This is on my to-do list when I can buy again.
Pat - the advice above isn’t bad. In fact, if I recall, the Rare Wine Company came about because he realized that there was all this old Madeira out there and nobody cared about it, even though it was once highly prized. So he started picking it up and helped to create a market and these days you can’t afford the stuff that people were almost giving away at one time. It was a smart move and I applaud him.
The “historic” series consists of various wines named after a number of American port cities and the wines are supposed to represent the various types of Madeira. It’s well done and it’s like going through Dubouef’s cru bottlings to learn about cru Beaujolais. You get a well-done and not so expensive introduction to the wine.
And there are people making the stuff now, so try some recent versions of the various styles. Then, when you think you know what you like, buy some older wines.
Expensive as they are, old Madeiras are still great buys. The reason is that everything bad has already been done to the wine. If you were to buy a 90 year old Bordeaux, Burgundy, Barolo, or Rioja, you should probably drink the whole bottle with your dinner. But you can keep that bottle of Madeira for the next night or the next month. We’ve tasted a number of very old ones over many months and they don’t seem to fade much. Great wines.
Hi Pat,
That bottle is fascinating. CT has an entry for a bottle like this - but without the words “Welsh Madeira”: any idea what E.L.R. stands for? I’d really like to find a bottle of this.
Nigel
No, I have absolutely no idea what the bottle is. My local shop bought a collection a little while back and I got one of the first cracks at it (it was still in the packed up boxes). This was the only sweet wine in the group. I bought it because an old madeira had been on my list for a long time and the price was right. That is my bottle entered into CT, but I didn’t create the listing. FWIW, I have drank quite a bit from this same collection and most everything has been outstanding (70 LMHB, 70 Latour, 75 LLC, etc.).
Yes, this is one of the attractions to Madeira for me. Sure, there’s risk of being corked but one doesn’t need to worry about oxidation (e.g.). The ability to taste it over time is pretty rare; you are quite right about needing to quaff down older ‘standard’ wine.
thanks for the notes!
I agree on the sugar. It adds to what I say is the hedonistic complexity of Madeira. I had a tiny taste of the 1840 Sercial at that famous restaurant in Tampa that prefers that we not post public TNs. Althgouh I was glad that I decided to pay the ticket to try it, the acidic sharpness was so off the charts that I found it almost uncomfortable to drink, with the acidity making it impossible to enjoy the other flavors. But, as they say, YMMV.
Pat,
Suggest you check out Noel Cossart’s book Madeira “The Island Vineyard”. Can be had from RWC @ $32. Great read. ![[cheers.gif]](/uploads/db3686/original/2X/0/0ff9bfcdb0964982cd3240b6159868fbdf215b1a.gif "cheers"){kind=small}
I definitely applaud the recommendation of the Rare Wine Co. Historic Series of Madeira. They sell in DC for $46 per bottle and are well worth it. I find these bottles take a month or so to open up. Definitely purchase the already mentioned Noel Cossart’s book. David Hancock’s Oceans of Wine is more trade based but nonetheless rich in details.
I’ve transcribed some old Madeira auction lists and Madeira selections from mid 19th century wine lists. Scroll to the bottom of the link below and you’ll find a post about post-Civil War auctions of Madeira and the Hidden Madeira of the Jockey Club.
Best,
Aaron
My mileage varies, in that I prefer Sercial, Terrantez, and Verdelho, then Boal, then Malvasia. I like the mouth-tingling sensation brought about by the acidity. Then again Jay, from reading your preferences about wine here on WB, you appear to enjoy wine with more sweetness than I do. For my 60th in August, I will drink an 1850 d’Oliveirea Verdelho, that I will uncork several months in advance to give it time to open.
Sercial is my favorite of the major grapes. I can understand them being too acidic for some people, but I just love it. I’ve really enjoyed the RWC Historic Series one, as well as vintage bottlings from 1969 and (especially) 1937.
Welsh Brothers were one of the original members of the Madeira Wine Association, now the Madeira Wine Company. I believe some wine is still bottled under the name for the Japanese market. Not sure what the ELR stands for. Could be someone’s initials. That wasn’t too uncommon to designate the source. I’ve never had this particular wine, but the Justino’s 1933 Malmsey is very fine.
Pat Burton wrote:
G. Bienstock wrote:
Madeira is not a wine for pop and pour. It opens ups with lots of air.
meaning hours or days?
Months
Mannie Berk of the Rare Wine Company routinely decants a week before serving. Generally, the longer in bottle, the longer the decant time. Madeira loves air. In the old American Madeira cellars, the demijohns were not even sealed. Just a plate or something over the top to keep the insects out.
Pat - the advice above isn’t bad. In fact, if I recall, the Rare Wine Company came about because he realized that there was all this old Madeira out there and nobody cared about it, even though it was once highly prized. So he started picking it up and helped to create a market and these days you can’t afford the stuff that people were almost giving away at one time. It was a smart move and I applaud him.
Mannie was studying in London when a large parcel of old Madeira came up for sale. He ended up buying it all and used it to start the Rare Wine Company.
My favorite variety is Terrantez. Always rare and usually with great depth. Second would be Verdelho.
