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| Community Tasting Notes (average 88.1 pts. and median of 88 pts. in 31 notes) - hiding notes with no text | | | Tasted by Paul852 on 3/24/2023: Forceberry describes this wine in great detail and in line with my experience. The two things I would add are that for me it's better after it's been open for a day or two (losing a slight alcohol heat) and secondly, as suggested on the producer's website, it really does pair well with Indian cuisine (rather much to my and my (Indian) wife's surprise).
It seems a bit over-priced here in Hong Kong at ~US$35; at the CAV of ~US$23 this would be a big repeat buy for me. (444 views) | | | Tasted by forceberry on 8/30/2022 & rated 88 points: 100% Sercial made with purchased fruit sourced from vineyardsin Porto Moniz, Seixal and Câmara de Lobos. The grapes fermented spontaneously starts in temperature controlled stainless steel tanks. After 5-6 days of fermentation, the must is rectified to approx. 20% ABV with 96% ABV grape spirit to halt the fermentation. The fortified wine is transferred to old American oak casks which are moved to age in Canteiros, ie. in warm warehouses in which the wines age in casks that are never topped up. This wine is an indicative blend of multiple vintages, older and younger, with the aim of recreating a wine that has been aged for approximately 5 years in casks. Bottled fined and lightly filtered. 19% alcohol, approx. 50 g/l residual sugar and approx. 6 g/l acidity.
Luminous golden yellow color with a nutty-brown hue. The nose is somewhat oxidative with aromas of chopped walnuts, some bruised Granny Smith apple, a little bit of lemony citrus fruits, light grain whisky tones, a hint of caramel and a sharp touch of rancio. The wine is relatively mellow and gentle for a Sercial with some alcohol warmth, a medium body and medium-sweet flavors of orange, some oxidative notes of caramel and nutty rancio, a little bit of lemony citrus fruit, light bruised apple tones and a sweeter hint of dried fruits. Bright high acidity. The overall feel is harmonious, but also quite linear for a Madeira. The finish is quite long with medium-dry flavors of lemony citrus fruits, some caramel, a little bit of nutty rancio and roasted walnuts, light sharp notes of green apples, a hint of orange and a touch of bruised apple.
An enjoyably fresh and complex but also a bit linear and mellow Sercial. Several sources say that the sweeter varieties work much better with younger Madeiras and drier styles (Sercial, Verdelho, Terrantez) start to really shine only with age (ie. +20 yo blends and Frasqueiras). The more I taste these younger Madeiras, the more I agree - while I do enjoy the freshness and zip Sercials normally show, these young wines come across as more linear and somewhat simple than the sweeter versions, which pack a bit more complexity already in their youth. Especially Sercial seems to develop more complexity only as it becomes more concentrated with extended aging. This was pretty lovely, but nothing special enough to make me seek it out specifically - at this age level (ie. price point) I'd go for the sweeter styles; if I wanted a Sercial, I'd pick something with more age. And do note that the wine does not develop any further in the bottle, so any further cellaring won't improve the wine from here - although the wine won't suffer from any cellaring either. Drink or keep. Priced according to its quality at 9,35€ for a half bottle. (1088 views) | | | Tasted by Heynetty on 6/3/2022: D5 DipWSET FORTIFIED WINES - home prep; 6/2/2022-6/3/2022: A: Pale amber
N: Medium (+) nose of dried apricot, sultanas, caramel, walnut ....the alcohol dominates the smell
P: Medium sweet, high acidity, high alcohol, medium (+) intensity and medium finish
C: Alcohol is really not well integrated here. The intensity of dried fruit and burnet sugars come to a rather abrupt halt. The wine lacks complexity. THis is a good quality wine but the balance and finish would have to improve if this were to become an outstanding quality wine. (977 views) | | | Tasted by Tony Ling on 2/15/2022 & rated 92 points: PNP into ISO tasting glass ("Leaf" day): Medium orange copper to the eyes.
Caramel, soy, dried, berry fruit. Hints of nail polish.
