A sketch of Madeira
By Edward Vernon Harcourt, published 1851
Part of chapter V
On the agriculture of Madeira
Pages 94 to 99

Cultivation of the vine
The staple of the agriculture of Madeira, and the principal object which occupies is population, is he wine. Vines were formerly planted at a depth of only twenty inches, and sometimes, though never generally, by means of a plough. The instrument was dragged over and over the same ground, till the required depth was attained. Such a practice has long since ceased; indeed, there are very few places in the island, from its rocky nature, where a plough could penetrate twenty inches into the soil. The vine in the south is now always planted in trenches, varying from four to six feet in depth. The depth of the trench is regulated by the nature of the soil. The object in cutting so deep is to allow the roots of the vine to penetrate sufficiently far through the fresh turned earth, to prevent their being dried by the effects of the sun, and a long-continued season of drought, when water for irrigation is scarce. Lumps of pedra molle, and other stones, are placed at the bottom of the trench to keep the earth loose, and prevent the roots of the vines from reaching the stiff soil below. The trenches are filled up slantingly one-third of their depth, the bacello, or cutting, never being planted lower than two-thirds of the depth opened. The new roots shoot mainly from the upper part of the bacello, and at no great distance from the surface of the ground: the part below the roots decays and rots off. When rooted vines are planted they are not put in so deep, although the ground is trenched in the same manner as for bacellos.

Different soils
The names given to the different kinds of soils in which the vine is planted are saibro (decomposed red tufa), cascalho (stony soil), pedra molle (an arenaceous soil, of decomposed yellow tufa), and massapes (clay resulting from the decomposition of dark tufa). The vine lasts the longest in saibro and cascalho. In pedra molle and massapes it produces at first more freely, but the wine is weaker in body, and the plant is soon worn out. The best soil, both for wine and the endurance of the vine, is saibro with a mixture of stones, the plant being always partial to stony or rocky ground.

Best wine districts
The fines wines of Madeira are produced in the parishes of Camara de Lobos, Sao Martinho, and Sao Pedro; in the lower parts of Santo Antonio, the Estreito de Camara de Lobos, Campanario, Sao Roque, and Sao Concalo. The upper parts of the last five parishes produce only second and third-rate wines. The finest Malmsey and Sercial are from the Faja dos Padres, at the foot of Cabo Girao, and from the Paul and Jardim do Mar.
The best vine to graft on is the stock of Malmsey. The best vine to pant in the south is the Verdelho. It is obtained either in the north or from Curral das Freiras.
The length of time that a vineyard will last depends as much on the cultivator as on the quality of his soil. Where the farmer is careless, or intent only on his bemfeitorias, the vines are often huddled into the ground close together, when they often grow up weak and sickly, yield comparatively but little fruit, and die off in eight or ten years, unless forced to exist a few years longer by parsimonious doses of manure. A prudent cultivator will plant his vines ten or twelve palmos [a palmo is about 8 to 9 English inches, depending on the area of the island] apart, when in the same ground, with proper treatment, the plants will yield better, and last from fifty to a hundred years.
The vines, excepting in the north of the island, where they luxuriate wild on the branches of the chestnut trees, are trained on a sort of trellis-work made of the Anundo donax, to which they are bound by split shoots of willow. This framework, when the leaves are off, has the appearance, as you look down upon it from the hills, of nets spread on the ground. One or more walks intersect each vineyard. Along these walks, wooden pillars of about seven feet high are erected at regular distances, to support frames which slope down from them on each side to within two feet of the ground. At this elevation the reeds extend over the whole vineyard. There is barely room for men to creep under these lattice-works either for the purpose of weeding, pruning, or gathering the grapes.
An alqueire (15,625 square palmos) of ground, being soil of the best description, and well cultivated, will produce in an average year from twelve to fifteen barrels of wine, of which twelve go to the pipe. If the soil is of medium quality. And well cultivated, it will produce from eight to ten barrels. Ground of either the best or medium quality in bad hands will not procure more than one or two barrels. In bad land, of course, no vines are planted.
The exportation of wine from Madeira and Porto Santo during the last three years has averaged 6738 pipes, whereas the amount grown has averaged 15,887 pipes. This leaves the large amount of 9149 pies annually consumed in the island, or converted to brandy. The largest amount is drunk by boatmen and burroqueros, who spend about one third of their means in a liquor, which comes under the denomination of low wine. Of the wine exported from the island one-third may be considered of the finest quality, one-third of a medium quality, and one-third as low wine. The first cost of the wine at the press (before fermentation) has this year been from £2 10s to £12 10s per pipe.

Kinds of wines
The names of the different kinds of wine produced in Madeira are – Malvasia, Sercial, Tinta, Boal, Verdelho, Bastardo, Negrinho, and Maroto, all made from grapes bearing those names. The three last are seldom seen, and the Negrinho and Maroto are a bad species of grapes, always used in the manufacture of vinho verde, or refuse wine. The wine called Madeira is made principally from the Verdelho grape, with an admixture of Tinta and Boal: the first gives it body, the two latter flavour. The ordinary Bastardo is a black grape, which yields only a light-coloured wine; the Bastardo branco is rare. The Tinta, or, as it is sometimes called, Negra molle, gives a dark colour to new wines. When it is made into wine by itself, the husk is separated from the stalk and fermented with the juice of the grape, otherwise the Tinta wine would be wanting in the peculiarities of colour and flavour which distinguish it.

Manufacture of wine
To make fine wine it is essential that the grapes should be fully ripe. The ripeness is judged of by the softness of the bunches, which lose their rigidity when the sap ceases to enter them. All unripe grapes, and those of inferior sorts, must be carefully picked out and put aside for the vinho verde. When the wine press is full the grapes are trodden, and then pressed under the beam of the lagar (wine press). The must is carried away in goat-skins and transferred to casks, there to undergo fermentation. When the violence of the fermentation is over, that is to say, in ten or twelve days, it is approved practice to throw into each cask two or three pounds of powdered gypsum, stirring it up in the wines daily for the next ten days. The gypsum is said to take up the watery particles of the wine, and prevent its becoming ropy: the fermentation then gradually subsides, and at the end of six or eight weeks the lees are racked off, and a gallon or two of brandy added to each pipe.
Madeira wines are considerably advanced and matured by heat. It is a common thing to give these wines a passage to the East or West Indies, before they are landed in England.
The heat of a ship’s hold in India, or of a sugar-laden ship in Jamaica, sometimes exceeds 110° of Fahrenheit. By some, the wine is ripened at home in stoves; the abuse of which, by giving a false appearance of age to inferior wines, has at various times been prejudicial to the trade of the island.
The countrymen calculate that one-tenth of the produce of a vineyard is destroyed by flies, lizards, and rats.

The Madeira Wine Institute IVBAM had organized a common booth together with four Madeira wine producers: H. M. Borges Lda, represented by Goncalo de Spinola, Henriques & Henriques Vinhos SA, represented by Humberto Jardim, the Madeira Wine Company SA, represented by Ricardo Tavares and Vinhos Justino Henriques Filhos Lda., represented by Julio Fernandes. The IVBAM itself was also there with its friendly staff and as always, Matthias Meichsner represented the Portuguese chamber of foreign commerce AICEP. The main topic besides the wines themselves was the flooding of the island, just a few weeks ago. None of the producers was severely hit by the floods and things were very much back to normal they reported. It looks like Funchal will be perfectly ready for the Flower Festival in April. Lots of information about Madeira wine was available and an interesting wine-food-paring event was hosted by Michael Pleitgen, head of the Berliner Weinakademie, associated with the Wine and Spirit Education Trust WSET. All the companies present had brought their range of blends as well as some rarities, free for tasting.

A great thank you goes to the IVBAM and Matthias Meichsner, AICEP as well as to the producers for generously sharing their Madeira wines. The tasting notes of some wines that impressed me most as well as some additional information are posted below.

Madeira Wine Company
I asked Ricardo Tavares about the Harvest-Colheita-Vintage legislation and he told me that indeed a wine bottled as a Colheita could indeed become –after further cask ageing- a vintage Madeira. In fact the MWC has wines in cask that already have been bottled as a Colheita wine, but look promising enough to keep a part of the vintage for further ageing. Should the winemaker later decide that the wine did not quite reach vintage Madeira qualities, it could still be used to back up the blends.
2001 Harvest Malmsey
This Harvest wine shows a iodine brown color with a lovely and rich walnut nose, some raisins and an atypical, almost floral background (or was it the detergent?). On the palate the wine is rich with sweet walnuts and some roasted aromas like coffee and molasses, but it is all carried by a solid fruity backbone, ending in long caramel and walnut finish. 92 points in 3/2010.
2000 Colheita Verdelho
A bright iodine brown color and a nutty nose with a splash of VA lead the way to a moderately sweet but very nutty and elegant palate with an almost lean impression, well defined with walnuts, little toffee and almonds, ending in a nutty finish of medium length. 90 points in 3/2010.
15YO Malmsey
This wine shows a brilliant medium dark iodine color and a rather rich nose of nuts, fudge and some darker aromas like ashes and burnt sugar as well. In the mouth the wine is very sweet, but with solid acidity as a counterweight, lots of caramel here but again the roasted aromas that also showed up in the nose. Burnt sugar, a hint of cinnamon and coffee are coming through and keep the sweet wine interesting and very complex before ending on a long caramel finish with just a hint of roastiness at the very end. 93 points in 3/2010.

