1980 D'Oliveiras Madeira Boal

Community Tasting Notes (2) Avg Score: 94.5 points

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  9/5/2022 - forceberry wrote: 94 Points

  The wine is made with purchased Boal grapes. After 3-4 days of fermentation, the must is rectified to approx. 20% ABV with 96% ABV grape spirit to halt the fermentation. The fortified wine is transferred to old oak casks which are moved to age in Canteiros, ie. in warm warehouses in which the wines age in casks that are never topped up. 20% alcohol. Bottled in 2021, after 41 years of aging in casks, labeled as "Medium Sweet".
  
  The coppery reddish-brown appearance is very similar to the 1986 vintage tasted at the same time, only slightly lighter and paler in hue. The nose feels somewhat restrained and a bit dusty with sweet and mellow aromas of treacle, some raisiny tones, a little bit of perfumed floral character, light sweet notes of volatile lift and a hint of nuttiness. The wine feels quite sweet, bold and intense on the palate with a silky texture, rather full body and rather concentrated flavors of raisiny dark fruit and zippy grapefruit-driven citrus character, dried exotic fruits, some oxidative nuances of caramel and nutty notes of rancio, a little bit of burnt sugar bitterness, light floral tones, a lifted hint of sweet VA and a touch of roasted malts. The high acidity lends great freshness and sense of structure to the wine, although the overall level of acidity doesn't feel as high as in the 1986 vintage. The finish is lively, sweet and complex with layered, evolved flavors of lemony citrus fruits, some bruised green apple, a little bit of maple syrup, light passion fruit tones, a hint of burnt sugar bitterness and a touch of dried figs.
  
  A fantastic, complex Madeira that is very similar to - yet still quite distinct from - the equally fantastic 1986 Boal. This wine feels more evolved, but normally older Madeiras tend to get sharper and "drier" as the wines (and their acidity) concentrate in barrels, this wine seemed silkier in texture and more mellow in character, showing more aged complexity and depth of flavor, whereas the 1986 packed more freshness, zip and structure in lieu of developed nuances. Both the wines were pretty amazing and I have really hard time saying which is better - they both are so fantastic. Nevertheless, this is an expensive wine at 210€, yet priced according to its quality. Singular stuff.

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  8/16/2021 - Loathesome Likes this wine: 95 Points

  Everything one could look for in a semi mature Boal. Great brown colour with green lights. Clean and round beautiful length weight and complexity with that Madeira grip. Really splendid.

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