Off-dry palate, quite mellow and rich. 92-93 points. (1123 views) | | | Tasted by Halfeel on 12/25/2021 & rated 87 points: Not my favorite Madeira. Good in sauces and to add richness to turkey gravy for Thanksgiving. (1040 views) | | | Tasted by PSPatrick on 10/13/2021 & rated 87 points: Tasting Training for WSET Level 4, Units D4 + D5 - Session 6 (Madeira, non-blind): Wine 2: The wine's colour is medium gold. The nose has medium(-) intensity and shows aromas of dried peach, caramel, almond, walnut, coffee and chocolate.
On the palate the wine is medium-sweet, with highacidity, high alcohol and a medium(+) body. The flavour intensity is medium(+), flavours mirror the nose and include dried peach, caramel, almond, walnut, honey, coffee and chocolate. The finish has medium(-) length.
This is a good quality wine since it has medium complexity and good balance of acidity and sweetness, and medium(-) length at least. To be considered being of very good quality the wine would need better integration of the alcohol, greater complexity and greater length.
The wine has been matured in oxidative and warm conditions. It will hence keep on its current level for a number of years, but will not improve, and is hence to be considered not suitable for further ageing in bottle. (1318 views) | | | Tasted by europat55 on 12/20/2019 & rated 89 points: Nose: B+ Palate: B+/B++ (1564 views) | | | Tasted by John Dunlap on 12/10/2019 & rated 89 points: Looking for a dry Madeira with "dry" being the operative word since the Madeira spectrum tends to cluster on the rich/sweet side of the dry/sweet continuum. Not an overriding issue for me as I can always drink a dry sherry if that is what I want.
This Sercial has notes of honey, graham cracker, some nuttiness, red apple and toffee flavors on the palate. Good acidity without being hot. Just what I was looking for casual dinners at home. Clearly has some RS but not as sweet as the other three varietals.
(Currently enjoying this wine with Parmesan white bean soup with hearty greens (NYT).) (1528 views) | | | Tasted by Isobel goudi on 12/1/2019 & rated 87 points: Sherryfarben. Auch vom Geschmack. Nicht süss. Rebsorte malvasia. Reinsortig. Mild. Wenig Spannung. Klass. Desertwein, aber vllt sogar besser als Aperitif. Könnte noch liegen, wird aber vermutlich nicht mehr besser. (1233 views) | | | Tasted by honest bob on 3/15/2017 & rated 85 points: Madeira in Madeira; 3/15/2017-3/20/2017: Mild, moderate and (as others have remarked) almondy, this is not quite as bland as white port, but still far from the edgy glories that Sercial can display. 85P (2746 views) | | | Tasted by wino_tim on 1/13/2017 & rated 89 points: Dark lemon to gold in color, fresh and lively, offering aromas of lightly toasted almonds, maple, baked apple, seaspray and minerals. Medium-dry, bright, and juicy in texture, with intense and notably complex lemon curd and nut flavors. (2123 views) | | | Tasted by Ombibulous on 11/21/2016 & rated 88 points: Dry Madeira is not my favourite type of Madeira. I prefer Bual. But I really liked this wine. Relatively affordable: $21.50 plus shipping. But I probably won't buy it again for a while. (1924 views) | | | Tasted by isaacjamesbaker on 2/3/2016: Madeira Pilgrimage; 2/1/2016-2/4/2016 (Madeira): I knew this was a versatile wine, but, wow, it's so good as a first-course wine. Tasted with octopus carpaccio wih Caesar salad and the pairing was popping. (3764 views) | | | Tasted by PT insurgent on 11/9/2014: No formal notes.
