Madeira Notes - October 2009

Richard Mayson madeira 06

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Wed 21st Oct 09 A Dozen Vintage Madeiras - back to 1790

Patrick Grubb generously uncorked 12 bottles of very fine madeira wine for his unmissable annual tasting at the Honourable Artillery Company in London. Where relevant I have included background information on the wines as well as the price per bottle (provided more than one bottle was available).  

Sercial 1790 (Araújo Family) *****

This wine comes from the private reserves of the Araújo family who still own vineyards at Quinta do Jardim da Serra: mid-nut brown / mahogany, olive tinge; fragrant and delicate, very fresh, floral (jasmine) aromas, very fine; dry, savoury, nutty character (brazil nuts and almonds), very delicate, plays on the tongue, crystalised fruits (Elvas plums) on the finish. Remarkable for its age. (£2,200) 19

Perreira d’Oliveira, Verdelho 1905, Reserva ***

Mid-deep mahogany, green tinged rim; a rather coarse, meaty rancio nose, verging on rancid; quite rich for a Verdelho, fresher on the palate than on the nose with good weight and texture and a thick cut marmalade tang. (£260) 15 

 Barbeito, Verdelho 1895 **** / *****

Mid-red tinged mahogany; fine, savoury toasted character, toasted almonds and cashews; very fine, well poised, lime and lemon marmalade, great finesse, very clean with lovely nervy, fruity acidity. Remarkably fresh. Fantastic.   (£230) 18.5

Blandy, Bual 1911 ****

Red tinged mahogany; fragrant, sings from the glass, quite pungent autumnal aromas, autumn leaves, teal leaves and a hint of white pepper; light, delicate, flavours, crisp and quite dry for a Bual, clean as a whistle, long, fine and still very fresh. (£215) 18

Cossart, 1868 Solera *****

Island bottled and shipped to one of Denmark’s best wine merchants. Grapes from Cama de Lobos. An excellent year for Bual. Pale amber with a green tinge; very toasty and appealing, savoury aperitif style, toast and peanut butter on the nose; fine delicate, saline flavours akin to a bowl of mixed salted nuts, almost no sweetness but with lovely poise and gentle length. A crème brulée finish. Very impressive (£233) 19

Bual Barbosa c1820 **** / *****

From the label: ‘Owing to the absence of the owner grapes were picked almost as raisins. Grown at Quinta Stanford. Vintage about 1820, in wood for 65 years, demijohns for 50 years, bottled around 1935’). Quinta Stanford was located just to the west of Funchal in between and behind the modern-day Pestana Carlton Hotel and the Reid’s Garden apartment complex. It was also known as Quinta Pitta (sic), the name of which lives on in the Rua Dr Pita. The label, observes Patrick Grubb is reminiscent of the late Dr Grabham’s collection which was passed on to the Blandy family. Mid-amber/mahogany, olive green rim; delicate, high-toned aromas with a touch of varnish and polish; powerful, thick cut marmalade and barley sugar flavours, long, rich and gripping, very powerful with fine concentration and a big finish. (£600) 18.5 

Barbeito, Malvazia 1916 ***

Mid-deep mahogany, olive green rim; very pungent, rich, baked and slightly coarse in this company; rich and caramelised on the palate, the richness offset by citrusy acidity. Savoury-sweet length. Very satisfying. (£180) 16

 Blandy, Malvasia Velha 1862 ****

Mid-amber with a green tinged rim; delicate honeyed aromas, not very expressive but very fine, acacia honey; lovely rich, honeyed flavours, Manuka honey, very fine, rich but not pungent, long. Liquid honey. (£510) 18

Blandy Terrantez 1969 ** / ***

One of the last vintages of Terrantez before the grape was driven to near extinction by commercial development west of Funchal. Mid-nut brown colour, olive rim; rather baked, savoury, slightly cheesy aromas, not really reflecting the grape variety but quite appetising nonetheless; rich bitter-sweet flavours (typical of Terrantez), gentle flavours, dried apricots, not especially long in this company but with a fine savoury-sweet finish. (£150). 14.5

