1981 D'Oliveira Verdelho Vintage Madeira - medium dry
€ 367.00
Gives a fruity style with a nice balance between acidity and sweetness and does not have that high acidity of sercial. In the nose dried fruit, some nutty and honey, sometimes in the taste some coffee and chocolate.
Food-pairing
As an aperitif, oxtail soup (no, not in it but with it!), 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 but a few.
Nuts: hazelnuts.
Cheese: cottage cheese, mature cheeses, sweet, nutty cheeses.
Fish: smoked salmon, shrimp cocktail with granny smith, mussels, sardines.
Meat: almost all types of meat: chicken, duck, pork, plain steak. Classic and perfect with smoked ham.
Typical Madeira dish: swordfish with banana and passion fruit. Baked pineapple.
Grapes: Verdelho
The grape has traditionally been one of the most popular grapes planted on the small island of Madeira since vines were first planted there in the 15th century. It was however badly affected by the Phylloxera plague and the number of vines has decreased greatly in the century since then. Since 1993 any Madeira wine labeled as Verdelho must contain at least 85 percent of the grape, which was not previously required. [2]
The variety of Madeira wine known as Verdelho lies between those of Sercial and Bual in style, being drier than Bual but not as dry as Sercial. The variety is known for its high acidity when aged, but if drunk young generally possesses more fruit flavor than the other Madeiras.
Verdelho is one of the three traditional varieties grown on Pico Island in the Azores, which exported it to mainland Europe (most notably the cellars of Czar Nicholas II) before the variety was all but wiped out in the phylloxera plague. Returning to their roots, the islands of the Azores have been planting the grape again, which is made into fortified wines like Lajido.
The grape is also grown in the Douro valley, where it is sometimes confused with the Gouveio grape. It is also a small component of some Vinho do Dão.[1] Portuguese Verdelho is noted for its higher sugar content compared to what is typically achieved in the warmer climate of Madeira.
Verdelho can also be found in Argentina, with at least one producer marketing a varietal called simply Verdelho. In Spain Verdelho is grown under the synonym Verdello. (Not be confused with the Italian grape Verdello). The grape has been successful in the vineyards of Australia, particularly the South Burnett wine region in Queensland, Hunter Valley, Langhorne Creek, Cowra and the Swan Valley. Australian versions of Verdelho are noted for their intense flavors with hints of lime and honeysuckle and the oily texture that the wines can get after some aging.
As one of the few heat-loving white grapes, Verdelho is well adapted to the California Sierra foothills. By the 1870s the grape was extensively grown in what is now Amador County. Currently Verdelho is grown in Amador and Solano counties, near Lodi, as well as one vineyard in Napa Valley. Approximately 200 acres in California are devoted to the grape. California Verdelho wines are noted for floral and citrus aromas.
Alcoholcontent
20%
Store & Serve
Always store Madeira wine upright.
The acids of Madeira are so strong that they will attack the cork if the bottle is stored lying down
Serving: 18°C
Madeira is a wine that matured for several years in an oxidative environment, and then enters a reductive environment during bottling. It is therefore useful to open the bottles a few hours in advance. The bottles can then be stored almost indefinitely, as the air no longer has any effect on Madeira wines. In fact, the wine tastes better after months - if there is any left - than when the bottle was opened.
Critics & Awards
Silver (Best In Class) - International Wine & Spirit Competition, 2010
94/100 - Jamie Goode
Producent: D'Oliveira
Regio: Madeira
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