Nut and dried fruit. Loved the acidity. Super value. (2774 views) | | | Tasted by Motz on 8/9/2014 & rated 88 points: Pretty in the glass. Potent, somewhat nutty bouquet. Stalwart palate of good depth and balance. Solid. (2242 views) | | | Tasted by PSPatrick on 5/1/2014 & rated 88 points: “Blandy Madeira”-Tasting in May 2014, Wine 1 (non-blind). The wine was intense yellow-golden, almost amber in colour. It offered and expressive nose of orange peel, lemon peel, almond, roasted nuts, some caramel, cold smoke and a herbal spiciness. On the flavourful palate the wine was semi-sweet, with orange peel, lemon peel, roasted hazelnut, caramel and smoke, paired with medium-plus well-integrated acidity and some heat from the alcohol. The incredible length of the finish was remarkable. (2316 views) | | | Tasted by stadler on 3/11/2014: Première expérience avec un Sercial, très raffiné, un parfum d'huile de noisette, avec un alcool bien intégré, à comparer avec d'autres 5 ans d'âge... (2226 views) | | | Tasted by Man in Black on 2/18/2014: Clear and bright, pale amber colour and presence of dense legs. The nose is clean and fully developed, showing medium+ intensity aromas of toasted almonds, cedar, caramel, clove, nail varnish remover and orange peel. The wine is medium-dry in the mouth with a high refreshing acidity, warm but well integrated medium alcohol for a fortified wine, medium body and medium+ intensity flavours of toasted almonds, clove, caramel, cedar and orange peel. Medium+ finish.
It is a good quality wine showing a clear typicity and a good balance between sweetness and acidity, however the flavour concentration could be more pronounced and it could be more complex. Drink now, it will not evolve in the bottle but can be kept for many years. (1994 views) | | | Tasted by isaacjamesbaker on 6/20/2013 & rated 88 points: An amber and honey color in the glass. Aromas of apricot, honeysuckle, caramel and an herbal aspect. Despite the richness on the palate, the acid is fresh and the flavors are bright. I get a lot of green apple and caramel notes, along with a minty, saline aspect. Despite the weight and alcohol, this is actually quite light and fresh. I’d love to drink this with some mixed cheeses and nuts. (2120 views) | | | Tasted by rjonwine@gmail.com on 5/7/2013 & rated 92 points: Light medium golden color with .5 millimeter clear meniscus; VA, walnut, almond, toffee nose; oily textured, almond, toffee, lemon oil, dried apricot, coffee palate with medium acidity; long finish (19% alcohol; sample provided by winery) (638 views) | | | Tasted by cartime on 12/14/2012 & rated 91 points: Really liked this as a sipping wine and paired with a toasted sunflower seed soup. Nutty, caramel, and orange rind aromas and a dry, rich palate. (2345 views) | | | Tasted by Carniolan on 11/19/2012 & rated 86 points: brown/gold; sweet vanilla candy nose; exotic dry taste; long finish; best cold (1845 views) | | | Tasted by rjonwine@gmail.com on 6/12/2012 & rated 87 points: Madeira Trade Tasting San Francisco (Hotel Monaco, San Francisco, California): Light golden yellow color with 1 millimeter clear meniscus; saline, almond, light apricot nose; lighter bodied, almond, pear butter palate; medium-plus finish (3475 views) | | | Tasted by dssmith on 11/29/2011 & rated 90 points: Beautifull light brown color. Lovely warm flavor -- dry but nutty. An excellent madeira (2810 views) | | | Tasted by ewill on 12/1/2008: Color: amber Taste and mouthfeel: Very nice apertif. This wine has a hint of sweetness, with some flavors that I have found in some sherries (although not as intense). I agree with the other tasting note that I can taste pear and almond. (2664 views) | | | Only displaying the 25 most recent notes - click to see all notes for this wine... |
| Blandy's Producer websiteN.V. Blandy's Madeira Sercial 5 Years OldData sheet from Producer's website:
GRAPE VARIETIES
Sercial
VINEYARDS
Various quality vineyards at Porto Moniz,
Seixal and Câmara de Lobos at altitudes of up
to 500m.
VINIFICATION
Blandy's 5 year old dry Sercial underwent
fermentation off the skins with natural yeast at
temperatures between 18°C - 21°C in
temperature controlled stainless steel tanks.
