Blandy's Madeira Tasting at Wine Watch

"Have some Madeira m'dear" by Flanders and Swan.  (song lyrics at end of e-mail)

You can ‘t call yourself a wine lover if you have never tried Madeira.  I remember the first time that I tasted a vertical selection of Madeira at the Great Wine Seminar and I was stunned at the wines complexity and the layers of flavors and aromas that continued to rise from the glass for hours.  After this tasting I began a search looking for all the old Madeira that I could find, and Wine Watch now has one of the largest collections of Madeira that you can find in South Florida, check out the offering on this e-mail after the tasting line-up.

These Madeiras are from the house of Blandy's and we will be experiencing the entire range of wines produced in Madeira including some very rare Vintages.

Madeira - A Taste of Immortality

Blandy's Madeira Tasting at Wine Watch
Tuesday, October 18th
7pm

Tasting Line-up:

Blandy's Madeira Alvada 5 Year
Price: $19.50       Sale $17.16          Case $199

"Lovely dark brown colour. Christmas spice and lime character on nose. Good weight. Lime marmalade on palate. Strong alcohol. Good balance and good length."
Wine International, September 2006

Blandy's 5 Yr Malmsey
Price: $28.25       Sale $24.86          Case $288

"The nose is redolent of freshly baked, warm, spicy fruit dripping in golden syrup. The palate is lush, with a rich, fragrant, soft texture - impeccably balanced." International Wine Challenge. October 1999.

Blandy's 10 Yr Malmsey
Price: $42.75       Sale $37.62          Case $436

"Quite dark... Tangy acidity and quite sweet, with chocolate and raisin notes. Very long finish and lots of grip. Stands on its own after dinner". Lyn Farmer - The Wine News, March 2001

1994 Blandy's Colheita 500ml
Price: $26             Sale $22.88          Case $265

Amber colour with golden reflections. Characteristic bouquet of Madeira with dried fruits, toffee and dark chocolate. Sweet and full bodied. Long aftertaste with notes of honey.

Blandy's Bual 5yr
Price: $27             Sale $23.76          Case $275

“The Madeira Wine Company's bid for post- modern Madeira works surprisingly well in its flashy shocking pink-labeled 50cl bottle. They deliberately use shaved oak casks to increase the oaky component. Quite light but very vibrant and edgy and very, very definitely Madeira. Sappy, bright, you could drink this with some foods too”. Jancis Robinson

Blandy's Sercial 5YR
Price: $27             Sale $23.76          Case $275

"Served slightly chilled, this is the perfect example of how this style of Madeira fits into place at even the most modern of dinner parties. Its innate nuttiness, combined with a lovely dried citrus fruit edge, makes it the perfect foil to a plate of salted almonds, freshly cut spicy chorizo or picquillo peppers. It leaves the palate feeling crisp, clean and very refreshed". S Jones - Wine Magazine, January 2003.

Blandy's Verdelho 5YR
Price: $27             Sale $23.76          Case $275

"Gorgeous full-bodied mouth feel on the palate with slightly smoked rich creamy flavours and tones of honey, introduced by luxurious warm full orangey aromas. Simply delightful." International Wine Challenge

Blandy's Vintage Special 1968 Malmsey
Price: $204          Sale $179.52       Case $2080

Blandy's Vintage Special 1968 Verdello 
Price: $247.50    Sale $217.80       Case $2524

Blandy's Vintage Special 1985 Malmsey
Price: $225          Sale $198             Case $2295

Clear, amber colour with golden highlights. Characteristic Madeira bouquet with notes of wood, dried fruits and toffee. Smooth, full-bodied and sweet, with a long warm aftertaste with notes of oak.

1977 Blandy's Terrantez

We will be serving a selection of cheese to accompany the tasting wines but no other food will be served at this event.

This tasting is FREE for the first 15 people who make reservations, call 954-523-9463 for more info.

Madeira Available in the store:

NV Blandys Madeira Rainwater
Price: $17.00                       Sale $14.96
Quantity in Stock: 11

A light aroma nuts hazelnut walnuts and dried dates and figs with a touch of fudge. A nice amount of fig and date fruit on the tongue again very light and pleasant with a short but pleasant finish. Finish 30+ Good

NV Charleston Sercial (20-year blend)  
List $54.00                           Sale $47.52
Quantity in Stock: 12

This is a wine that was blended by the Rare Wine Company (the importer) and they are great examples of entry level Madieras the Sercial is dryer than the Malmsey.

The Rare Wine Company Savannah Verdelho
Price: $50.75                       Sale $44.66
Quantity in Stock: 12

The RWC historic Series Madeiras are a collaboration between The Rare Wine Company and Vinhos Barbeito. The goal here is to produce wines that evoke the mature vintage Madeiras of days long past. The various wines in the series are made up of a blend of younger varietal wines and older stocks. The Savannah Verdelho is the newest wine in the series. Produced from a blend of 10 year old Verdelho mixed with small quantities of 40-60 year old Tinta Negra Mole by Ricardo Freitas, grandson of the founder Mario Barbeito, this amber gold colored wine is barely sweet with rich walnut/almond aroma and flavor. Toasted barrel character on the finish adds to the complexity of this Madeira.

