When did you last try a Madeira? Perhaps the right question is have you ever tried a Madeira and the fact that the question is so valid these days is such a shame because Madeira is wonderful. I should caveat that by saying the Boals and Malmseys are wonderful but the Sercials and Verdellos leave my tongue as dry as the dessert floor.
Madeira is famous for the oxidisation process caused by heating and aging, part of its production, which has a rather unique side effect. It makes the wines themselves as close to immortal as you can find; in fact the oldest one I ever opened was bottled in the 1890s and at 110 years old it was as fresh as a daisy and stunning in its complexity.
My personal favourite style is boal which in lay terms would be described as medium dry while the malmseys are exceptionally sweet. Rich, caramelised nuts, figs, toffee and hints of burnt sugar are just some of the many nuanced flavours that will cross your palate.
Blandys 10-year-old Bual
A gorgeous wine with orange peel, honey, cocoa, walnuts and spices among the flavours I found weaving a path across my palate. Superb on its own with a book and a log fire, but a delight with stilton.
The Whisky Exchange, £23.50 per 50cl
Henriques & Henriques 10-year-old Malmsey
This is one of those wines you would love to try in front of the winemaker so you could say, take a bow fella. Stunning is actually a little understated for this one, with figs, toffee pudding and caramelised nuts all vying to entertain your palate. It’s easy to imagine a Rolls Royce on your drive when you sip away at this cracker.
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