After approximately 5-6 days, fortification with
grape brandy takes place, arresting
fermentation at the desired degree of
sweetness.
MATURATION
Blandy's 5 year old Sercial was aged in
American oak casks in the traditional 'Canteiro'
system. This comprises of the gentle heating of
the wine in the lofts of the lodges in Funchal.
Over the years the wine is transferred from the
top floors to the middle floors and eventually to
the ground floor where it is cooler. After this
gradual 'estufagem' the wine underwent racking
and fining before the blend was assembled and
bottled.
SPECIFICATION
Alcohol: 19% ABV pH: 3.3 Residual Sugar: 50
g/l Total Acidity: 6 g/l tartaric acid
SERVING & CELLARAGE
Blandy's 5 year old Sercial is fined and does
not require decanting. It is excellent as an
aperitif but is also exceedingly good with
starters, fish dishes and Indian cuisine. It has
been bottled when ready for drinking and will
keep for several months after opening.
PRESS COMMENTS
"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.
AWARDS
Bronze Medal, IWC 2002
TASTING NOTES
Pale, bright topaz colour with a golden tinge,
fresh with dry fruit, wood and citrus flavours
with a fresh and nutty persistent finish.Portugal ViniPortugal (Associação Interprofissional para a Promoção dos Vinhos Portugueses/Portuguese Wine Trade Association)MadeiraThe Madeira Wine Guide and For The Love of Port are two essential sites on the wines of Madeira.MadeiraFrom Mannie Burk@ Rare Wine Co :
When served in 1950, the wine was 158 years old, but in fine condition, still boasting Madeira’s trademark rich, sweet, velvety taste and roomfilling aromas of butterscotch, cocoa and coffee. Sir Winston insisted on serving the guests himself, asking each in turn, “Do you realize that when this wine was vintaged Marie Antoinette was alive?”
Madeira’s longevity earns it a special place in the realm of old wine. What other wine requires over a half century to mature? And what other wine, when a century old, still benefits from several hours of breathing and can stand up to weeks in a decanter, without losing its complexity or its richness? And how many wines can live for two centuries and still offer not only the pleasure of their antiquity, but also the enjoyment of drinking?
The robustness and longevity of Madeira, even once opened, allows for endless experimentation with food pairings and drinking occasions.
Madeira’s Mountain Vineyards:
Madeira is produced on a breathtakingly beautiful volcanic island of the same name which surges from the sea at a point 360 miles west of Morocco and 700 miles south of Portugal, which governs it. The history of Madeira’s wine is nearly as old as that of the island. The island was first settled by Europeans—led by the Portuguese explorer Zarco—in 1419. By 1455 a visitor from Venice wrote that Madeira’s vineyards were the world's most beautiful. Within a century, the wine from these vineyards was well established in markets throughout Europe and by the 1600’s it had become the most popular wine in Britain’s North American colonies.
America’s First Wine:
The popularity of Madeira in the American colonies got a huge boost in 1665 when the British authorities banned the importation of products made or grown in Europe, unless shipped on British vessels from British ports. Products from Madeira were specifically exempted. British merchants in Madeira took full advantage of this by establishing close ties with merchants in Boston, New York, Philadelphia, Baltimore, Charleston and Savannah. A steady trade developed in which wine from Madeira was traded for such American products as indigo, corn and cotton. This trade continued unabated until the early 1800’s, except when politics and war interfered in the 1770’s.
For two centuries, Madeira was the wine of choice for most affluent Americans. Francis Scott Keyes is said to have penned the Star Spangled Banner, sipping from a glass of Madeira. George Washington's inauguration was toasted with Madeira, as was the signing of the Declaration of Independence. Wealthy families from Boston to Savannah established extensive collections of Madeiras. Madeira became high fashion, and“Madeira parties” (a forerunner of today’s wine tasting) became major social events.