NV New York Malmsey (20-year blend)               
List $54.00                           Sale $47.52
Quantity in Stock: 10

This is a wine that was blended by the Rare Wine Company (the importer) and they are great examples of entry level Madieras the Malmsey is sweeter than the Sercial.

NV Boston Bual (20-year blend)                               
List $50.75                           Sale $44.66
Quantity in Stock: 14

This is a wine that was blended by the Rare Wine Company (the importer) and they are great examples of entry level Madieras the Malmsey is sweeter than the Sercial.

1795 Barbeito Terrantez Madeira
Price: $4500.00                  Sale $3960
Quantity in Stock: 1

1875 Barbeito Malvasia                                                
List $950                               Sale $836
Quantity in Stock: 1

Malmsey, made from Malvasia grapes, is the richest and darkest-colored style with up to 4 percent residual sweetness. 

1880       D’Oliveira Terrantez                                      
List $1500                             Sale $1320
Quantity in Stock: 1

Terrantez is considered to be the rarest of all the Madera.  This grape had been thought to be extinct for many years and is only now beginning to make a comeback.  Serious Madiera collectors consider old Tarrantez to be the ultimate prize in collecting and drinking Madiera.

1914 Barbeito Bual                                         
List $350                               Sale $308
Quantity in Stock: 1
Bual is sweeter still at 3.5 percent residual sugar, however it is balanced by sharp, tangy acidity. 

1922 D’Olivera, Bual                                      
List $531                               Sale $467
Quantity in Stock: 1

Bual is sweeter still at 3.5 percent residual sugar, however it is balanced by sharp, tangy acidity. 

1929 Barbeito, Verdelho                             
List $      327                         Sale $287
(1 bottle available)
Verdelho is semi-dry with up to 2.5 percent residual sugar, lending the wine greater richness. 

1937 D'Oliveira Sercial Madeira
Price: $322.50    Sale $283.80
Quantity in Stock: 1

(93 Points) Full of verve, this Madeira is deep amber in color, with a fresh, complex bouquet evoking cocoa, caramel and a hint of iodine. The lovely butterscotch flavor marries well with the lively structure and is followed by a dry, nutty finish. Drink now. –BS Wine Spectator Issue: Jan 31, 2000

1954 Barbeito, Malvasia                              
List $      292.75                   Sale $257.62
Quantity in Stock: 6

Malmsey, made from Malvasia grapes, is the richest and darkest-colored style with up to 4 percent residual sweetness. 
               
1968 D’Olivera, Bual                                      
List $192                               Sale $168.98
Quantity in Stock: 2
Bual is sweeter still at 3.5 percent residual sugar, however it is balanced by sharp, tangy acidity. 

1969 D'Oliveira Sercial Madeira
Price: $164.25                    Sale $144.54
Quantity in Stock: 5

The high level of acidity makes Sercial almost undrinkable in its youth. In the 16th century, this wine was called "Esgana Cão" - dog-strangler. To obtain a maximum aroma as a counterpart, Sercial is harvested as the last of the grapes, often as late as the beginning of October. Sercial has to mature for a long time, before it is drinkable. The minimum of twenty years in cask for vintages will just be enough to soften the piercing acidity. Once this wine has found its balance, it makes a perfect aperitif but it can also hold its own very well. On the island, Sercial is often served with soup, nuts, crackers or other snacks. The cocktail "Madeira on the Rocks" is made of 2/3 dry Madeira of a lesser quality and 1/3 Campari. Sercial also goes well after Champagne.

1950 Barbeito Malvasia Reserva Velha Madeira
Price: $320.00                    Sale $282
Quantity in Stock: 1                                                        

1950 Barbeito Bual         
Price:$345           Sale $303.60      
5 bottles

1982 Barbeito Bual         
Price:$159           Sale $139.92                     
2 bottles

1920 Barbeito Malvasia
Price:$412.50     Sale $363                            
3 bottles

1950 Barbeito Malvasia
Price:$345           Sale $303.60                      
1 bottle

1997 Barbeito Single Harvest 500ml       
Price: $75             Sale $66                               
1 bottle

                                               
1922 D'Oliveira Bual      
Price $532.50      Sale $468            
2 bottles

1912 Verdelho 
Price: $525          Sale $462
1 bottle

Madeira is an island off the coast of Morocco that belongs to Portugal.  Historically, it was a popular port of call for ships on the trade routes between Africa, Asia and the Americas.  The original Madeira wines were made as a powerful white wine, however to protect them during transport they were fortified - alcohol is added before fermentation is complete, which stops the process and leaves residual sugar in the wine.  Sea Captains discovered that long ocean voyages actually improved casks of Madeira.  Unlike other wines, heat and oxidation are essential to Madeira and so the wine is virtually indestructible. 