Henriques & Henriques
The company was not affected at all by the flooding and business is running well as usual. From some other source I have heard that the remaining bottles of the “heavenly quartet” are decreasing fast. So every Madeira wine fanatic that has never had a chance to taste these four wines be warned that time is running out on you.
15YO Bual
This 15YO blend displays a cold medium dark brown, almost cola-like. The nose is very interesting with a kaleidoscope of walnuts, caramel and toffee, rich and decadent. On the palate there is caramel sweetness to begin with, also lots of toffee and then the acidity really jumps into your face and opens a second stage of raisins, figs and other dried fruits. A base layer of figs goes through to the long caramel end. 92 points in 3/2010.

Vinhos Justino Henriques
Due to its location up hill in Cancela the company was also not affected by the flooding. After being very successful with the Colheitas of 1995, 1996 (one of my favourite Colheitas ever!) and 1998, they finally closed the gap by presenting the 1997 Colheita.
1997 Fine Rich Colheita
So after the brilliant 1996 Colheita I was looking forward to this 1997 wine. This Colheita shows a reddish iodine brown with, very interesting and brilliant color. The subdued nose is dark and roasted, some raisins there as well but the overall impression is one of singed and burnt aromas. Then to my surprise the palate is very fruity, rich sweetness in good balance to high acidity, rather little caramel and more on the fruity and grapey side of aromas, with a long fruity and highly acidic finish. Different then the 1996 Colheita but definitely a very good wine too. 92 points in 3/2010.

H. M. Borges
Things are going very well for H. M. Borges, Goncalo de Spinola told me, since they decided to enter the German market only last year. Also the other European markets are on a slow but steady rise. The economic crisis does not seem to have a severe effect on Madeira exports. H. M. Borges is thinking about new facilities, depending on how the economy will unfold in 2010. In general there seems to be a change of attitude at Borges, shifting to a more expansive and competitive strategy. Also there are plans to release a second bottling of the 40+ years Malmsey blend, which could be a 60+ years blend if only regulations weren’t standing in the way. The first bottling was only 1000 bottles and these were gone in a hurry.
Rainwater
This rainwater is intended for the everyday-madeira-market and is made from Tinta Negra Mole. It should be served very cold and I am sure that the level of sweetness will then be semi-dry. At the rather high temperature of ProWein conditions the wine is semi-sweet, soft and rounded, mellow, indeed with a rain”watery” feeling but in a very positive way. This light brown wine with its subdued nutty nose is certainly the sweetest rainwater I have ever had, but it is well done and a great value. 87 points in 3/2010.
1998 Single Harvest Malmsey
After 8 years in cask, this Single Harvest Malmsey shows a medium dark mahogany color with a fruity toffee nose. In the mouth this wine is all harmony, soft and rounded, very much on the toffee and caramel side with lots of sweetness, some walnuts and almonds and a long and sweet caramel finish. Maybe this wine is old fashioned in its caramel and toffee design but very well done. 93 points in 3/2010.
1977 Boal Vintage
Opened just minutes ago this wine shows a muddy iodine brown color. The nose has lots of VA, dates and figs, then a second layer of nuts and even fruity grapes in the background, impressive and multidimensional. In the mouth the wine is medium sweet, nutty and fudgy then it shifts to a more roasted side but still with fudgy nuts in the foreground, ending with a slightly roasted finish with medium length. 92 points in 3/2010.

The following video is a short feature about the Prowein 2010 with focus on Rieslings from the Palatinate, Champagne and Madeira wine of course. It is my first video ever, so please be lenient… And of course I am not a native speaker, but nevertheless I thought that 98% of the earth’s population would still be better off with my bad English instead of my perfect German :-)

Panoramic view of beautiful Hamburg, Germany.

This time five Madeira wine producers were present: H. M. Borges Lda, represented by Goncalo de Spinola, Henriques & Henriques Vinhos SA, represented by Humberto Jardim, the Madeira Wine Company SA, represented by Ricardo Tavares, Vinhos Barbeito Lda., represented by Americo Pereira from Diogos Wine Shop in Funchal and Vinhos Justino Henriques Filhos Lda., represented by Julio Fernandes. The IVBAM itself was represented by vice director Joao Nunes. As always, Matthias Meichsner represented the AICEP. Lots of information about Madeira wine was available, an advertising movie with wonderful views of Madeira island was shown and tasty hors d’oeuvres and delicious Bolo de Mel relieved any hunger. All the companies present had brought their range of blends as well as some rarities, free for tasting.

Madeira masterclass in Hamburg.

The Madeira masterclass certainly was the highlight of the event. It was hosted by Michael Pleitgen, head of the Berliner Weinakademie, associated with the Wine and Spirit Education Trust WSET. Ten most impressive Madeira wines were tasted. Michael Pleitgen also gave a half hour presentation about the special features of Madeira wine that fascinated even the seasoned Madeira wine veterans.

A great thank you goes to Joao Nunes, IVBAM and Matthias Meichsner, AICEP for the invitation to this perfect event, as well as to the producers for generously sharing their Madeira wines. If this event is any hint at how the future of Madeira wine is going to be then there is no need for worries! The tasting notes of fourteen wines that impressed me most are posted below. You might notice that the emphasis was on sweet and semi-sweet wines, but to me this was only fitting for the start of the cold season.

The ten wonderful wines of the Madeira masterclass.

H. M. Borges
1998 Malvasia Colheita
This Colheita shows a dark mahogany color. The nose is dominated by roasted dark hazelnut-aromas together with a fair amount of volatile acidity and orange. The taste is rather sweet, but well balanced with acidity, together with lots of caramel and even a hint of vanilla, then nuts again and a long caramel finish. A good example of a classic Malvasia wine. 91 points 10/2009.

1995 Boal Colheita
A bright but cold iodine brown is the interesting color of this wine. Heavy and singed caramel together with a small amount of volatile acidity please the nose. In the mouth the first sip leaves a roasted, almost smoked impression, lots of toffee here and caramel as well, but also a good measure of fruity acidity. A clean caramel finish of medium length leaves the mouth waiting for the next sip. A very nice old-style Madeira. 92 points 10/2009.

1977 Sercial Vintage
This rather young vintage Madeira displays a bright iodine brown, almost tawny color. The nose is fresh and nutty, with a slight hint of oak and a splash of volatile acidity adding to the overall impression of lightness. On the palate this Sercial is rather sweet, so this is a pleasant surprise for all those who usually do not like Sercial. A nutty foundation with powerful acidity carries caramel, a little toffee and lots of walnuts to the long finish. An impressive wine and a Sercial that is pleasant to drink without having to wait a couple of decades. 93 points 10/2009.

Henriques & Henriques
2000 Bual Single Harvest
This single harvest wine shows its young age by the bright mahogany color with a greenish rim. In the multilayered nose with a little volatile acidity dried fruits and caramel dominate, but there is also a hint of vanilla. On the palate the wine is pleasantly sweet, but also rounded and harmonious with lots of caramel and soft acidity. In the background there is subdued fruit that carries on to the creamy caramel and toffee finish. This wine might not have a lot of personality but it is just easy to drink and a real fun wine. A nice drink for the cold season too. 92 points 10/2009.

1998 Rich Single Harvest
This wine is made from Tinta Negra Mole and shows a bright iodine brown color. The nose is multilayered with caramel, toffee, walnut, raisins and a hint of coffee beans. In the mouth there is a fierce attack of acidity that carries on as a backbone, but also yummy aromas of citrus fruits that compete with a broad layer of caramel. The rich sweetness adds to the pleasant impression of this wine, ending in a long and fruity finish. A well made TNM wine! 91 points 10/20009.

Madeira Wine Company
2001 Blandys Harvest Malmsey
A golden brown color with a slightly reddish rim, almost like a chestnut brown promises a rather heavy Malmsey. The nose is packed with caramel and different nutty aromas, a hint of roasted aromas as well. In the mouth there is considerable sweetness but also lots of acidity, so this wine is in good balance. There is lots of caramel, lots of walnut and a funky roastiness that carries on to the caramel finish, keeping the wine from being cloying. Very nice and pleasant to drink, a great wine for the cold season and already quite complex despite its young age. 92 points 19/2009.

1990 Blandys Colheita Malmsey
This colheita shows a dark iodine brown with a slightly greenish rim. The nose is rather subdued, with a hint of volatile acidity and some caramel. But once on the palate, the wine shifts to a higher gear with a very good balance between heavy sweetness and powerful acidity, bitter-sweet fruits to go with it, almost a hint of grapefruit there, then a caramel finish of medium length. An impressive wine that would benefit in complexity from a couple more years in cask and might even return as a young vintage Madeira. 91 points 10/2009.

1976 Blandys Terrantez Vintage
This Terrantez vintage Madeira was the best wine of the tasting for me. Later one of my Madeira wine comrades told me, that this wine is one of his favorites and that he has been buying it for years. I had never had this wine before, but after tasting it , I can easily see why. The color is a dark mahogany. In the nose there is a kaleidoscope of aromas, lots of volatile acidity, a little musk, dark and roasted aromas, then a touch of something wild, funky, leathery, waxy, hard to describe, but pleasant and very well fitting into the overall impression, and finally a lot of dried fruits. So much fun before even the first sip, wow. And then with the first sip the wine keeps its promise: nutty sweetness, powerful acidity, a layer of bitter walnut, lots of caramel, raisins, molasses, that wild, funky, leathery thing in the background again and then a long bitter walnut finish. What a great wine, hard to believe it only had 21 years in cask. I just hope they will give it more time, since this is going to become a classic Terrantez vintage Madeira. 94 points 10/2009.