How Madeira is Made:
Madeira is produced from grapes grown on terraces cut into the island's steep mountainsides. Like Port, Madeira is a “fortified” wine to which brandy has been added. But unlike other fortified wines, Madeira is also heated for several months, either in special vats or in the attic lofts of the Madeira lodges.
This heating (called “estufagem”) had its origins in the days when merchant ships called at Madeira on their way to the East and West Indies. Beginning in the late 1600's, wines from Madeira's vineyards were frequent cargo on ships sailing to the Americas, as well as to mainland Portugal, England and India. According to legend, the value of a trip to the tropics was learned when an orphan cask, forgotten in a ship's hold, returned to Madeira from a trip across the Equator. The wine was found to be rich and velvety, far better than when it left, and a tropical cruise became part of the Madeira winemaking tradition.
Throughout the 18th and 19th centuries, producers continued to send casks of their wines on long voyages, for no other reason than to develop greater character. The ocean traveling wines were called vina da roda (“wines of the round voyage”) and those that crossed the Equator twice were considered the best. Some Madeiras were named for the vessels with which they sailed (Constitution, Balthazar, Red jacket, Hurricane, Comet) or the places they had been (East Indies, West Indies, Japan, Argentina). Although this practice ended in the first decade of the 20th century, heating is still a critical step in the making of all Madeiras.
A Century of Change:
While the majority of Madeiras are blends of vintages and grape varieties, it is the vintage wines, and the now-vanishing soleras that are Madeira’s claim to greatness. Vintage and solera Madeiras are not simply a selection of the best wines from the best years, they are made from particular “noble” grape varieties after which the wines are named. These names—Malmsey, Bual, Verdelho, Sercial—not only describe a grape variety; they also describe a style, with Malmsey being the sweetest and richest (and therefore the most like Vintage Port) and Sercial being the lightest and the driest.
There are other grape varieties whose names you may stumble across on old bottles of Madeira. Terrantez and Bastardo, in particular, are grapes that were widely grown up to the late 1800's and whose old wines can still be found on occasion. The virtual extinction of Terrantez and Bastardo grapevines in the late 1800's coincided with the decline of the Madeira wine trade and resulted from the same causes: two diseases of the vine, Oidium and Phylloxera, both of which also struck the vineyards of Europe, but in Madeira caused much greater, and more lasting, destruction.
The Oidium crisis began in 1852 and lasted about a decade; during this time some 90 percent of the island's vines were destroyed by powdery mildew, and the number of firms producing wine decreased by over 75 percent. There was a brief period of replanting and rebuilding in the 1860's, but then Phylloxera struck in 1872, reducing the island's vine acreage to about 1,000 by the early 1880’s.
The Phylloxera crisis, too, passed, and by the turn of the century production had been restored throughout the island, albeit at somewhat lower levels. But the costs had been heavy. Madeira had largely lost its traditional markets—America, England and the British East Indian colonies. Relatively less of the classic grape varieties were now grown, as they gave way to more prolific, but less distinguished, varieties. And, of course, stocks of older wines had been largely depleted, after a half century during which little young wine was being produced.
Today, the world's supply of fine Madeira is negligible. However, those few examples that have survived from the 19th and early 20th centuries are among the world's most majestic wines, which no wine lover should fail to experience.
Over the past twenty years, our passion for these noble wines has grown with each passing month. We believe that they are among the greatest, most individual wines this planet has ever produced. They possess a richness and grandeur shared by only a few wines.
And their ability to age makes them absolutely unique. Most wines are dead and gone at age 100; and at best they are barely drinkable. But after a century, a Madeira can be just reaching its prime, possessing the depth of great age, but also the vigor of youth.
The gradual depletion of the world’s stocks of these irreplaceable wines has only encouraged us to try harder to find the wines that remain.
A Note on Prices and Quality:
As they have grown in rarity, and the sources of supply diminish, the price of Madeira on the world market has skyrocketed. Though many of the older wines arguably are worth whatever you may be asked to pay, the rising tide—combined with Madeira’s mystique—has also raised the prices of mediocrities to the levels of the greats. |
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