Double decanted two weeks before drinking and consumed occasionally across six months. The colour is almost like cognac but with more of a light orange tone. Although initially a little fiery, after the first couple of weeks the nose settled down to show a patina of bitter marmalade, dried citrus, vanilla, dates and molasses, with various rancio elements such as cedar, polished leather and old furniture. The palate feels largely dry, with moderately intense flavours of seville orange peel and dried apricot, bitter lemon, figs, dark honey, cloves and almonds. The finish has a mild fire to it, though not so much that I would have thought the liquid to be all aguardente rather than a mix with sercial. Certainly very unique and charming. It perhaps lacks a little intensity though at the same time has particularly striking length, with the slight viscosity one associates with old whisky. ****1/2+
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Liked this even more this time around. Such an incredible, complex fragrance with layers of roasted nuts, figs, caramel, and other more exotic high toned spicy scents, and the palate is incredible - just barely sweet with all sorts of savoury nutty and smoky flavours, a fiery brandy-like character to it, and incredible acidity beneath with a finish that resonates for minutes. Wow.
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Yet another re-taste from a bottle opened years ago. If anything, this is particular bottle is improving with time. So many layers of dried fruit, pecans and pressed flowers. The acidity is piercing and the finish fans out on the palate with a comforting warmth. I can't wait to drink this on a cold winter night.
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High acid dinner (Rieslings, Riojas, Madeiras, etc) (Milford, CT): This was a re-taste from a bottle opened (about) a year ago. A wine for true lovers of a dry style of Madeira. Searing dry with scraping acids. Lots of nut-skin bitterness, with citrus pith and a slight saline note. This was wonderful, but should perhaps be served as an aperitif rather than an after-dinner wine.
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Great company, very short notes: I enjoyed this quite a bit. Somewhat sherry-like, with a salty, mineral salinity. Tingly lemon skin. High acid. Relatively dry. Very good.
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Rieslings, Riojas, and old fortified wines at Marco's (Milford, CT): This is really compelling. There's a spirity, brandy-like fiery character to the nose, yet on the palate it's remarkably similar to an old Fino with almond oil, roasted nuts, lemon pith and figgy notes conveyed with a very glossy, round texture. There's incredible intensity and power on the palate, yet it feels very light on its feet with really powerful acidity beneath, finishing with just a touch of alcoholic warmth.
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A retaste from a bottle opened 8 months ago. Searingly dry, with a nice bitterness to it. A bit more of a buttered pecan note, with very good persistance. I enjoyed it, but not for everyone, given the overload of acids.
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Old cork, rather short. Wine came out clean, absolutely no sediment. Very clean nose. No stink whatsoever. An almost fruity nose; apricots? A bit of vanilla cream on the palate, but certainly not creamy, quite dry and austere: really scrapes the palate. Not sure if I would pick this out as an auguardente. Very nutty, but not a buttery nut like pecan, more like bitter nutskin. Lengthy finish. Alcohol is noticeable, but not distracting. Quite haunting. Only acid lovers need apply.
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A Taste of History: The Leacock Family Madeiras (revisited) (The J.P. Morgan Mansion, NYC): The nose on this wine was captivating -- perfumed with pressed dried flowers, cognac, sandalwood and sweet old wine cellar scents. This had a pleasing austerity about it on the palate, with rapier-like acids; slightly spirity on the finish. Although this is assumed to be a minimally distilled arguradente from wine lees, this did not possess nearly the severe fire of a brandy… a lovely cross between a cognac and Sercial-like Madeira.
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A Taste of History: The Leacock Family Madeiras (Hotel Monaco, San Francisco, CA): Relatively light in color; golden tawny hue; slight green rim. Very perfumed and cognac-like. Some volatile acidity. Good citric, floral and dried apricot flavors. Certainly dry, but not austere. Incredible "cling" on the palate with some "warmth". A slight bit of "earthiness" in the mid-palate was the only detraction. Lingering pit-bull of a finish. For such a dry wine, there is good richness here. My favorite of the flight, I thought this was super. Mannie mentioned that this reminded him of old, barrel-aged aguradente -- but without the alcohol or heat. Could this have been a diluted aguradente? Is that what the mysterious "A" on the bottle stood for? [Update: Mannie has met up with Ricardo Freitas of Barbeito, who is convinced this is an aguardente - but from wine "lees", not sugar cane. It was probably single or double distilled and the wood aged. Ricardo also mentioned seeing aguardente bottles in family cellars with the distinctive painted "A".].
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Leacock Family Madeira Tasting - Rare Wine Company (Monaco Hotel, San Francisco, California): Light medium orange color with red lights; nice nutty, pecan, pecan tart, dried orange, orange cream and ripe cantaloupe nose; delicate, tart orange, citrus, peach, cantaloupe, tangerine, spirity palate; long finish [Mannie Berk guessed, from the spirity, brandy-like nose and palate, that this may be a Madeira style Aguardente, watered down a bit from the usual Aguardente strength, and then raised in cask for many years, or a blend of Madeira grapes and Aguardente. Ricardo Freitas of Barbeito later confirmed that it would have been Aguardente, but distilled from Madeira lees, not sugar cane. Michael Broadbent, pre-auction, had guessed that it was Sercial, possibly of the 1860 vintage.]
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2/20/2022 - MAOC wrote:
Double decanted two weeks before drinking and consumed occasionally across six months.
