NV D'Oliveiras Madeira 5 Years Medium Dry

Community Tasting Notes (2) Avg Score: 85.5 points

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  8/31/2022 - forceberry wrote: 82 Points

  100% Tinta Negra made from purchased grapes. After 4-5 days of fermentation, once the wine has reached a "medium dry" level of residual sugar, the must is rectified to approx. 20% ABV with 96% ABV grape spirit to halt the fermentation. The fortified wine is then fined, filtered and aged for a minimum of 90 days in epoxy-lined concrete estufas in which the wine is heated artificially to temperatures ranging from 42 to 43°C (108 to 109 °F). After the estufagem process, the wine is blended into large oak casks. The wine is blended from different casks resulting in a wine that is on average 5 years old. 19% alcohol.
  
  Pale amber color; lighter than the Medium Sweet version. Aromas of caramel, some nutty rancio, a little bit of leather, light sweet smoky tones, a creamy hint of custard and a touch of oat biscuits. The wine feels medium-bodied, somewhat sticky and surprisingly intense flavors of grainy malt, some syrupy notes of molasses, a little bit of caramel, light dried-fruit notes of raisins and dried dates, a hint of smoke and touch of pipe tobacco. Rather high in acidity. The medium-sweet finish is quite intense with a somewhat musty aftertaste of smoke, some dusty notes of earth, a little bit of tobacco, light raisiny tones, a hint of dried dates and a touch of malt.
  
  A decent, but also a slightly rugged blended Madeira lacking a bit in focus and vibrancy. The wine does show good sense of freshness, thanks to its moderately high acidity, but - as seems typical of Tinta Negra - it otherwise falls a bit short on complexity, finesse and vibrancy - especially when compared to the d'Oliveiras 5 yo Medium Sweet that was tasted alongside. Drinkable, but nothing I would buy for myself. Somewhat priced according to its quality at 13,50€.

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  4/25/2020 - NickA Likes this wine: 89 Points

  The Might of Madeira with Demetri Walters MW (Zoom!): Tinta Negra (so a red grape, unlike other Madeira). Verdelho style, so c. 70g/l RS. Really quite sweet, nice balance to it, tobacco, toasted nuts. Some spice and strawberry jam. Warming and delicious, but a bit straightforward.

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