Vinhos Barbeitos
VB Reserve
Lote 2 Cask 12d und 46a
This rarity displays a bright iodine brown color and a fruity nose with caramel to go with it. The palate is also very fruity, funky acid there as well, leading to a clean and fresh impression, then there is some caramel and medium sweetness in the finish. A nice wine that will do well as an aperitif as well as an after dinner drink. 92 points 10/2009.

Malvasia 20 Years Old
This rare 20 YO Blend shows a tawny color with straw colored rim. The nose is focused on nutty and fruity aromas. In the mouth the wine is rather sweet, but complex, with lots of acidity, a little overpowering, lots of fruit and a long bitter walnut finish. Other participants liked this wine a lot more then I did. 89 points 10/2009.

2001 Boal Colheita
Interesting straw color with a hint of yellow here. The nose displays candied orange and grapey fruit, reminding me of a Moscatel de Setubal. The palate is also on the light side with lots of sweetness but rather little acidity, a hint of fruit, then toffee and caramel. For an acid freak like me the wine was a little cloying and one-dimensional. The all-caramel finish was rather short. 89 points 10/2009.

1981 Verdelho Vintage
A well-known Verdelho to me, this 1981 wine, that spent 24 years in cask until 2005. The color is a medium bright tawny with a hint of red. The nose has dried fruits, a hint of cinnamon, some raisins, more complex then I remembered. The palate is quite powerful with lots of fierce acidity, only little sweetness in the background, leading to an almost dry overall impression, nice citric fruit here with only little caramel, but complex and nutty. The powerful acidity carries through to the walnut finish. A good and very powerful wine! 93 points 10/2009.

Vinhos Justino Henriques
1995 Colheita
The predecessor of my favorite TNM-colheita shows a golden brown and an unusual but pleasant nose with fruity caramel and an initial blast of peppermint. The palate is sweet and balanced with pleasant acidity, nice fruit in the background, but the focus is on caramel, walnut and almonds, with a slightly bitter nutty finish. A well made TNM wine. 91 points 10/2009.

1996 Colheita
This TNM colheita has been a favorite of mine for a long time and it impressed me again. With its dark iodine brown color and its rich nose of figs, nuts and coffee this colheita is complex and fun to drink. In the mouth it is quite sweet, perfectly balanced with just the right amount of acidity, then toffee, almonds, walnuts, also some darker more roasted aromas as well. This time the wine is even more rounded and mellow, may be because of the longer storage time in cask. The grapey finish is long. A very pleasant drink and a good combination of complexity and harmony. 92 points 10/2009.

Tasting notes of the wines, in order of the tasting:

1830 Justino Henriques Sercial Solera
Since this bottle had only been 2/3rds full, I had been able to buy it at a very competitive price. I expected next to nothing from this particularly wine. Interestingly, the label said "Solera of the Vintage", but I still think it was a Solera wine. The wine had been bottled by Vinhos Justinos Henriques, but originally came from the estates of Joao Alfredo Faria. The previous owner of the bottle had bought it about 50-60 years ago and it was found again when he cleaned out his cellar. The bottle was #178 of a total number of only 700 bottles. The wine had a muddy brown appearance, very cloudy, probably stirred up sediment from the transport. The sweet and spicy toffee nose had considerable VA and walnuts. The palate was quite sweet for a Sercial, in fact the wine seemd a little on the soft side, especially for a Sercial. There were nutty flavors, some roasted, slightly bitter aromas, but the wine was not very complex and had a bitter and acidic finish of medium length. Certainly not in the top ranks, but not a bad value for the bargain price. 92 points in 7/2009.

1905 D’Oliveira Verdelho
This wine was also quite cloudy with a bright iodine brown, brighter than I had expected and showed a weird nose with an initial blast of burned sulphur, also lots of VA and stewed fruits. On the palate there was little sweetness, lots of acidity, citric lemon flavors, also some nuttiness, but the wine was not well integrated, the acidity seemed hot and spirity, even raw, when ending with a bitter, roasted finish. I have had this wine a couple of times before and this one usually is a very fine and nutty example of Verdelho. Something was certainly wrong with this bottle, so no points here.

1839 Terrantez (producer unknown)
I had bought this wine at an auction a couple of years ago, together with a second bottle with no label, but of similar appearance. Supposedly both bottles contained the same wine (and looking back, I think it was the same wine), so I had opened the bottle without a label in 2006, finding it to be a perfect example of a highly acidic Terrantez. Knowing that Roy likes Terrantez and acidity I just had to bring the second bottle to this tasting. It had only a small handwritten paper label (fastened with scotch tape…) with “Terrantez (Madeira)” on it. It also featured some more writing after the “(Madeira)” that looked like “Pyreivan”, but I could not really convince myself to think of “Pereira” as in Pereira D’Oilveira. So the exact producer of this wonderful wine remains unknown. It featured a dark brown coffee color, also a little cloudy. The nose was lively and multi-layered with coffee, singed caramel and a little VA that softened nicely. In the mouth there was a perfect mixture of some sweetness with very high acidity, rich and decadent, but very precise, fudgy, with a hint of cinnamon, ending with a very long finish of brown sugar and coffee, and still that pinching acidity was shining through. Wow, what an amazing wine. To me there is no doubt that Madeira wine is at its best when produced from the difficult but rewarding Terrantez grape. Unfortunately there is no way to tell where this wine came from. 98 points in 7/2009.

Three of the wines tasted.

1900 Manoel de Sousa Boal
Since little is known about this producer, I had bought two bottles of this wine at auction for a relatively low price. The cork seemed to be very short, just 13mm in length, so I had recorked the wine before the flight to the U.S., destroying a beautiful MSH (Manoel de Sousa Herdeiros) wax seal. The wine showed a rather dark cola color, the darkest of all wines, with an orange brown rim. The spicy nose was very impressive with prunes, stewed fruits, a little VA to make it even more complex. In the mouth the wine was quite sweet, but the sweetness was overpowered by a nearly insane acidity. The wine was very concentrated with caramel, toffee, quite complex and harmonious, with a long and slightly bitter but highly acidic finish. The acidity was so high, it almost seemed to be not fully integrated. A wine for acid freaks, powerful and concentrated, I liked it a lot. 96 points in 7/2009.

1903 D’Oliveira Boal
Chuck had opened this wine many months before the tasting, so we were anxious to see how well it had kept. Showing a brilliant dark brown color, this Boal was not only in perfect shape, but also showed how beneficial a long decanting time can be. The nose was a perfect Boal nose with fudgy caramel, slightly nutty and still a little VA. The palate was equally impressive with lots of creamy caramel, backed by still crisp acidity, walnuts, and a long toffee finish, all very rounded and harmonious. A wonderful and classic Boal, at its best after being opened half a year ago! 97 points in 7/2009.

1827 Quinta do Serrado Boal
This is one of my all time favorites and I was very happy to see, that Chuck had brought this wine to the tasting. This Boal showed a brilliant dark iodine brown with a slightly red center. The nose was a little subdued, with hints of VA, caramel and toffee. The palate shifted to a higher gear, with elegant sweetness in perfect balance with powerful acidity. This wonderful Boal displayed brown sugar, multiple layers of nutty caramel, a hint of vanilla, and a long and acidic caramel finish with a little roasted coffee in the end. Hmmm, the taste kept sitting in the far corners of the mouth for a long time, a wonderful example of Boal, perfectly showing why this is considered a classic collectors Madeira. 97 points in 7/2009.

The Madeira Wine Institute IVBAM had organized a common booth for the Madeira wine producers. The companies of Henriques & Henriques, represented by CEO Humberto Jardim, the Madeira Wine Company, represented by commercial manager Ricardo Tavares and Vinhos Justino Henriques, represented by commercial manager Julio Fernandez showed their range of blends, as well as Colheita wines and Vintage Madeiras. Unfortunately Vinhos Barbeitos had to cancel their planned appearance at the ProWein. Besides a lot of sampling from the wines shown at the Madeira booth, there was a lot of interesting news from Madeira island and some talk about how the struggling economy affects the Madeira wine business. An interesting tasting seminar had been organized too, hosted by sommeliere Yvonne Heistermann. A big THANK YOU goes to all the people from the producers and the IVBAM who were very helpful, generously poured samples and provided lots of information.

Here are some news and tasting notes from the three companies present at the Düsseldorf ProWein 2009. In general the overall quality of Madeira wine is becoming better year after year, especially the quality of the TNM wines. I am looking forward to next year’s ProWein and many new Madeira wines in 2010!

Henriques & Henriques:
I talked to Humberto Jardim about future prices for vintage Madeira wines. Because of the enormous costs involved in the production of vintage Madeira, there will be no drop in prices, despite the world wide crisis of the economy. New releases of vintage Madeiras are currently not in the pipeline. The company wants to focus on existing products and rather wait and react to the market as things develop. H&H had a very good Colheita wine for tasting as well as the complete range of blended wines, which are always worth tasting..
Henriques & Henriques 1998 Colheita
Like the other producers too, H&H now mark the Colheita wines as „Single Harvest“ to make marketing easier on the international markets. This Colheita is made from Tinta Negra Mole (TNM) and has a residual sugar of 120 gr/l, 19% alcohol and about 4,5 gr/l of total acidity. The wine has a dark amber color, a nose stuffed with caramel, roasted aromas and lots of toffee. The wine is remarkably sweet, rather complex, lots of caramel in the mouth too, some darker roasted aromas as well, then a wonderful toffee finish of medium length. Again this wine shows the level of quality the wines from TNM can achieve if the producers put enough effort into it.