The colour is almost like cognac but with more of a light orange tone. Although initially a little fiery, after the first couple of weeks the nose settled down to show a patina of bitter marmalade, dried citrus, vanilla, dates and molasses, with various rancio elements such as cedar, polished leather and old furniture. The palate feels largely dry, with moderately intense flavours of seville orange peel and dried apricot, bitter lemon, figs, dark honey, cloves and almonds. The finish has a mild fire to it, though not so much that I would have thought the liquid to be all aguardente rather than a mix with sercial. Certainly very unique and charming. It perhaps lacks a little intensity though at the same time has particularly striking length, with the slight viscosity one associates with old whisky. ****1/2+
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10/7/2014 - salil wrote: 94 Points
Liked this even more this time around. Such an incredible, complex fragrance with layers of roasted nuts, figs, caramel, and other more exotic high toned spicy scents, and the palate is incredible - just barely sweet with all sorts of savoury nutty and smoky flavours, a fiery brandy-like character to it, and incredible acidity beneath with a finish that resonates for minutes. Wow.
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10/7/2014 - mdefreitas wrote: 93 Points
Yet another re-taste from a bottle opened years ago. If anything, this is particular bottle is improving with time. So many layers of dried fruit, pecans and pressed flowers. The acidity is piercing and the finish fans out on the palate with a comforting warmth. I can't wait to drink this on a cold winter night.
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6/7/2014 - mdefreitas wrote: 91 Points
High acid dinner (Rieslings, Riojas, Madeiras, etc) (Milford, CT): This was a re-taste from a bottle opened (about) a year ago. A wine for true lovers of a dry style of Madeira. Searing dry with scraping acids. Lots of nut-skin bitterness, with citrus pith and a slight saline note. This was wonderful, but should perhaps be served as an aperitif rather than an after-dinner wine.
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6/7/2014 - indiscriminate palate wrote:
Great company, very short notes: I enjoyed this quite a bit. Somewhat sherry-like, with a salty, mineral salinity. Tingly lemon skin. High acid. Relatively dry. Very good.
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6/7/2014 - salil wrote: 91 Points
Rieslings, Riojas, and old fortified wines at Marco's (Milford, CT): This is really compelling. There's a spirity, brandy-like fiery character to the nose, yet on the palate it's remarkably similar to an old Fino with almond oil, roasted nuts, lemon pith and figgy notes conveyed with a very glossy, round texture. There's incredible intensity and power on the palate, yet it feels very light on its feet with really powerful acidity beneath, finishing with just a touch of alcoholic warmth.
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2/29/2012 - mdefreitas wrote: 91 Points
A retaste from a bottle opened 8 months ago. Searingly dry, with a nice bitterness to it. A bit more of a buttered pecan note, with very good persistance. I enjoyed it, but not for everyone, given the overload of acids.
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6/13/2011 - mdefreitas wrote: 93 Points
Old cork, rather short. Wine came out clean, absolutely no sediment. Very clean nose. No stink whatsoever. An almost fruity nose; apricots? A bit of vanilla cream on the palate, but certainly not creamy, quite dry and austere: really scrapes the palate. Not sure if I would pick this out as an auguardente. Very nutty, but not a buttery nut like pecan, more like bitter nutskin. Lengthy finish. Alcohol is noticeable, but not distracting. Quite haunting. Only acid lovers need apply.
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10/17/2009 - mdefreitas wrote: 93 Points
A Taste of History: The Leacock Family Madeiras (revisited) (The J.P. Morgan Mansion, NYC): The nose on this wine was captivating -- perfumed with pressed dried flowers, cognac, sandalwood and sweet old wine cellar scents. This had a pleasing austerity about it on the palate, with rapier-like acids; slightly spirity on the finish. Although this is assumed to be a minimally distilled arguradente from wine lees, this did not possess nearly the severe fire of a brandy… a lovely cross between a cognac and Sercial-like Madeira.
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6/6/2009 - mdefreitas wrote: 94 Points
A Taste of History: The Leacock Family Madeiras (Hotel Monaco, San Francisco, CA): Relatively light in color; golden tawny hue; slight green rim. Very perfumed and cognac-like. Some volatile acidity. Good citric, floral and dried apricot flavors. Certainly dry, but not austere. Incredible "cling" on the palate with some "warmth". A slight bit of "earthiness" in the mid-palate was the only detraction. Lingering pit-bull of a finish. For such a dry wine, there is good richness here. My favorite of the flight, I thought this was super. Mannie mentioned that this reminded him of old, barrel-aged aguradente -- but without the alcohol or heat. Could this have been a diluted aguradente? Is that what the mysterious "A" on the bottle stood for? [Update: Mannie has met up with Ricardo Freitas of Barbeito, who is convinced this is an aguardente - but from wine "lees", not sugar cane. It was probably single or double distilled and the wood aged. Ricardo also mentioned seeing aguardente bottles in family cellars with the distinctive painted "A".].
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6/6/2009 - rjonwine@gmail.com wrote: 92 Points
Leacock Family Madeira Tasting - Rare Wine Company (Monaco Hotel, San Francisco, California): Light medium orange color with red lights; nice nutty, pecan, pecan tart, dried orange, orange cream and ripe cantaloupe nose; delicate, tart orange, citrus, peach, cantaloupe, tangerine, spirity palate; long finish [Mannie Berk guessed, from the spirity, brandy-like nose and palate, that this may be a Madeira style Aguardente, watered down a bit from the usual Aguardente strength, and then raised in cask for many years, or a blend of Madeira grapes and Aguardente. Ricardo Freitas of Barbeito later confirmed that it would have been Aguardente, but distilled from Madeira lees, not sugar cane. Michael Broadbent, pre-auction, had guessed that it was Sercial, possibly of the 1860 vintage.]
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