Believed 1862 Terrantez H.M.B. Purchased by Leacock. *****

HMB stands for H.M. Borges who were important stockholders of old vintage wines who sold the wine on in demi-john or bottle. This wine probably originated from one grower, João Alexandrino Santos. Michael Braodbant is a huge fan of this wine and awards it 6 stars in his Vintage Wine book. I can't get quite so excited: lovely old golden-green colour; very fine, delicate aromas akin to an old amontillado Sherry, a hint of coffee; dry, delicate (bitter-sweet), very clean and focused, like a good old amontillado but without the same tang, candied peel with a touch of toffee and butterscotch with a slightly casky finish. (£1150) 17.5

W.W. Casa dos Leilos. ***

From the family of Dr Fredercio de Freitas: mid-pale amber; lovely gentle, savoury aromas, hint of butterscotch with casky overtones; fine, dry, delicate in style, dried fruit (figs) with fresh acidity, gentle length. 16

Very Old Madeira, Fearon, Block and Smith * / **

Bought by Patrick Grubb from a fellow wine merchant about twenty years ago. The wine came from a deceased customer’s reserves after World War II when proof of ownership was impossible because so many of the firm’s records had been destroyed in the blitz. Pale amber with a green tinge; slightly burnt, singed grapey fruit on the nose; dry attenuated, savoury-nutty flavours, rather earthy and soily on the finish. Rustic. A rather disappointing end to a tremendous tasting. 12.5 

    

 

 

 

 

Location: The Medal Room, Honourable Artillery Company, London

Thu 15th Oct 09 Madeiras from Six Shippers

IVBAM, the body now responsible for the control and promotion of wine, embroidery and handicraft held their annual tasting at the Portuguese Embassy in London. There were nearly 40 wines at the tasting so I made a selection of the best and most interesting wines:

 Blandy’s Alvada ***

 A blend of Bual and Malvasia: mid-mahogany, amber rim; soft, easy going aromas of raisins and dried figs; clean, fresh acidity, quite light in style, fruit cake flavours, rather one dimensional but elegant and very approachable. 15.5
 
 

Blandy’s Bual Colheita 1983 (Lodge 2, Cask no 14011) ****

 Blandy’s very welcome response to the single cask wines initiated by Barbeito. From numbered casks, the bottles carrying the signature of Michael Blandy: pale green tinged amber; fine, lifted, incisive aromas, gentle yet quite expressive; fine, bitter-sweet lime marmalade character, pronounced citrus streak but gentle too with a lovely clean finish. Delicious. 17.5 
 
 

Blandy’s Malmsey Colheita 1990 (Lodge 1 Este, Cask no 16094) ****

 Pale mahogany, green tinge; rich but not particularly expressive figgy aromas; lovely weight on the palate, showing the concentration of age, a touch of treacle yet clean and incisive (not in anyway soupy). 17
 
 

Blandy’s Bual 1920 *****

 Red-tinged mahogany, olive-green rim; lovely, lifted leafy aromas, high-toned, expressive, varnish but in a really beautiful sense – this is Chippendale! Very fine, delicate leafy flavours, powerful yet poised with a wonderful, rich butterscotch flavour offset by crisp acidity. Perfect balance. 19.5
 
 

Henriques & Henriques 10 Year old Sercial ***

 H&H have long been producers of some of the best 10 & 15 year olds and these wines did not disappoint although the 15 year old wines are a big step up: pale amber colour, not all that expressive on the nose, rather simple dusty, nutty aromas; clean, savoury cashew nut character on the palate with a good streak of acidity. Dry but not too austere in style. 16
 
 

Henriques & Henriques 10 Year Old Verdelho ***

 Pale mahogany; gentle, savoury-sweet aromas, a touch raisiny; quite rich in style for Verdelho with acidity cutting in, satisfying fruit cake character. 16.5 
 
 

