Justino 20 year old Verdelho Madeira - Medium Dry
€ 140.90
| Producer | Justino's |
| Region | Madeira |
| Grapes | Verdelho 90,5%, Tinta Negra 9,5% |
| Ageing | Over 20 years in oak (canteiro) |
| Alcohol | 19,5%vol | pH: 3.31 |
| Serving | 18°C |
Twenty years of Verdelho: tobacco, tea and a fresh finish.
Tasting note
Medium-deep amber with a subtle hint of green. A rich, complex nose with intriguing earthy, musky aromas. Soft and richly structured, medium dry, with tobacco, tea leaves, vanilla and spice, finished by fresh acidity.
The story
This blend was put together by Nuno Duarte, using old wines from 1997 and 1998 and some wines made earlier by Juan Teixeira in 2004 and 2005. It also contains 9.5% undated old Tinta Negra.
Elsewhere in Portugal, Verdelho is also known as Gouveio. The grape gives a lightly sweet, medium-dry style, is mainly planted in the north at 400-600 m and ripens late. It is the main ingredient of Rainwater.
The wine was made using traditional methods. The grapes were destemmed, crushed and pressed, and the must fermented in 650-litre oak casks. After six to seven days, fermentation was stopped with neutral grape spirit to keep the desired sweetness. The Verdelho then aged for more than 20 years in the canteiro system, slowly in large oak casks without artificial heating, giving a refined integration of aromas. The wine was then chilled and filtered before the blend was assembled and bottled.
Justino’s sources its grapes from vineyards in Câmara de Lobos and Campanário. Almost all vines grow on tiny terraces known as poios and are trained on pergolas, the traditional way on Madeira. The volcanic soil varies with altitude: lower down it is darker and more compact, rich in iron, while higher up the rough, grainy trachyte rock is more visible.
Food pairing
Excellent as an aperitif. Good with serrano ham, smoked game, braised garlic mushrooms, pâtés and nuts such as almonds and walnuts.