During the 18th and 19th century, Madeira was America’s wine of choice and most fashionable drink amongst hi-society.  When the Declaration of Independence was signed they toasted with Madiera, when Betsy Ross knitted the first flag she was sipping on a glass of Madiera, and when Ben Franklin was tinkering with his many inventions he indulged in a cup of this wonderful elixir.  Unfortunately though over the past 150 years, it has sank from its preeminence as America’s favorite wine for several reasons.   In the 1850s, powdery mildew a fungal disease destroyed most of Madeira’s vineyards.  It was not long after a treatment was discovered for powdery mildew when phylloxera struck devastating the remaining vineyards.  By the 20th century, Madeira had recovered but at its American market had disappeared due to Prohibition.  And lastly, Portugal’s 1974 popular revolution dealt yet another blow by dismantling the remaining large estates. 

There are four major types of Madeira - Sercial, Verdelho, Bual, and Malmsey (Malvasia).  The difference lies in the grape varieties from which each was originally made, and the respective sweetness levels of the finished wines.    Sercial is the driest style, containing up to 1.5 percent residual sugar and known for its hi-acidity.  Similar to fino and manzanilla Sherries, Sercial is great served as an aperitif.  Verdelho is semi-dry with up to 2.5 percent residual sugar, lending the wine greater richness.  Bual is sweeter still at 3.5 percent residual sugar, however it is balanced by sharp, tangy acidity.  Malmsey, made from Malvasia grapes, is the richest and darkest-colored style with up to 4 percent residual sweetness.  Buals and Malmseys are often compared to tawny Ports; they typically show even more richness and concentration, depending on cask aging.  

Today, D’Oliveira and Barbeito represent the finest source for old Madeiras in the world.  D’Oliveira dates back to 1820 and since then, it has been owned by the same family.  Overtime, the family increased their vineyard holdings through a series of marriages with other wine-producing families.  The D’Oliveiras have held onto many of its most famous vintages and in doing so, they have created a unique and irreplaceable stock of old wines.  Remarkably, all of these wines were produced by the D’Oliveiras and their ancestors, not purchased from other shippers or growers.   There is a definite house style - they have very powerful aromatics, great lushness and viscosity, incredible structure, and a tangy character that is essential to the finest wines of the 18th and 19th centuries. 

Barbeito was founded just 53 years ago in 1946, however it has the most impressive stock of very old wines in the world.  The incredible range of old vintages today is due to the foresight of the company’s owner Mario Barbeito de Vasconcelos.  In the 1940s and 1950s, he bought up large quantities of privately owned wine, some of it dating back to the 18th century.  These old wines became the foundation for one of the world’s most unique wine libraries.  At the time Barbeito acquired these wines, they were virtually all still in cask, a traditional practice in Madeira, where 50 to 100 years or more in wood is mandatory for the very greatest wines.  The long, slow oxidative process in cask adds to the wines complexity.  And though very costly to the owner, the evaporation in barrel concentrates the flavor and extract.  Both D’Oliveira and Barbeito believe that Madieras age best in cask.  They keep all of their vintages in wood, and only bottle enough to meet short-term demand.

Three are only a few bottles of each wine available here, and when you drink these incredible old wines, take a moment to think about what was happening at the time these wines were made. 

She was young, she was pure, she was new, she was nice,
She was fair, she was sweet seventeen.
He was old, he was vile, and no stranger to vice,
He was base, he was bad, he was mean.
He had slyly inveigled her up to his flat
To view his collection of stamps
And he said as he hastened to put out the cat,
the wine, his cigar and the lamps:
'Have some madeira, M'dear
You really have nothing to fear
I'm not trying to tempt you, that wouldn't be right
You shouldn't drink spirits at this time of night
Have some madeira, M'dear
It's very much nicer than beer
I don't care for sherry, one cannot drink stout
and port is a wine I can well do without
It's simply a case of Chacun à son gout
Have some madeira, M'dear!'

Unaware of the wiles of the snake in the grass
The fate of the maiden who topes
She lowered her standards by raising her glass
Her courage, her eyes and his hopes
She sipped it, she drank it, she drained it, she did
He quietly refilled it again
And he said, as he secretly carved one more notch
on the butt of his gold-handled cane;

'Have some Madeira, M'dear
I've got a small cask of it here.
And once it's been opened, you know it won't keep
Do finish it off, it'll help you to sleep
Have some Madeira, M'dear
It's really an excellent year
Now if it were Gin you'd be wrong to say yes
The evil gin does would be hard to assess
Besides, it's inclined to affect me prowess
Have some Madeira, M'dear!'

Then it flashed through her mind what her mother has said
with her antepenultimate breath;
'Oh, My child, is you look on the wine that is red
then prepare for a fate worse than death!'
She let go the glass with a shrill little cry
Crash! Tinkle! It fell to the floor
When he asked 'What in heaven?' she made no reply,
Up her mind, and a dash for the door.
'Have some Madeira, M'dear'
Rang out down the hall, loud and clear
A tremulous cry that was filled with despair
As she paused to take breath in the cool midnight air,
'Have some Madeira, M'dear!'
The words seemed to ring in her ear,
Until the next morning, she woke up in bed
With a smile on her lips and an ache in her head
And a beard in her earhole that tickled and said
'Have some Madeira, M'dear!'