Henriques & Henriques 10 Year Old Malmsey ***

 Mid-deep mahogany; rich, raisiny aromas, a touch lifted and quite expressive as a result; raisiny flavours, very clean and well balanced but not very complex. 16
 
 

Henriques & Henriques 15 Year Old Verdelho ****

 Mid-amber/mahogany, slight green tinge; light, delicate, high toned and very refined; lovely lime and grapefruit character, delicate, off-dry with lovely length. 17.5
 

Henriques & Henriques 15 Year Old Bual ****

 Mid-amber/mahogany; fine, rich, smoky aromas, gentle richness on the nose and palate; savoury, touch of toffee, complex with a wonderful finish. Very good. 18
 
 

Henriques & Henriques 15 Year Old Malmsey ****

 Mid-deep, red tinged mahogany; lovely smoky, raisiny aromas; sweet, rich, raisins, figs, prunes and toffee, all offset by a fine streak of acidity. Beautifully balanced. Full, rich, complete. 18 
 
 

Henriques & Henriques Bual Harvest 2000 ***

 All the grapes are from the company’s own vineyard at Quinta Grande: mid-deep amber colour; dried fruit cake character on the nose; ripe, concentrated figgy sweetness, quite sweet in style for a Bual, nicely balanced but not very exciting. 15.5 
 
 

Justino’s Old Reserve, Fine Rich 10 Years Old ***

 Made from a field blend of grapes (mostly Tinta Negra Mole), consequently red-mahogany in colour; fragrant, pungent tea leaf character; well defined, fresh bitter-sweet marmalade character, clean and quite elegant. Good. 16.5
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Justino’s Bual 10 Years Old ****

 Mid-deep red tinged mahogany; lovely tawny marmalade character, open and expressive; rich, slightly singed spicy fruit, good depth with an incisive marmalade tang and bitter-sweet length. 17
 
 

D’Oliveira’s Boal Colheita 1983 (bottled 2003) *** / ****

 This just qualifies as vintage so I don’t know why it has been classified as a colheita: mid amber / mahogany; forthright, pungent aromas, with the tang of thick-cut marmalade; rich with lovely weight and texture, smoky sweetness with a dry edge to the finish, clean initially but with a hint of rusticity. 16.5
 
 

D’Oliveira’s Boal 1908 (bottled 2008) ***

 Very deep, dark mahogany colour, thin green rim; powerful, pungent, high toned, rather soupy and old fashioned in style; powerful bitter-sweet flavours with the concentration of age but without much elegance. Singed flavours. Molasses. Long rich and leathery. A wine to respect more than a wine to enjoy. 16 
 
 

Barbeito 10 Years Old ‘Old Reserve’ Verdelho ****

 Pale – mid amber; very alluring savoury aromas, toasted almonds, quite incisive; savoury off-dry character, almonds and hazelnuts with a touch of citrus. Gentle sweetness apparent on the finish. 18 
 

 

Barbeito 10 Years Old, Malvasia *** / ****

 Mid-amber, pale for a Malvasia (Barbeito admit that they have given up using caramel for colouring); fairly rich figgy aromas with a savoury character underlying; fine citrus fruit character, tawny marmalade with savoury-sweet length. Lovely acidity to balance the richness. 16.5
 
 

Barbeito 30 Years Old Malvazia **** / *****

 An unusual wine as most madeira of this age is bottled as vintage: mid-deep, golden amber colour; very expressive leafy aromas – autumn leaves on a clear day; pungent, powerful and concentrated, dried fruit (figs and apricots) offset by citrusy acidity. Lime and lemon. Very complex with an expressive finish. 18.5 
 
 

Barbeito VB Reserva Meio Seco (Cascos 12d and 46a) ****

 A blend of Bual and Verdelho from two casks and the 2001 and 2003 harvests respectively: mid amber; lovely savoury – smoky, hickory aromas, complex for a fairly young wine; gentle apricot sweetness with grapefruit-like acidity with a brazil nut character. Finely balanced and very, very good. A brilliant wine from a brilliant wine maker. 18

Location: The Portuguese Ambassador's Residence, London

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