Madeira Wine Company:
There is interesting news from the MWC: In the near future the MWC is going to produce 5YO blends from the TNM grape to relief some pressure from the white grape varieties in order to free capacities for Colheitas and vintage Madeiras. May be the 5YO TNM blends are going to replace the 5YO blends from the classic varieties completely, this is not yet decided and will depend on the development of the market. There was a dry and a rich 5YO TNM blend for tasting at the ProWein, both were quite good, another proof for the skills of the winemaker Francisco Albuquerque, “winemaker of the year” third time in a row. Also a Blandy Terrantez Colheita is going to be released in the near future. In general the MWC will focus even more on the main brand of Blandy’s. Miles is only available on the island; Leacock is only being kept for Scandinavia, where the brand is well established. Finally the MWC introduced new corks printed with the vintage year of the wine bottled, as well as the year of bottling.
Blandy’s 5YO Dry Blend (TNM)
This is the new TNM blend for the near future, showing a nice orange-brown color. The nose shows nutty flavors, grapey fruit and raisins. On the palate the wine is quite fruity, not to dry, pleasant to drink, with enough acidity to keep it interesting. Certainly less nutty flavors compared with the 5YO Sercial, but nevertheless a well done wine for everyday drinking.
Blandy’s 5YO Rich Blend (TNM)
The sweet variety of the 5YO TNM blend shows a warm cola brown and a big and very rich nose of figs and raisins –wow!- then in the mouth considerable sweetness, but no to sticky, raisins and lots of toffee, lots of acidity, much more than in the 5YO Malmsey, very well integrated, long finish of fruit and caramel. This is a very good blend, and is even better than the 5YO Malmsey IMHO.
Blandy’s 1992 Malmsey Colheita
This wine has only been bottled in January 2009 and shows a medium dark mahogany. The nose is subdued, mainly toffee. Then in the mouth the wine switches to a higher gear, with a spectacular acidic attack at first, then caramel and butter, toffee, leading to an almost creamy impression, before ending with a slightly bitter caramel finish. After 17 years in the cask this wine is impressing, powerful and complex.
Blandy’s 1991 Boal Colheita
This Colheita spent 18 years in cask, you might call it an almost-vintage Madeira. In fact a good Colheita Madeira could spend a couple more years in cask and return to the market as a vintage Madeira later, if enough wine has remained in cask to warrant the effort. This wine now shows a nice orange-brown color and a sweet toffee nose. On the palate there is pleasant sweetness with enough acidity as a counterpart, also some roasted, darker aromas, quite complex, lots of toffee, and a dark toffee finish. Well done and rather concentrated, thanks to the 18 years in cask.
Blandy’s 1990 Malmsey Colheita
And another interesting Colheita with a shiny iodine brown and a fruity raisin nose with lots of toffee added. On the palate the first impression is that of a Chinese sweet and sour sauce, because of the concentration, but the balance of sweetness and acidity is well done, a little sharp in the beginning, probably not decanted long enough, only little caramell and toffee, but lots of fruit, lemon, orange, a little Moscatel, also a long fruity finish with a touch of bitterness at the end, reminding me of candied orange peel. Very interesting and well done, for me the best Colheita of the 2009 ProWein, a perfect example of the modern fruity Madeira style.
Blandy’s 1977 Boal
After 30 years in cask, this Boal has been bottled in 2007. Even though quite young, the color is a rich and warm iodine brown. In the nose there is a little amount of volatile acidity, then figs and honey, a little caramel. On the palate the sweetness is forthcoming with just the right amount of sugar (80 gr/l), lots of acidity, a little sharp at the beginning, but the bottle had been opened just an hour ago, then lots and lots of sweet toffee, with still enough acidity in the background, and a long creamy toffee finish. This is a very good Madeira, a typical Boal, impressive already, it will benefit from more time in cask.
Blandy’s 1966 Sercial
Bottled in 2004 the wine has been in cask for 38 years. The color is a dark tawny, the nose is all nuts at first, then a little fruity as well. The first impression on the palate is a real acid punch, but then the acidity becomes a kaleidoscope of fruity aromas, the wine changes to a softer layer of nuts and licorice –is this really a Sercial?- even a little toffee and a long almond finish, still carried through by the acidity. A well done combination of the two sometimes rather different styles of Sercial: acidity and nuts. Very interesting, even for those who usually do not really like Sercial.

Vinhos Justino Henriques:
There is news from VJH too: I saw a new brand for the European market called „Colombo“. According to VJH the brand had existed before (besides Justino’s and East India) but had not yet been shown at the ProWein.
Justino’s 1998 Colheita
This is the successor to my favorite Colheita of 1996. Unfortunately it can not fully compete with the predecessor. Nevertheless the wine is well done, shows a shiny iodine brown, a nice caramel nose and on the palate a solid balance of sweetness and acidity with fruit, caramel and a sweet toffee-finish.
Justino’s 1996 Colheita
This is the first really convincing wine for me, made from TNM. It has a medium dark iodine color and a very rich, sweet and nutty nose, with toffee too and figs. The palate has medium sweetness and is perfectly balanced with medium acidity, toffee, a little vanilla, almonds, nuts, then also darker aromas, coffee. The vinous finish is very long and the wine in general is very enjoyable to drink, combines complexity and harmony!

” I have seen an instance of common flies preserved in a manner somewhat similar. They had been drowned in Madeira wine, apparently about the time when it was bottled in Virginia, to be sent to London. At the opening of one of these bottles, at the house of a friend where I then was, three drowned flies fell into the first glass that was filled. Having heard it remarked that drowned flies were capable of being revived by the rays of the sun, I proposed making the experiment upon these; they were therefore exposed to the sun upon a sieve, which had been employed to strain them out of the wine. In less than three hours, two of them began by degrees to recover to life. They commenced by some convulsive motions of the thighs, and at length raised themselves upon their legs, wiped their eyes with their fore feet, beat and brushed their wings with their hind feet and soon after began to fly, finding themselves in Old England, without knowing how they came thither. The third continued lifeless till sunset, when, losing all hopes of him, he was thrown away.”

This story is certainly wrong from a scientific point of view. No fly could have survived being drowned in Madeira wine for months or years and then buzz off to a second life in “Old England”. My guess would be, that the bottle had been opened a couple of hours before , maybe even decanted and put back into the rinsed bottle, giving any fly a good chance to be lured into the bottle by the lovely aromas of Madeira wine. Nevertheless I like the story because it shows, among other things, two interesting facts:

First: Man was, is and always will be fascinated by the thought of bringing the dead back to life. To be able to pull someone out of Death’s tightly closed hands is a deed unmatched. Even with resuscitation becoming somewhat “normal” business in modern medicine, the excitement, the thrill and the relief will still be felt by those working together to succeed in “recalling to life” a human being.

Second: So highly was Madeira wine regarded back then, that the reputation of Madeira wine to have special, almost mystical, qualities seems to have been common thought in 1773. Today it is common knowledge that the “medicine of wine” can indeed prolong your life. May be this is just another example of something being common knowledge, before science could prove it 200+ years later? Anyway, it’s one more good reason to drink Madeira wine - not that anyone should need one more good reason...

Henriques & Henriques Vinhos SA
1998
Medium Rich Single Harvest
Made from Tinta Negra Mole, this wine shows a medium dark mahogany color and a beautiful and fudgy toffee nose. In the mouth there is medium sweetness, a sharp acidic entry, then more toffee and a coffee finish of medium length.

Madeira Wine Company SA
Alvada, Blandy
Yes I know what serious Madeira wine lovers think of Alvada. I admit I used to be one of those. But drinking it slightly cooled, this medium mahogany colored wine shows a rich and fruity nose and a sweet and very fruity palate with a surprisingly long fruity finish. This wine is easy to drink and very enjoyable.
15YO Malmsey, Blandy
This wine has a brilliant medium dark iodine color and a complex nose with fudge, nuts and some roasted aromas. On the palate it was rather sweet, with high acidity, lots of caramel but also some dark and roasted aromas that keep it interesting. The finish of caramel with a little coffee is of medium length. Pleasant.
2001
Malmsey Harvest, Blandy
This harvest wine is of bright iodine color and has a fudgy nose. The palate is sweet and nutty, then changes to a more fruity middle and ends with a medium long toffee finish. This Malmsey spent 6 ½ years in cask and is quite complex.
1998
Verdelho Colheita, Cossart Gordon
The color is a very bright iodine, the nose is all nuts. In the mouth the wine is quite sweet for a Verdelho, also lots of fruit and acidity, nicely balanced with the sweetness, and then a long bitter finish. Interesting!
1997
Bual Colheita, Cossart Gordon
This colheitas wine shows a bright straw color and a fruity nose with some toffee as well. On the palate there is lots of toffee, leading to an almost creamy feel, but there is powerful acidity as well. It all ends in an impressive all toffee finish.
1996
Malmsey Colheita, Cossart Gordon
This is the darkest of the displayed colheitas, showing a dark cola brown. The nose has a strong whiff of VA, even though on the technical sheet they will tell you that it is only 0,66%. The nose also has honey with some pleasant roasted aromas as well. In the mouth this wine is rather sweet, even for a Malmsey, but this is well balanced with a complex palate of honey and caramel and lots of acidity. The finish is very long and ends with rich and beautiful caramel.
1991
Sercial Colheita, Cossart Gordon
This the lightest of the MWC wines at the Berlin tasting, with a very bright iodine color. The nose shows lots of nutty flavours and bees wax as well. The wine has a very dry entry, then softens a little and shows nuts and almonds. The acidity is high but not to much so and carries the wine on to an interesting acidic finish of medium length, that leaves the mouth refreshed.

