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Madeira Seminar and Guided Tasting
Cream Wine Company - Chicago IL
Tasted April 27, 2017 by Burgundy Al with 357 views
Introduction
With Mannie Berk from Rare Wine Company and Ricardo Freitas from Barbeito.
Flight 1 (3 notes)
White - Fortified
N.V. Rare Wine Co. (Vinhos Barbeito) Madeira Historic Series Baltimore Rainwater
89 points
Tasting, brief note. Light color with a modest oxidative character. Fig and orange peel with moderate concentration, good weight, and a nice energy on finish. Majority Verdelho, typically with 25-30% Sercial, both approximately 5 yo.
White - Fortified
N.V. Rare Wine Co. (Vinhos Barbeito) Madeira Historic Series Charleston Sercial Special Reserve
90 points
Tasting, brief note. Charming combination of sweet and savory with engaging acidity. Approx 15% Tinta Negra added to add more"old wine" character.
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Comment
White - Fortified
N.V. Rare Wine Co. (Vinhos Barbeito) Madeira Historic Series Savannah Verdelho Special Reserve
91 points
Tasting, brief note. Some dried stone fruit and toasted almonds. Bigger textures vs Charleston giving this great mouth feel. Good+ concentration.
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Comment
Flight 2 (1 note)
White - Fortified
N.V. Rare Wine Co. (Vinhos Barbeito) Madeira Historic Series Thomas Jefferson Special Reserve
92 points
Great tasting experiment. We tasted the 4 components (Malvasia, Verdelho, Sercial, Tinta Negra) in addition to the finished wine.
Medium dry with fig, earth, milk chocolate and pine nuts. Very elegant and very balanced.
(a) Malvasia (10 yo) makes up approx 35% of the blend. Sweet and structurally powerful, if not particularly elegant.
(b) Verdelho (10 yo) makes up approx 35% of the blend. Floral and very expressive.
(c) Sercial (30 yo) makes up approx 20% of the blend. Rich and powerful with lots of fig and toasted nut notes. Most interesting flavors, also with bone shaking acidity.
(d) Tinta Negra (70yo) makes up approx 10% of the blend. Rich and decadent with 150-160 g RS, but does not seem that sweet because of flavor intensity, even if not particularly complex on its own.
Medium dry with fig, earth, milk chocolate and pine nuts. Very elegant and very balanced.
(a) Malvasia (10 yo) makes up approx 35% of the blend. Sweet and structurally powerful, if not particularly elegant.
(b) Verdelho (10 yo) makes up approx 35% of the blend. Floral and very expressive.
(c) Sercial (30 yo) makes up approx 20% of the blend. Rich and powerful with lots of fig and toasted nut notes. Most interesting flavors, also with bone shaking acidity.
(d) Tinta Negra (70yo) makes up approx 10% of the blend. Rich and decadent with 150-160 g RS, but does not seem that sweet because of flavor intensity, even if not particularly complex on its own.
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Comment
Flight 3 (5 notes)
White - Fortified
1978 Barbeito Madeira Sercial
90 points
Tasting, brief note. Bottled in the past few years. Lots of dried figs and nuts. Moderate sweetness, bright acidity. Very elegant and well balanced. Moderate weight, very good length. Fermentation was stopped to retain sweetness.
White - Fortified
1989 D'Oliveiras Madeira Sercial
89 points
Tasting, brief note. Bottled in the past couple of years. Rich and powerful but a little monolithic right now. Slightly sweeter vs Barbeito '78 with lots of interesting caramelized fruit notes. Needs time.
White - Fortified
1988 D'Oliveiras Madeira Terrantez
92 points
Tasting, brief note. Lots of fig and candied citrus peel. Medium sweet start, drier finish. Very elegant, very well textured. Robust. VG overall.
White - Fortified
1989 D'Oliveiras Madeira Malvazia Reserva
92 points
Tasting, brief note. Sweet apricot, honeycomb. Opulent start, slightly leaner ending with clean and long finish. Very balanced and enjoyable already now.
White - Fortified
1928 D'Oliveiras Madeira Sercial Reserva
93 points
Tasting, brief note. Bottled in 2008. Slightly reductive start. Medium sweetness with lots of caramelized fruit, dried stone fruit and great balance. Moderate oxidative character for its age. Very elegant, very enjoyable.