The rule of thumb, as suggested by Chris Blandy, was one day of decant for every decade the wine has been in the bottle. So a madeira bottled in 1974 should be decanted for about four days.
I’ve a few bottles open over a year. Still drinking well. I keep them corked, I feel that left completely open, there is a loss of aroma.
Air is Madeira’s friend.
I was under the impression that Madeira can’t be open too long because it has already been intentionally oxidized. Apparently, not true?
Great thread, I’ve always wanted to try Madeira as well but steered clear due to lack of knowledge. Great links and book suggestion. I’ll read up before I drop any coin.
I was under the impression that Madeira can’t be open too long because it has already been intentionally oxidized. Apparently, not true?
Madeira is oxidized as you mentioned. When you say opened, do you mean with the cork out or in? I keep opened bottles recorked and they hold up well for years. I do believe that leaving the cork out causes some loss of aroma, one of the glories of old Madeira. If you leave the cork out, the wine will change. It will become more concentrated and the flavors will be altered somewhat. Some people like the result, but I prefer the original aromas.
Eric, thanks for the thoughtful information on my bottle and the RWC. I’m glad to have this bottle, but I think I will follow the advice of many and try a few others before testing this one out.
Just wanted to thank everyone for their input. I picked up the RWC Historic Series 4 pack to get started while I sit on the '33.
Some corrections to some mis-information in this thread, not meaning to be controversial or anything but helpful here:
The largest producer/exporter of wine is Justino’s, Blandy’s is second, regardless of what some journalists have printed wrongly, and what is stated in this thread.
Barbeito’s old wines were all purchased from other families, not produced by them. When I say old … i.e. 1940 and older. Barbeito as a company which only was founded in 1946 by Mario Barbeito. Unlike many of the other producers mentioned that were established in the 19th century or before.
Actually, Henriques & Henriques is owned by the parent company of Justino’s, which is the French firm, Le Martiniquaise, one of the largest beverage conglomerates in the EU.
The regulatory group that handles Madeira is the IVBAM, Madeira Wine, Embroidery and Handicraft Institute – also known as: Instituto do Vinho do Bordado e do Artesanato da Madeira.
Yes, ABSL or Barros e Sousa will be maintained as a distinct entity from D’Oliveiras but today, bottlings of their wines are being handled next door in Luis D’Oliveiras’ place. So unlike Krohn’s grand old Colheita Ports, the Olim brothers’ legacy will live on.
The 1875 Barbeito Malvasia is NOT pre-Phylloxera as mentioned earlier in the thread. Phylloxera hit the island in 1872 or 1873 depending on which historian you believe.
While the sugar in Madeira may help to exemplify a specific style or grape of Madeira, it has little to do with “the sugar helps keep everything in balance.” No, actually, that would be the acidity, not the residual sugar level. And the drier styles/grapes like Sercial/Verdelho/Terrantez can be every bit as balanced as the ones with greater residual sugar. Again, the balance comes predominantly from the acidity level in Madeira.
Not only don’t they fade, in months, but bottles of Madeira can last and still taste wonderfully, years later. My best example, was a bottle that Mannie Berk (owner of the RWC) poured blind for me a half decade ago. It was extraordinary. He asked me (after listening to my tasting note) to comment on how long I thought the bottle was open? “Er, a couple of months?!?!” was my response. Wrong. Correct answer: 9 years! A lesson I’ve never forgotten. This was kept re-corked and standing up in a kitchen cabinet at room temperature, sans light exposure.
One person here mentioned, "sure there is a risk of being corked … " Well, yes in theory that is the case. However, I am one of those people truly cursed to pick out TCA in cases that even winemakers sitting next to me often times do not initially pick up. Sadly! That being said, with well over 1,000 bottles of Madeira I’ve encountered over many years … just two have been corked. I’ve spoken to producers on the island who have told me point blank, they’ve NEVER experienced a corked bottle of Madeira. It is not something to worry about, that is for sure. I can’t think of any other wine type that I’ve ever experienced, than can boast so few bottles infected by TCA.
M. Kaplan wrote: “My mileage varies, in that I prefer Sercial, Terrantez, and Verdelho, then Boal, then Malvasia. I like the mouth-tingling sensation brought about by the acidity. Then again Jay, from reading your preferences about wine here on WB, you appear to enjoy wine with more sweetness than I do. For my 60th in August, I will drink an 1850 d’Oliveirea Verdelho, that I will uncork several months in advance to give it time to open.”
While I am in the same camp when it comes to the grapes I prefer and like the way Mr. Kaplan expressed this, I can assure him that he does not need to open the 1850 D’Oliveiras Verdelho MONTHS in advance. This producer in particular, leaves their Madeira in cask up until the moment it is bottled in order to be exported. That means, it is not all that easy to find older bottlings of their wines, even if they have many older vintages available. Because their Madeiras do not remain in bottle long, they don’t need a long time to be decanted at all. 24-72 hours for that bottle would be plenty (a week if your palate dictates that it is better), depending on your palate preference. But months ahead, is NOT required or desired, unless somehow you have an ancient bottle, rather than just an older vintage such as this gorgeous 1850 Verdelho.
Roy