Vinhos Barbeito Lda.
20YO Malvasia Lote 6072, Barbeito
This rarity shows a honey color and even more honey in the nose, together with lots of fruit. On the palate this wine is high on acidity, very fruity, complex with multiple layers of honey and grapes, with a long acidic finish. Though not easy to drink, this wine is very complex and interesting.
2000
Malvasia Colheita Single Cask 44a, Barbeito
Because of the long hot summer in 2007 and the storage in a hot place (“a” to “c” indicate different places of storage) this wine underwent rapid concentration that lead to the early bottling of 1.026 bottles from cask 44. The wine has a bright straw color, the nose shows almost no oxidation but lots of fresh and fruity aromas, almost like grape juice. In the mouth this wine lives up to the nose, starting with grapey sweetness, then an almost Moscatel-like flavour, lots of acidity, still no oxidation, no roasted or dark aromas at all, but nevertheless very complex and impressive, ending with a long grapey finish. This wine is something of a rarity and certainly not a typical Madeira, but very pleasant!
1997
Medium Dry Single Harvest, Barbeito
This TNM wine has a bright straw color with tawny edges. The nose is very grapey and the palate is fresh, almost crisp and very acidic, but balanced with enough fruit and sweetness to make it very pleasant. The acidic finish leaves the mouth refreshed.

Vinhos Justino Henriques Filhos Lda.
1996
Colheita, Justinos
I had hoped for another sip of the Terrantez Old Reserve, but this wine was just as amazing, though something completely different. The wine has a medium dark iodine color and a very rich, sweet and nutty nose, with toffee too and figs. The palate has medium sweetness and is perfectly balanced with medium acidity, toffee, almonds, nuts, then also darker aromas. The vinous finish is very long and the wine in general is very enjoyable to drink, combines complexity and harmony! This reminds me a lot of the Broadbent 1996 Colheita and might just be the same wine.

Wonderful decoration for the Madeira tasting.

The lineup was:
More than 40 years, Verdelho-Blend, Manuel Eugenio Fernandes Lda.
1955 Verdelho, Manuel Eugenio Fernandes Lda.
1882 Verdelho, AO-SM/Miles
1835 Brown Madere Imperial, Nicolas-Charenton-Seine
1925 Boal, H. M. Borges Lda.
1900 Boal, Adegas de Torreao Vinhos Lda.
1890 Malmsey, Cossart Gordon
1900 Moscatel, D'Oliveira
And as a special treat we had a port at the end of the tasting:
Porto Dom Rozès, more than 40 years, Tawny

The line-up of the Madeira wines.

More than 40 years, Verdelho-Blend, Manuel Eugenio Fernandes Lda.
This wine had been started by Manuel Eugenio Fernandes as a private reserve in his house in Seixal. For his 96th birthday the wine had been bottled by the Madeira Wine Company in 2002. Since the regulations of the IVBAM only allow a blend with a maximum age of 40 years, this wine had to be labelled as a 40YO, even though the age of the blend was 52 years. The wine had a bright iodine color and was quite turbid, with long legs in the glass. The nose was very subdued at first, lots of volatile acidity and only little fruit. But the bottle had just been opened the night before, so there was good hope for a positive development as the tasting went on. And indeed, after three hours the wine had opened up perfectly, with a wonderful fruity nose, vanilla as well. The palate had been rather spirity at first but now showed good fruit, perfectly balanced acidity with just the right amount of sweetness, then a creamy toffee aroma, impressions of an old cognac and a long fruity finish. A good wine that demonstrated perfectly how important a long decanting time is for Madeira wines.

1955 Verdelho, Manuel Eugenio Fernandes Lda.
This was a bottle without any IVM or IVBAM seal, the bottling company was not mentioned. The color was brilliant iodine with tawny rim. The bottle had also been opened just the night before, so the nose was again very subdued, with little toffee and small amounts of VA. After three hours the wine had also opened up, but not as much as the first wine. So a fair judgement of this wine was not really possible, since I am sure that the wine needed more breathing time. The palate was spirity with only little fruit and a bitter finish, in general very much alike the first wine, but lighter in style. I will have to come back to this wine at a later time.

1882 Verdelho, AO-SM/Miles
This Verdelho had been bought by the MWC from D'Oliveiras in the 1970ies or 1980ies, shown by the letters AO-SM (Anibal D'Oliveira, Sao Martinho) on the bottle. A lot of the bottled wines had these letters removed later since the mid 1990ies but this bottle had been older, so the letters were intact. The wine showed a warm and dark iodine color with long legs in the glass. The nose was wonderfully harmonious with just the right amount of VA to add complexity, toffee and dates as well. The palate showed a perfect balance of sweetness and acidity, in fact the wine was quite sweet for a Verdelho, lots of fruit and raisins, toffee and creme brulée, also a background of roasted aromas that were also dominant in the long fruity finish. A wonderful wine and the first highlight of the tasting!

Three Madeira wine beauties.

1835 Brown Madere Imperial, Nicolas-Charenton-Seine
After I had been able to taste this wine twice, now had been the third time. The bottle had been bought at auction and since it was leaking from the transport I had overwaxed the cork. Until the 1970ies, the Nicolas Company, wine merchants in Paris had a couple of small casks filled with old Madeira, and the bottle had been from one of these casks. I had decanted the wine 8 days before the tasting, knowing that it was a very concentrated wine. Initially the wine had displayed a disgusting nose of sweating horse and insane amounts of VA. Now the color was medium bright ebony and the nose still had some VA, but also fruit, toffee and violets, two days later I also noticed pipe tobacco and bees wax. The palate showed lots of acidity, but well balanced with medium sweetness, fruit and violets again, also some roasted aromas in the background that led to long and bitter finish. A concentrated wine and quite complex.

1925 Boal, H. M. Borges Lda.
This bottle had the typical wicker cover of the cheap three year old blends that are commonly used to scare tourists away from becoming Madeira wine lovers. It featured a small and round JNV seal of authenticity on the neck that insisted on sticking to the wicker. The color was medium iodine brown and the nose was perfectly mellow and harmonious, lots of toffee, fruity, violets and roasted aromas as well, after a while also a pleasant honey aroma. On the palate the wine even shifted to a higher gear, showing lots of fruit and even more caramel, lots of toffee as well, mellow and complex, a glimpse of violets and then a long toffee finish with a perfect balance of sweetness and acidity. The wine had been opened a couple of months ago and now showed the full glory of a perfect and classic Boal, another highlight of the tasting.

1900 Boal, Adegas de Torreao Vinhos Lda.
This bottle with an IVM paper seal had been bought in Portugal. The stencils had been damaged by leaking bottle in the package, but they were still clearly legible and the cork was printed with "Adegas de Torreao, Vinhos, Lda, Madeira". The wine showed medium bright iodine and featured a mellow and harmonious nose of toffee and ginger cake. At the first sip the wine really jumped at you, with lots of acidity, just a little spirity at first, caramel, toffee and fruit and then... a short and bitter finish, leaving the mouth yearning for more. From the nose and the first attack I had expected a bit more length and body, but the wine was nevertheless interesting. After three hours in the glass it developed more length, even though the wine had been decanted 8 days before.

Shades of pleasure.

1890 Malmsey, Cossart Gordon
This wine was another highlight of the tasting. With dark iodine color and a very harmonious caramel nose it showed its full power in the mouth. The wine was very impressive with lots of sweetness but well balanced, raisins were dominant at first, but also bread, huge amounts of caramel and a creamy toffee taste as well, mellow and mouth watering, then a shift towards more darker and roasted aromas with coffee and molasses and finally a long toffee finish. The roasted aromas kept the wine from being cloying and so this malmsey was very pleasant. A perfect wine, a classic malmsey, complex and impressive.

1900 Moscatel, D'Oliveira
Even though I have known this wine a long time, liking it for a long time I am always happy to taste this Moscatel Madeira. These Moscatels are rare today, the only other two wines that are still available are the 1875 Moscatel from D'Oliveira and the Moscatel Reserva Velha from Artur de Barros a Sousa, two wonderful wines as well. This Moscatel showed a warm and dark chestnut brown with orange rim. The nose was all sweet figs with a little bread as well. On the palate the wine was very sweet, showing just enough acidity to balance the sweetness, and then there were lots of raisins, caramel and a little molasses. Also in the finish the wine showed a slightly roasted impression keeping it from being cloying despite the dominant sweetness. A wonderful wine that wins me over every time and a perfect wine for the end of the tasting.

Porto Dom Rozès, more than 40 years, Tawny
This interesting tawny in an old-style port bottle was our dessert. With a brilliant brick color and a fruity and grapy nose the wine reminded me almost of a Moscatel de Setubal. Also on the palate this tawny was very fruity and grapy, sweet and mellow, again with hints of Moscatel. What an impressive wine, especially for me as a port-only-twice-a-year drinker.

