Madeira: ancient & modern

A seminar presented by Charles Metcalfe and the Instituto do Vinho da Madeira

• NV Barbeito Madeira VB Reserva Lote 1 89 Points

  Portugal, Madeira

  The Reserva Meio Seco Lote 1 is a blend of 50% verdelho and 50% bual and has 28g/l of residual sugar. It has a light caramel colour and an attractive nose with salted nuts and hints of toffee. It has a buttery, semi-sweet flavour with a slightly honeyed feel. There’s lots of acidity on the finish, together with some lovely fruit of an almost riesling purity before a layer of light caramel seals the wine.

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• 1995 H.M. Borges Madeira Sercial Colheita 90 Points

  Portugal, Madeira

  This has a more austere nose with hints of French polishing and a hint of fishiness. Very open, round palate. Very long and very fresh after. This would make a very nice aperitif.

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• NV Blandy's Madeira Alvada 5 Years Old 85 Points

  Portugal, Madeira

  Of the two bottles of this opened for the tasting, one was corked. It has a shocking pink label that makes it easy to spot on the shelf. It is a blend of 50% malvasia and 50% bual, has around 130g/l residual sugar, and would retail at £8.49 in the UK. It has an old oak colour, and a nose to match, redolent of sweet old furniture. Rich and fairly full on the palate. There’s a touch of acidity on the finish, and builds after with great length. By far not the most impressive of today’s Madeiras.

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• 1998 H.M. Borges Madeira Malmsey Harvest Colheita 93 Points

  Portugal, Madeira

  This has around 114 g/l residual sugar. It has a raisiny-toffee nose, more treacly than the previous wines with dried fruits like figs and raisins, together with a green note. Quite fresh on the palate. This is a very fine wine.

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• 1995 Henriques & Henriques Madeira Tinta Negra Mole Single Harvest Fine Rich Madeira 87 Points

  Portugal, Madeira

  This has 100g/l residual sugar and is made from the tinta negra mole grape, which Charles Metcalfe characterised as making a “beginner’s Madeira.” It has a very savoury nose with a hint of polished old oak furniture. Good easy palate. A nice wine, but a bit overshadowed by some of its compatriots today.

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• 1996 Justino's Madeira Colheita Doce 90 Points

  Portugal, Madeira

  This is made entirely from red grapes: 95% tinta negra mole and 5% from other Madeiran red varieties. It has a deep teak colour and a sweet toffeed nose with dried fruit. Somewhat sweeter on the palate, but very clean. This has great power and depth and is very long indeed.

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• 1981 Barbeito Madeira Verdelho 90 Points

  Portugal, Madeira

  In 1982 this went into old barrels of French oak. Two barrels were blended in 2004 and then bottled in 2005. It has 77.5 g/l residual sugar. In the glass, this has a mid teak colour. The nose is light and quite fresh with a hefty dose of volatile acidity, but it’s all nicely balanced. It has a lovely fresh palate: very open and approachable with a good complexity behind and some nice citrus peel flavours. There’s a lovely bracing acidity towards the finish.

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The previous wines were in a more modern style; the next six are more traditional Madeira wines.

• 1978 Justino's Madeira Terrantez 96 Points

  Portugal, Madeira

  With c. 50g/l residual sugar, this was only bottled only two weeks previously. A deep teak colour. It has a nutty, fairly sweet, very attractive nose with some green melon fruit. Lovely palate, with hints of the bitterness that is the hallmark of terrantez. Round and very open with lots of lovely edgy acidity. There’s a veritable firework display in the mouth. A stunning wine.

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• 1976 Henriques & Henriques Madeira Terrantez 88 Points

  Portugal, Madeira

  This has 72.5g/l residual sugar. It’s a slightly lighter teak colour, tending towards a greenish tinged tan. A little muddy on the nose and very figgy. On the palate, it’s very much in the shadow of the 1978 and quite simply in a different league.

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• 1977 D'Oliveiras Madeira Boal Colheita 91 Points

  Portugal, Madeira

  A lightish old polished oak colour. It’s a touch beefy on the nose, with direct fruit and old furniture polish. Rich and a touch sweet on the palate, yet it has lovely balance. Very fine.

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• 1987 D'Oliveiras Madeira Malvazia Colheita 91 Points

  Portugal, Madeira

  This has 142.7 g/l residual sugar and around 9g/l acidity. It is has a deep reddish teak colour with a yellow rim. The nose is slighter and more closed than the 1977 Bual, with some lovely old furniture and fig notes. Very full on the palate and quite sweet. It has a very bracing acidity on the finish. Very fine indeed.

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• 1964 Blandy's Madeira Bual 94 Points

  Portugal, Madeira

  This has spent 40 years in old American oaks, has 61.5g/l residual sugar and was this particular batch was bottled in March 2004: the vintage Madeiras are bottled regularly rather than there being a big one-off release. This has a lightish teak colour with a limey yellow rim. The nose is fascinating: dried fruits, agrumes and dried figs. Very fine palate. Perfect balance. A superb wine.

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