1966 Leacocks Boal Vintage Madeira
€ 450.70
| Producer | Leacock’s |
| Region | Madeira |
| Grapes | Boal (Bual) |
| Ageing | At least 20 years in cask (Frasqueira) |
| Alcohol | 19%vol |
| Serving | 18°C, open a few hours in advance Store upright, keeps almost indefinitely once opened |
| Scores | 92/100 Wine & Spirits |
A 1966 Boal, one of Madeira’s great wines.
The story
These are Madeira’s finest wines, with almost unlimited ageing potential. A Frasqueira (formerly called vintage Madeira) must spend at least 20 years in cask and two years in bottle before it may be sold. It comes from a single good harvest and a single noble grape, both stated on the label with the harvest and bottling years. After gentle heating it ages for a long time in wooden casks, and once bottled its quality no longer changes. Because they are so rare, these wines are inventoried.
Boal is the Portuguese name of the grape, Bual the English one (it is also called Boal Cachudo). It grows mainly in the south of the island, between 100 and 300 m altitude, and in the north near São Vicente.
Madeira spends years ageing in an oxidative environment and moves into a reductive one at bottling. It is therefore best to open the bottle a few hours in advance. After that, air no longer affects the wine: an open bottle keeps almost indefinitely and often tastes even better months later. Always store Madeira upright, as the acidity attacks the cork if the bottle lies down.
Food pairing
Cheeses such as blue cheese, Stilton, Gruyère, Manchego and Emmental. Dried fruit. Crème brûlée, caramel desserts with apple, apricot, pecans, cherries, almonds, hazelnuts or dried figs, and vanilla ice cream. Also a fine companion to a pipe, cigar or aromatic tobacco.
Critics & Awards
92/100 Wine & Spirits | Tasted: Dec 2001
Gold – Decanter World Wine Awards 2015
Gold – International Wine & Spirit Competition (Outstanding) 2015
Gold – International Wine & Spirit Competition (Outstanding) 2015
Reviews
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