Three satisfied Madeira tasters.

Five hours went in a hurry and even though the discussion still went on, especially about the Fernandez wines, we had to part. Also the European soccer championship was about to continue with the evening match up of Germany vs. Poland, even though I admit my sympathies are with the NFL. As a bottom line, we had tasted 8 wonderful and fascinating old Madeiras and the motivation was (and is) strong in all of us to work out another Madeira tasting on a larger scale of 12 to 15 wines. Anybody interested in a tasting in Central Europe/Germany is welcome to email me and as the planning moves ahead you will be notified.
A big thank you goes to the hosts Maik and Claudia for the perfect preparation and the delicious menu and to Gerd for three outstanding rarities. I will taste with you guys anytime!

Sherry:

Alvaro Domecq
PX 1730 20YO
Coffee color, thick and viscous, sweet and fruity nose, sweet palate with lots of acidity, toffee and caramel, raisins as well, long toffee finish. Very good!
Aranda Cream
Dark tawny, nutty nose and sweet palate with nuts and almonds, slightly yeasty. Made from 80% Oloroso and 20% PX, well balanced.

Lustau
East India Solera
The famous „hot house sherry“ from Lustau, showing a medium iodine brown, nose with dried fruits and bread, palate quite sweet with dried fruits as well, yeasty, nutty, high acidity, finish of medium length. Even though this sherry undergoes heating like the cheaper Madeira wines, the result is completely different.

Fernando de Castillo
PX 3YO
Dark iodine color, nutty nose with chocolate, sweet palate with nuts and raisins, chocolate finish with medium length, well done for such a young PX.

Bodegas Tradicion
Pedro Ximenez 20YO
Very dark brown, almost black in color, complex nose with sweet raisins, figs, cinnamon, amazing palate with 380 gr/l sugar, but high acidity to balance it out perfectly, toffee, raisins, figs, nuts, and cinnamon again, with a long and complex finish, what a perfect dessert wine – or as a dessert on its own!

Bodegas Hidalgo
Alameda Cream
Bright tawny, nutty nose with figs, sweet palate with nuts, orange peel, lots of acidity and a long nutty finish.
Triana PX
Coffee color, raisin nose, the palate is very sweet with almonds, figs and raisins, toffee finish of medium length.

Williams & Humpert
Oloroso Reserva Especial 15YO
Medium dark iodine, sweet oxidized note, reminding me of a good Madeira wine, but the palate is all sherry of course, nutty, just a hint of sweetness, a little coffee as well and then a long nutty and slightly bitter finish, very complex and well done.

Sanchez Romate
PX
Dark cola color, sweet nose with dried plums, coffee, raisins and caramel, the very sweet palate is dominated by figs and raisins, very complex, with a long raisin finish.

Montilla-Moriles:

Bodegas Navarro
Medium Cream PX
Bright coffee color, sweet toffee nose, palate with lots of caramel and toffee, quite sweet with enough acidity to counterbalance the sweetness. A well done sweet wine for dessert.
Pale Cream
Pale and bright yellowish lemon color, quite misleading, nutty and yeasty nose, sweet palate with lots of acidity and surprisingly dry finish, interesting wine and very unusual.
Amontillado Muy Viejo Solera Fundacion 1830
Tawny color with very nutty nose, lots of almonds too, dry palate, very nutty, complex, almonds and a long dry and nutty finish that goes on for one minute, amazing wine.
Pedro Ximenez 5YO
Dark cola color, nose with lots of figs and raisins, sweet palate with figs, raisins and enough acidity to go along, long raisin finish. Well done.
Pedro Ximenez Solera Fundacion 1830
Dark coffee color, nutty complex nose with figs and raisins as well. The palate is very sweet, with a texture and viscosity like crude oil, very complex, lots of toffee, caramel too, dried fruits, raisins, long sweet finish with figs and raisins and just enough acidity. A dessert of its own, with stunning complexity, very sweet but... wow.
Arrope
The pure grape juice of PX, slowly cooked until it becomes a thick and dark sirupy liquid, essence of grape aroma, together with caramel, no alcohol at all, perfect for dessert, with vanilla ice cream and pancakes. A great experience, and my kids liked it a lot!

Douro:

Moscatel Favaios 10YO
Golden color, typical moscatel nose with raisins, very sweet moscatel palate with orange and a little lemon, enough acidity to balance the sweetness, lemon finish of medium length.

Moscatel de Setubal:

Casa Ermelinda Freitas Moscatel Superior 2000
Bronze color, nose with typical moscatel flavor and apricot as well, the palate is all apricot and typical moscatel raisin flavor, very sweet and enough acidity to go with it, long and sweet apricot finish.

Henriques & Henriques:
15 YO Malmsey
Medium tawny color, interesting nose with lots of caramel and toffee and a little VA to make it even more interesting, dried fruits as well. The palate is very sweet, but lots of acidity to back it up, again toffee and caramel, a variety of dried fruits, then a long and slightly bitter walnut finish. Well done.

Madeira Wine Company:
Cossart Gordon 1998 Verdelho Single Harvest
Bright tawny color, the nose is very nutty, also some toffee, no VA, the wine is quite oily with long legs in the glass. The palate is very sweet for a Verdelho (in fact we checked the bottle to see if it was really Verdelho) with high acidity, walnut, orange and a long finish with orange and caramel. Very pleasant.

Cossart Gordon 1997 Boal Single Harvest
Bright tawny color with straw-colored rim, intense nose of dried fruits, caramel and toffee. The palate is sweet and shows lots of acidity to counter-balance the sweetness, in fact the acidity carries the wine through to the toffee-ish finish, with a little coffee and also caramel on the way. Well done.

Vinhos Barbeito
30 YO Malvasia Blend
This is the first 30YO that has ever been made. The nose is very promising, caramel, nice VA and a spicey background. Sweet palate with lots and lots of acidity, dried fruits and a long sweet finish with almonds. This wine is rather high in alcohol (20,5%) and very powerful, showing its concentration. No wine for the beginner, but interesting.

1992 TNM Single Harvest
This single harvest wine is made from TNM with a straw color, nutty nose with candied orange de Seville, palate with moderate sweetness but perfect acidity, fruity and nutty at the same time and a long fruity finish. A single cask wine with less then 1000 bottles made. These TNM wines are getting better all the time…

1994 Malvasia Colheita
Medium tawny color, nose with walnut and dried fruits, moderately sweet palate, very fruity, light, elegant and nice walnut finish. Good.

1982 Boal Vintage
Medium dark tawny with amber rim, subdued nutty nose, but then the palate is more focused with lots of acidity, quite sweet, again lots of walnut and almonds. Not really impressive but nevertheless a good and typical Boal. The wine had been in cask for only 21 years until 2001 and had been transferred to demijohns because the sweetness rose to levels that would have made it impossible to bottle this wine as a Boal.

1981 Verdelho Vintage
This wine had been in cask until 2005 for a total of only 24 years. The color is medium tawny, the nose features dried fruits, toffee, not really impressive and no detectable VA, but then the palate shifts to a higher gear, with little sweetness but fierce acidity, lots of fruit, and a long bitter walnut finish. A very complex wine and if I didn’t know that it only had spent 24 years in cask I would have guessed for 40 to 50 years in cask. Very impressive.

1978 Boal Vintage
One of the most impressive of the tasted Madeira vintage wines. The wine had just been bottled after 29 years in cask, with medium dark tawny, rich nose of almonds and a little toffee and some VA as well. The palate is sweet with lots of acidity, toffee, crème brulee, the acidity carries the wine through to a long almond finish that ends slightly bitter to make you long for the next sip. This is a very good wine and already is very impressive for its young age.

Vinhos Justino Henriques
1998 TNM Colheita Fine Rich
Made from TNM, this wine is of medium tawny color with a hint of iodine, intense sweet toffee nose with nuts as well. The palate is sweet and rich, toffee and a bitter background of coffee, with a medium long toffee finish. Again a good TNM wine!

1997 TNM Colheita Fine Rich
Another TNM wine, this one with medium dark iodine color and an impressive toffee nose with caramel and nuts as well. The palate is very sweet, but with good backing acidity and a nice toffee and walnut melange. And another good TNM wine.

Terrantez Old Reserve
This is always one of my favourite wines. Color of medium tawny, nutty nose with caramel and some VA as well, but the palate is the real winner: just a little sweetness but nevertheless very rich and silky, with strong acidity, layers of walnut, toffee and always a hint of bitterness in the background that goes on to a long finish. A very complex wine. The exact age is unknown, and estimates range from 40 to 70 years, but you don’t really care once you drank it. This wine gives a very good impression of the glory of old and concentrated Terrantez vintage Madeiras – for a fraction of the price.

The lineup of the twenty 10 Year Olds.

