Bright and bracing on the nose, with aromas of beeswax, balsamic, and redcurrant. Seductive and sensual. Real fireworks here. The palate is sensational, with a pronounced caramelised banana and vanilla pod character. Intense and engaging. Powerful and medium sweet on the palate, with a very fresh, intense, long finish with hints of vanilla. Only 1294 bottles were bottled
Food-pairing
As an aperitif, oxtail soup, shrimp cream soup, asparagus cream soup, lobster with tarragon vinaigrette, Caesar salad, smoked duck with mango chutney, pigeon with macadamia and star anise, peking duck to name a few.
Nuts: hazelnuts.
Cheese: curd cheese, ripened cheeses, sweet, nutty cheeses.
Fish: smoked salmon, shrimp cocktail with Granny Smith, mussels, sardines.
Meat: almost all types of meat: chicken, duck, pork, natural steak. Classic and perfect with smoked ham.
Typical Madeira dish: swordfish with banana and passion fruit. Baked pineapple.
Grapes: Verdelho
In the rest of Portugal also known as Gouveio. Is the most planted white variety. The style has a slight sweetness and is off-dry / medium dry. Is planted at heights of 400-600, especially in the North and ripens late. The grape is the main ingredient for Rainwater
These grapes came specifically from the area of Calheta, the warmest and sunniest area on the island of Madeira. They were harvested by hand in a good harvest in 1978, trodden on using the traditional wooden lagares and then aged for more than 40 years in the “Canteiro” system (in old oak casks supported on long wooden beams) in the warehouses of Madeira Wine Company, in Funchal and then later in Caniçal. The island of Madeira is of volcanic origin, with different types of soils in its different regions. In the area of Calheta, the vines grow between 100 and 300 meters in altitude, on deep, claysoils, with a medium content of organic matter, low in phosphorus, with a medium high level of potassium and very rich in calcium and magnesium. The vines are planted in the trellis and espaliers systems, with strong influence from the sun, wind and sea breeze, producing wines that are highly appreciated for their balance of acidity and sweetness.
Alcoholcontent
20%
Store & Serve
Always keep a Madeira wine upright.
The acids of Madeira are so strong that they attack the cork if the bottle is stored lying down
Serve at 14 - 16 °C
Madeira is a wine matured for several years in an oxidative environment, and then enters a reductive environment when bottling. It is therefore useful to open the bottles a few hours in advance. The bottles can then be kept almost unlimited, since the air has no influence on madeira wines. In fact, the wine tastes better after months - if there remains - than when the bottle is opened
Critics & Awards
95/100 - Wine Enthusiast Tasted: Dec 2021
Sitting on an island in two 650-liter wood casks for 43 years was good for this wine. It offers intense richness and layers of fine toastiness. The wood shows alongside mature hints of fruit and nut flavors. Its medium sweetness is well balanced by the typically concentrated acidity. It's now time to enjoy it, although the bottle will also stay in great condition for many years. ROGER VOSS