Community Tasting Note

Echinosum wrote:

Friday, March 15, 2019 - I had the benefit of being able to compare this against the H&H 15-yr-old, and also against the H&H 20-yr-old Terrantez, the H&H 2000 single harvest Bual (which I think came on the market late in 2015), and the H&H 20-yr-old Malvasia. This was not in a single tasting, but through ownership of the bottles and repeatedly tasting them over several days.

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, so go ahead and open it.

The 15-yr-old scores quite similarly on this site, but sells at only half the price. Thus you might conclude that the extra is far from worth paying. But I think this small difference in score does not reflect the surprisingly large contrast between these two wines when you put them head to head. What you get with the 20-yr-old is a much more concentrated, sophisticated and viscous wine. It has a much more obvious specific Verdelho flavour, and a greater grip and acidity. It seems that the difference is much larger than just 1/3 longer aging, I would guess you are getting a much better selection of barrels with the latter.

In comparison, I am somewhat disappointed with the 20-yr-old Terrantez. It is of very similar dryness and concentration to the Verdelho, though its acidity is less assertive. What it seems to lack is any particular distinctiveness of flavour.

The 2000 Bual was somewhat less concentrated, and only a little less dry. However what I like with this wine is its elegance and very distinctive walnut finish. Miles better than the 15-yr-old Verdelho.

The 20-yr-old Malvasia is on a similar level of concentration to the Verdelho, and much sweeter. What wins with it is the distinctiveness of the flavour and length of the finish

Overall then, the 20-yr-old Verdelho is a substantial step up on the 15-yr-old, and is a wine of distinction, rather more so than the Terrantez, but perhaps a little less so than the Malvasia.

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