The participants in alphabetical order:

Adegas de Torreao 10 YO Sweet Old Reserve (TNM)
Barbeito 10 YO Bual
Barbeito 10 YO Malmsey
Blandy 10 YO Bual
Blandy 10 YO Malmsey
Borges 10 YO Bual
Borges 10 YO Malmsey
Broadbent 10 YO Malmsey
Cossart Gordon 10 YO Boal
Cossart Gordon 10 YO Malmsey
D'Oliveira 10 YO Medium Sweet (TNM)
D'Oliveira 10 YO Sweet (TNM)
East India 10 YO Sweet Old Reserve (TNM)
H&H 10 YO Bual
H&H 10 YO Malmsey
Justinos 10 YO Bual
Justinos 10 YO Malmsey
Justinos 10 YO Sweet Old Reserve (TNM)
Leacock 10 YO Bual
Miles 10 YO Malmsey

First flight: 9 semi-sweet ten year old Madeira blends made from Bual or in the Bual style

Adegas de Torreao 10 YO Sweet Old Reserve (TNM): Bottle: Heavy cylindrical bottle with yellow print and a small island map. Color: Medium dark tawny, a little cloudy. Nose: Subdued nose with lots of VA, strange smell of vegetables, not unpleasant, but simply not fitting the overall impression of spices like cinnamon, raisins and caramel. Palate: Medium sweet with medium acidity, roasted aromas of burnt sugar and wood, also candied orange de Seville but not fully integrated, even a bit raw and spirity with a long bitter finish.

Barbeito 10 YO Bual Bottle: Heavy cylindrical bottle with big stencils on the front. Color: The color is the lightest, together with the Borges wine, showing a bright tawny. Nose: Sweet nose with a little VA, featuring dried fruits and vanilla, promising. Palate: The wine is medium sweet with low acidity, a little sugarcane to begin with and then more vanilla, also some fruit with lemon dominating, no roasted aromas here, but a nice fruity finish. This is a very modern and fruity Bual blend and easy to drink.

Blandy 10 YO Bual Bottle: Cylindrical slightly curved bottle with elegant paper label. Color: Medium dark mahogany color. Nose: Sweet nose with lots of VA, featuring a variety of roasted aromas, toffee, caramel and even a little roasted oak. Palate: Very sweet and rich, the sweetest of the Bual blends, together with the Cossart wine. Also high acidity perfectly balanced with the sweetness, roasted aromas also dominate the palate, lots of toffee, coffee, oak and walnuts, leading to a long and bitter finish. This is a rich and almost voluptuous Madeira blend.

Borges 10 YO Bual Bottle: Heavy cylindrical bottle with small slip label on the front, unusual appearance, but I liked it. Color: The color is the lightest, together with the Barbeito wine, showing a bright and slightly reddish tawny. Nose: Medium sweetness with a little VA, raisins and toffee and even a little beef bouillon, pleasant. Palate: Rather sweet with high acidity that carries the wine through to the acidic finish of medium length. Well integrated with toffee and dried fruits, this wine is mainstream, but also very pleasant, mouth watering and easy to drink.

Cossart Gordon 10 YO Boal Bottle: Elegant curved bottle with paper label. Color: Dark iodine color. Nose: Sweet and fruity nose with a little VA, brown sugar and beef bouillon. Palate: Very sweet, the sweetest of the Bual blends, together with the Blandy wine. Lots of fruit, some candied orange de Seville, toffee, medium acidity, very rounded and harmonious, ending with a short but well balanced finish. This blend is very easy to drink and exemplary for a modern fruity Bual blend and very accessible too.

D'Oliveira 10 YO Medium Sweet (TNM) Bottle: Heavy and long cylindrical bottle with a colorful paper label. Color: The color is the darkest of all Bual blends, a dark mahogany. Nose: The nose is all about dark and roasted aromas, molasses, caramel, toffee and coffee and also very high on VA. Palate: This very viscous wine is medium sweet, features medium acidity and a variety of roasted aromas that leads to a “dark” impression. Coffee, molasses, caramel, ashes, it’s all here, culminating in a bitter and roasted finish of medium length. This is an almost “malmsey-ish” Bual blend, not very typical, but definitely old-style, I liked it.

H&H 10 YO Bual Bottle: Elegant and very long bottle with a colorful paper label. Color: Bright iodine almost tawny color. Nose: Subdued nose with hints of sweetness and honey, almonds and caramel. Palate: The wine is sweet and fruity with a focus on orange, well balanced with medium acidity and a nice nutty finish of medium length. The wine is rather mainstream, but elegant, pleasant and easy to drink.

Justinos 10 YO Bual Bottle: Curved sturdy bottle with stencils. Color: Medium dark iodine color, with orange rim. Nose: Subdued sweet nose with only a little VA, sugarcane and toffee are dominating, rounded and pleasant. Palate: The wine is rather sweet and well balanced with high acidity and quite viscous, the palate is also dominated by toffee and sugarcane, very harmonious, ending in a surprisingly bitter finish that contrasts nicely to the initial sweetness and keeps the wine from being cloying - well done.

Leacock 10 YO Bual Bottle: Cylindrical bottle with paper label. Color: This wine features the second darkest color of the Bual blends, a medium dark mahogany. Nose: Sweet nose with lots of VA, a little unfocused, but with emphasis on toffee and caramel. Palate: Almost as sweet as the Blandy and Cossart blends with medium acidity, this wine is all toffee and sugarcane, round and harmonious with an all-toffee finish of medium length. This Bual blend is a little one-dimensional perhaps, but easy to drink and accessible.

Second flight: 11 sweet ten year old Madeira blends made from Malmsey or in the Malmsey style

Barbeito 10 YO Malmsey Bottle: Heavy cylindrical bottle with big stencils on the front. Color: This wine displays the brightest color of all the Malmseys, showing a bright tawny. Nose: The nose starts with a little VA, then dried fruit and an interesting smokiness, promising. Palate: This blend is medium sweet with well balanced medium acidity, rather light in general but very fruity, lean and elegant, ending in a long fruity lemon finish with just the right amount of tickling acidity to leave the mouth refreshed. The Barbeito blend is the lightest of Malmsey blends, well done in the modern fruity Madeira style.

Blandy 10 YO Malmsey Bottle: Cylindrical slightly curved bottle with elegant paper label. Color: The color is a medium dark mahogany. Nose: The rich nose is dominated by sugarcane and toffee, maybe also a little walnut here, also some VA that adds to the impression of richness. Palate: The wine is sweet and rich, but the high acidity keeps it from being cloying, toffee and caramel lead to a long and slightly smoky finish. This is a well-done example of a rich “non-baked” Malmsey blend.

Borges 10 YO Malmsey Bottle: Heavy cylindrical bottle with small slip label on the front, unusual appearance, but I liked it. Color: The wine shows a dark iodine color. Nose: The nose offers a little VA, lots of caramel and orange, promising. Palate: The wine is very sweet with very high acidity, in fact the highest in all the Malmsey blends together with the D’Oliveira wine. The palate is very fruity, lemon, orange, even a little grapefruit – it’s all here, towards the finish the wine shifts to a more toffee and caramel style and then ends with an acidic finish that underlines the fruity impression once again. This wine is a good combination of fruit and toffee – well done and pleasant to drink.

Broadbent 10 YO Malmsey Bottle: Heavy cylindrical bottle with stencils. Color: This blend shows a dark iodine color. Nose: The nose starts with a little VA and shows walnut and molasses, then also a strange eucalyptus note that seems a little unusual but not out of place, every time I smelled it again I liked it even more. Palate: This very viscous wine is sweet with medium acidity, starts with walnut, molasses and toffee, then also a little glimpse of orange flavour, but then shifts back to a nice long walnut finish. Well done – and to all of you who ever wondered if this is the same wine like the VJH 10 YO Malmsey, just with a different label: the eucalyptus nose was easy to recognize in this wine, the VJH nose was very different. These are definitely two separate wines.

Cossart Gordon 10 YO Malmsey Bottle: Elegant curved bottle with paper label. Color: The color is the darkest of all Malmsey blends, a dark mahogany. Nose: The nose is spicy and fruity, showing just the right amount of VA to make it interesting, also a little toffee here. Palate: This wine is sweet with high acidity and also perfectly balanced, very fruity, almost grapy, elegant, with a long fruity finish – a good example of the modern fruity style of a Malmsey blend.

D'Oliveira 10 YO Sweet (TNM) Bottle: Heavy and long cylindrical bottle with a colorful paper label. Color: The wine shows a medium dark mahogany color. Nose: The nose starts with tickling VA, then lots of sweetness, butterscotch, caramel and dried fruits. Palate: The wine is sweet with very high acidity, in fact the highest in all the Malmsey blends together with the Borges wine. In contrast to the nose, the palate is surprisingly fruity; an impression that is also emphasized by the high acidity, also a little caramel here, but the long finish is again all fruit, with orange dominating. This is a perfect mouth watering example of a sweet TNM blend.

East India 10 YO Sweet Old Reserve (TNM) Bottle: Curved sturdy bottle with stencils. Color: The wine shows a dark iodine color. Nose: The nose shows an interesting pepper note, also a little VA and toffee, then shifting towards more roasted aromas like coffee and ashes. Palate: This TNM blend is sweet with medium acidity, displaying aromas of raisins, caramel and also a slightly bitter and burnt taste, the wine is well done but the finish is rather spirity, before it ends with an impression of roasted coffee.

H&H 10 YO Malmsey Bottle: Elegant and very long bottle with a colorful paper label. Color: This wine shows a medium dark mahogany. Nose: The nose is all raisins, also some roasted aromas here and a little VA. Palate: The H&H blend is very sweet but this sweetness is also perfectly counter-balanced with high acidity, toffee is dominating the palate, but a little smokiness and the high acidity keep the wine from being cloying, the finish is also a little smoky so it all works out perfectly. This wine may not be the most complex one, but is very pleasant to drink.

