involved in the winemaking production with nearly every single vintage label Port from 1896 being made by Frank Guimaraens, his great nephew Bruce Guimaraens
Bruce Duncan Guimaraens
Bruce Duncan Guimaraens was a port wine makerBorn in Vila Nova de Gaia, Portugal on 27 October 1935, Bruce Guimaraens was the great-great-grandson of Manuel Pedro Guimaraens founder of the London house of the famous Fonseca Port firm in 1822...
and now Bruce's son David Guimaraens. One notable exception is the 1955 vintage which was made by Frank's daughter Dorothy after her father died and before Bruce was ready.
Quintas
Fonseca currently owns 3 main quinta vineyards in the Douro. Between them, they own more than 170 acres (69 hectares) which they use to make the majority of vintage Port production.- Cruzeiro located in the Val de Mendiz above Pinhão
- Santo António also located in the Val de Mendiz
- Quinta do Panascal located on the southern banks of the Douro. Acquired in 1978.
Wines
The first Fonseca vintage Port was shipped to England in 1847. Today Fonseca produces a wide variety of Port styles with their aged tawnies, vintage Ports and "super ruby" brand Bin 27 being the best known internationally. While Fonseca wines are found throughout the globe, the United StatesUnited States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
is the single largest market for Fonseca's vintage Port-with more of this wine being exported to the US than to any other market. Most of these wines are simply labeled as "Fonseca" with a second wine
Second wine
Second wine is a term commonly associated with Bordeaux wine to refer to a second label wine made from cuvee not selected for use in the Grand vin or first label...
series of Fonseca Guimaraens also being produced.