April 11, 2023 - Dried fruits especially dates, orange rind, dark honey, roasted nuts; extraordinary is the minerality here, really salty on the very long finish. Quite high acidity gives freshness and balance. Lovely wine. 17/20
December 6, 2020 - Amber color with a gold / green rim. Roasted walnut, fig and date nose. A bit sweet and so very harmonious. Likewise, the palate shows lovely depth and harmony. Medium sweet with balanced acidity. Mid-palate shines. Hitting its stride after being opened for two weeks. Dry enough to serve as an aperitif as well as an after dinner sweet lift. (93)
July 5, 2019 - From a bottle open 1-2 months. Improved considerably after open for ~2-4 weeks. Lively acidity comes through as a fresh nose, with raisins and a hint of cherries and plums. Great acidic attack, with dry nuttiness and rancio palate and finish. More cherries and stone fruit as well. Wonderful.
May 25, 2019 - Full bodied, elegant, powerful, nuts, dried figs, dates, roasted macadamia, balanced. Like it, not blind. 92
March 15, 2019 - I had the benefit of being able to compare this against the H&H 15-yr-old Verdelho, H&H 20-yr-old Verdelho, the H&H 20-yr-old Terrantez, and the H&H 20-yr-old Malvazia. This was not in a single tasting, but through ownership of the bottles and repeatedly tasting them over an extended period. I got this particular wine in a supermarket in Funchal, where it was on offer at about €40. Usually I think you have to pay a bit more.
I think this wine came on the market around about late 2015 to early 2016, so is perhaps most comparable in age to a 15-yr-old blend, though in terms of the H&H pricing structure it is being sold intermediate in price to the 15-yr-old and 20-yr-old blends.
I have learned through experience that Madeira even of this type definitely benefits from being open for a day or so before you drink it. Don’t open it and expect it to be immediately at its best. It does survive indefinitely after opening and doesn’t require chilling.
It is on the dry side for a Bual, and is certainly dry enough to drink as an aperitif. The wine is a little less concentrated than the 20-yr-old blends, though materially more concentrated than the 15-yr-old Verdelho. So to my mind it is almost up with the 20-yr-olds and well past the 15-yr-old in quality. This is probably due to selection of some better quality barrel or barrels than would on average go into the blends.
What I like about this wine is its elegance, and its wonderfully long, dry, walnut finish.
December 1, 2018 - Henriques & Henriques at Red & White (Chicago, IL): A little underwhelming for what this should be. Lots of brown sugar and caramel, but surprisingly soft compared to the rest of the lineup. The sweetness and age provide complexity, but the structure here feels flabby and soft (for madeira).
November 30, 2018 - caramel, toffee, seville orange
Orangey, full body, great acidity, chocolate orange, very fresh
September 19, 2018 - Medium amber
Sweet fig maple flavors (almost buttery?)
And a nice bitter nutty finish
February 1, 2017 - Superb stuff.
Nothing much further to add to my previous nose. Beautiful complexity and refreshing acidity.
Recommended.
November 26, 2016 - Mostly port wines, with Andre Ribeirinho and friends in Lisbon (Instituto da Vinha e do Vinho in Lisbon, Portugal): A literally tangy nose. Old Church bannister, salty and elegant, and reminds me of a light Cognac – to which Andre later said that Cognac reminds him of a light Madeira. Deservedly won gold at both Decanter and International Wine Challenge. A superb wine that I just wanted to drink – and after the tasting, I did!