Justinos 10 YO Malmsey Bottle: Curved sturdy bottle with stencils. Color: The color is a slightly reddish medium dark iodine. Nose: The nose shows almost no VA, lots of raisins, figs, also sweet vanilla and a strange but not unpleasant Martini-rosso-like aroma that reminds me of cough syrup. Palate: This blend is sweet with high acidity, overflowing with toffee and a long toffee finish. The cough syrup is there as well, but again this is rather interesting than disturbing. Even though VJH also matures the Broadbent 10YO Malmsey, the two wines are definitely not the same.

Justinos 10 YO Sweet Old Reserve (TNM) Bottle: Curved sturdy bottle with stencils. Color: The color is a slightly reddish medium dark iodine. Nose: The nose starts with a whiff of VA, then toffee and caramel as well as candied orange de Seville. Palate: The wine is sweet with medium acidity, then –quite unexpected- an all-roasted kaleidoscope of aromas: coffee, roasted onions, ashes, also raisins; it all ends with a long bitter finish. The overall impression of this well done wine is rather “dark”.

Miles 10 YO Malmsey Bottle: Cylindrical bottle with paper label. Color: Medium dark iodine brown. Nose: The nose displays toffee, molasses and caramel, very pleasant and rounded, just a little VA to make it more interesting. Palate: This wine is rich and viscous, good sweetness with perfectly balanced medium acidity, caramel and toffee first, together with a little VA, then raisins, figs, marmalade, it ends with a smoky and slightly burnt and bitter finish. This blend lacks a little in definition but is very pleasant and a perfect desert wine of the old Malmsey style.

Conclusions:
1. The overall quality of the 10YO blends has improved dramatically since the 1970ies. I have tasted a lot of old blends from these times and quite often the wines were of low quality, exhibiting insane amounts of VA, and displayed strange vegetable soup aromas. Also most of these blends had little to offer besides a uniform “baked” taste and were usually rather boring, compared to other fortified wines.
2. The variety of the styles featured today is remarkable. Many wines still offer a mainstream combination of aromas and that is good too, since most of them are easy and pleasant to drink. Other wines are still very much on the traditional side with roasted and/or even baked aromas. Also there are many wines showing the more modern style of Madeira with an emphasis on fruit and complexity. Compared to the 1970ies, today you really have a wide variety to choose from and I am very happy about this diversity of styles.
3. Comparing the blends made from Tinta Negra Mole with the other blends, again I got the impression that TNM can reach the same levels of quality as the so-called noble grapes. It is my hope that TNM can help promote Madeira wine in general by making the production of quality blends with a good quality-price-ratio easier and also more profitable. In the end this will help the producers to shoulder the economic problems that still slow down the replanting of the noble grapes. So may be TNM can not only play its part in the disaster of Madeira wine (even though this is not entirely true since the direct producers i.e. grapes not from the Vitis vinifera family were the main cause for the bad quality after oidium and phylloxera) but also in the revival - in fact I believe it already does.

According to the person that I got this booklet from, this publication dates from about 1880. The booklet contains 18 excellent black and white photographs, measuring 16 by 22 cm or 6.5 by 8.5 inches.

Cover.

Picture 1: Pier – entrance to town. This picture shows a view of the central city of Funchal, up the Avenida Zarco from the Cais. To the left you can see the Palacio de Lourenco.

Picture 2: Funchal – looking east. This is a view of central Funchal, probably from above the Rua da Ribeira de Sao Joao. Left from the center of the picture you can spot the Se cathedral. Note how the harbor did not have the main quayside back then. Before the main quay was built two small armored rock islands guarded the harbor.

Picture 3: Funchal. This picture shows the shoreline of Funchal, looking east. On the left side you can see the Palacio de Laurenco, above it the Se cathedral.

Picture 4: Funchal bay. View of the old harbor. Today there is a huge quay, incorporating the two small rock islands that were armored to guard the harbor against pirates. The picture must have been taken from about the location where today you will find the Reid’s Hotel.

Picture 5: Funchal from the mount. View from Monte down to Funchal, out of the cable car of the Companhia do Caminho-de-Ferro do Monte. It exploded at the 10th of September 1919, killing some people. Even after this event, the “Comboio” went on until the 17th of May 1943. Shortly after the last trip the rails were taken down.

Picture 6: Cathedral. This picture shows the famous Se cathedral. The name comes from sedes, meaning seat (of a bishop). This cathedral was built by Gil Eanes between 1493 and 1514. The high profits of the sugar trade enabled the Funchal merchants to purchase some highlights for their cathedral like a Flemish altar painting or a artistic wooden ceiling. The Avenida Arriaga, being one of Funchals main streets today, was just a dirt road back then. The jacaranda trees can still be found at the Avenida Arriaga.

Picture 7: Dona Maria Theatre. I believe this used to be the public theatre, situated at the Avenida Arriaga.

Picture 8: Public gardens. This picture shows the Jardim Municipal of Funchal.

Picture 9: Belmonte Hotel gardens. The Grand Hotel Belmonte was situated in Monte and was one of the two famous Monte hotels, the other being the Hotel Monte Palace. Today the gardens of the old Monte Palace Hotel are by far more famous, since José Berardo (also called Joe Gold because he made a fortune with gold digging in southern Africa) turned them into a huge park. In front of the old entrance to the Grande Hotel Belmonte today you will find the starting point of the toboggan ride down to Funchal.

Picture 10: Bullock car. One of the main transporting means back then. The “car” was a sleigh of course. This looks like a lot of work for the yoke of oxen, but the pebble roads were in fact quite smooth and offered little friction to the sleigh’s runners.

Picture 11: Hammock. This was the other way of transport for tourists back then. I wonder if they got seasick after a while.

Picture 12: Funicular railway. This railway went up to Monte at first. In 1912 it was extended up to Terreiro da Luta. Also take a look at picture 5 (Funchal from the mount). Besides the railway you can see a sledge coming down the hill, still a fun thing to do today.

Picture 13: Mountain sledge. These sledges still exist today. Riding down from Monte is rather expensive (10 Euros in 2003 per person) but very exiting!

Picture 14: Road and river. This picture is taken from above the Riba de Santa Luzia into the direction of Funchal bay. On the left side you can see the building that today houses the Instituto do Vinho da Madeira, the second high building from the left. The house was built by Henry Veitch, being British Consul from 1809 to 1828 and 1831 to 1835. The building was later known as “Chateau Cossart”.

Picture 15: Country cottage. Looking at this picture, it is easy to imagine how poor conditions on Madeira island must have been back then.

Picture 16: Village of Cama de lobos. Cama de lobos is the common short form of Camara de lobos, meaning cave of the wolves (the seals). This village was the favorite painting spot of Sir Winston Churchill and remains a favorite tourist spot today.

Picture 17: Grand curral. Judging from the scenery I would guess that this picture was taken at Curral das Freiras.

Picture 18: Rabacal. Rabacal remains one of the favorite hiking spots today, leading to the 25 fontes.

Cover.

Picture 1: View of Funchal from the sea. The same picture like number 3 in the second series.

Picture2: View of Funchal from the pier. Please compare to picture 1 of the first series of historic Madeira photographs.

Picture 3: View of Funchal looking east, much the same like picture 2 from the first series and exactly the same picture like picture 1 from the second series.

Picture 4: View of the funicular railway up to Monte.

Picture 5: Sugarcane cutting. This is the same picture like number 7 from the second series.

Picture 6: Bullock car. Very interesting here: the people and the setting is completely the same as in picture 6 from the second series, but it is definitely a different photograph since the position of the people is slightly different and the dog is missing.

Picture 7: Hammock. This is the same picture like number 5 from the second series.

Picture 8: Typical Madeira house.

Picture 9: Sledge from the mount. I guess it must be the Rua de Santa Luzia or the Caminho do Monte.

Picture 10: Unknown waterfall.

Picture 11: Natives (male).

Picture 12: Natives (female).

The booklet dates from about 1935 and measures about 9 by 14 cm or 3.5 by 5.5 inches. A lot of the pictures are the same as the pictures from the fourth series of historic photographs. In series number 4 you can find a small version of the Edicao Album 4 from the Bazar do Povo.

Cover.

Picture 1: Funchal from the West.

Picture 2: Funchal from the East.

Picture 3: Funchal – View from the sea.

Picture 4: A street of Funchal showing the Se in the background.

Picture 5: Hammock.

Picture 6: Bullock Car.

Picture 7: Sugar cane cutting.

Picture 8: Reid’s Palace Hotel.

Picture 9: Monte – Funicular Railway.

Picture 10: Monte Palace Hotel.

Picture 11: Terreiro da Luta – “Restaurant Esplanade”.

Picture 12: The Village of Camara de Lobos.

Paper box.

Table of contents.

Picture 1: View of Funchal from the east.

Picture 2: View of Funchal from the seaside. On the right side you can spot the Se, on the left side on the hill you can see the Fortalezza do Pico.

Picture 3: View of the city park the Parque de Santa Catharina.

Picture 4: View of the western part of Funchal towards the famous Reid’s Hotel.

Picture 5: View of the bay of Funchal.

Picture 6: View down to Funchal from Terreiro da Luta.

Picture 7: View of the bay of Funchal, opposite direction as picture 6.

Picture 8: The Sè Cathedral seen from the Avenida Arriaga.

Picture 9: Unknown.

Picture 10: View of the Fortalezza do Pico, maybe from the Caminho de Santo Antonio, or from the Rua das Maravilhas.

Picture 11: The typical cart for the tourists ☺.

Picture 12: Women doing their embroideries in front of one of the typical houses.