Fonseca Vintage 2003

97 points Stephen Tanzer's International Wine Cellar  Saturated deep ruby. Brooding, reticent nose of cassis and kirsch; there's nothing cooked about this one! Then massive, sweet and superrich in the mouth; explodes with exotic ripeness. Intriguing note of graphite. This coats every nook and cranny of the palate and clings and builds on the back end in a way that no other wine of this vintage can match. Huge, sexy and wonderfully lush Fonseca, built for the long haul. As impressive as the best 2000s, and, along with the Quinta do Noval Nacional, is an early candidate for port of the 2003 vintage. (ST)    (2/2006)97 points Wine Enthusiast  Fonseca vintage Ports are always among the most attractive and long-lived. This 2003 conforms magnificently to that model. It is structured, rich, powerful and opulent. There are cassis and black fig flavors, as well as sweet tannins. It is delicious already, and will remain delicious throughout its long life.   (11/2005)96 points Wine Spectator  Lots of grape and raisin on the nose. Full-bodied, chewy and lightly sweet. Serious concentration, with lots of grip on the finish. Just what to expect from a young Vintage Port.    (4/2006)92 points Robert Parker's Wine Advocate  The 2003 Fonseca has a rich, well-defined bouquet of black cherries, aniseed, kirsch and dark chocolate that is heady and seductive. The palate is full-bodied with sweet ripe fig and mulberry notes forming the entry. There is fatness here, a viscosity that coats the mouth, although fortunately there is acidity to keep everything in balance. Warm on the finish, a hint of eau-de-vie lingers after the Port has departed. This is a harlot of a Port, but there is nothing wrong with that once in a while -- just not every year! Tasted May 2013. (NM)    (6/2013)