COLHEITA Madeira: factoids and opinions from another thread

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Roy Hersh
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COLHEITA Madeira: factoids and opinions from another thread

Post by Roy Hersh »

A quick aside, Colheita Madeira unlike Colheita Port (the latter of which requires 7 years in wood) but with Madeira, Colheita rules have required a minimum of six years in neutral cask, since the category was created in the early-mid-1990s. In the new regulations passed in 2015, that was changed to where Colheita Madeira now must be aged for a minimum of 5 years in wood prior to being bottled. Additionally, it MUST be 100% of the wine from one single grape variety.

What is cool about this category of Madeira, which is unlike that of Port ... a Colheita Madeira can become a frasqueira (Vintage) Madeira, if allowed to remain in cask for a total of 20 years. However, it is my belief that this category has been one of the main reasons that Madeira producers are able to thrive in today's economy. Instead of tying up so much money in aging wines for a minimum of 20 (or more) years, they can now bottle after at least 5 years in wood as a Colheita and have a means to sell bottles, while relatively young to aid their cash flow situation. This was huge, but not a reason given officially for the creation of the category.

Another benefit, but this one providing the advantage to consumers: Instead of having to wait the 20 years to then buy and try an expensive frasqueira, you can buy the young Colheita at a fraction of the cost and determine if you want to wait and buy these wines with more wood age, at a much higher price, down the road when its category is upgraded. So having this distinct opportunity to guage the quality of the youngsters and especially whether or not we like the character of said Madeira, is a great dynamic for collectors and enthusiasts alike.

What is a lot of fun, is to taste a couple of releases of Colheita Madeira with different amounts of wood aging vs. the more recent release of the same wine later released as frasqueira. This doesn't happen often, as the category is still so young. However, it is a fantastic experience and extremely educational for training one's palate. As an example to help explain what I mean: is tasting a 1995 Colheita bottled in 2003 and again in 2009 (to meet market demand), up against the same wine later bottled as a Frasqueira in 2015. The progression can be determined by a person with some Madeira experience or at the very least, in possession of a discriminating palate.
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Re: COLHEITA Madeira: factoids and opinions from another thread

Post by Glenn E. »

That's pretty cool... I'd love to be able to get something at, say, 5, 10, 15, and 20 years old. Talk about a Madeira Masterclass!
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Re: COLHEITA Madeira: factoids and opinions from another thread

Post by Reidar Andersen »

Great info, Roy.... Thanks... [cheers.gif]
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Re: COLHEITA Madeira: factoids and opinions from another thread

Post by Roy Hersh »

I was not as accurate as I should have been with something as significant as the new regulations. The IVBAM put these in effect on Friday, February 13th 2015. An ominous day and also one day prior to Valentine's Day.
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Re: COLHEITA Madeira: factoids and opinions from another thread

Post by Alan Gardner »

I've long suspected that the Colheita category was not so much 'created' as 'discovered'.

After Portugal joined the EEC, its wine regulations had to be 'rationalized' with those of EEC - which led to the elimination (for practical purposes) of the Solera category (I know it legally still exists but the restrictions are such that it doesn't exist for practical purposes) - hence the large number of solera bottlings around 1986.

I haven't checked my notes, but I recall it was several years (?5+) before the first Colheitas 'appeared' on the market, and (in Canada anyway) the Colheitas were typically 'much older' than 6 years from harvest date (maybe 15).
Given that other EEC wines were not subject to the minimum 20 year requirement for vintage dated, it's unlikely that other regulations were copied.
I speculate that the regulations contained a 'gap' between 6 & 20 years where nothing was defined and an enterprising company filled that gap with a category they called Colheita (permitted under EEC regulations as it is a Portuguese word - c.f. 'Port' - which was banned and replaced with 'Porto'). Although there are several producers now, I'd be interested in whether there was a gap between the first producer and all subsequent ones, or whether there was a 'mass release' on a specific, regulated year.

And if this seems an outlandish speculation - I'll share the 'actual' story about how the Portuguese Tomato Jam became legal in EEC at a future get-together - some things are bureaucratically stranger than fiction.

But agree - I'd love to do a 'vertical bottling of the same Colheita/vintage'.
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Re: COLHEITA Madeira: factoids and opinions from another thread

Post by Roy Hersh »

Well, as mentoned, I was pretty sure it was Blandy's / Madeira Wine Company (MWC) that first launched the Colheita Category and here is the truth, according to Chris Blandy's from an email exchange today:

In relation to your question, I believe that we were the first to launch a non-vintage dated Madeira.
We launched the following wines in 2000:

Blandy's 1994 Harvest Malmsey
Cossart Gordon 1982 Bual
Cossart Gordon 1983 sercial
Cossart Gordon 1986 bual
Cossart Gordon 1988 sercial

From my knowledge it was an effort led by the MWC (and the Symington Family at the time) to introduce a younger dated Madeira onto the market in order to attract more consumers onto Madeira. I'm sure there were other producers who were equally as interested in launching this new style.
It was felt that having a date on the bottle without the price of a full blown vintage would be appealing to a new Madeira consumer.

I hope that helps and I hope all is well with you.
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Re: COLHEITA Madeira: factoids and opinions from another thread

Post by Alan Gardner »

Indeed, the oldest Colheita I had in my cellar was the 86 Cossart Gordon Bual.

However, prior to that I 'recall' (recollection doesn't seem to be as accurate lately) some others that I probably recorded as vintage as, at the time, the 'Colheita' category wasn't known to me.

For example (neither of these are still in my cellar)
1973 Verdelho - d'Oliveiras
1977 Terrantez - d"Oliveiras

I think they were the ones that alerted me to the Colheita category (specifically the 1973).

I'm not trying to deny the quality of any of the Colheitas, and totally see the marketing potential (while recognizing the potential for consumer confusion between 'Vintage' and 'Colheita').

I also recall researching the subject when I first became aware of 'single year Madeiras less than 20 years old' - and finding absolutely nothing on the immature internet; neither was it mentioned by any house (we visited several) when a group of 15 of us from Toronto visited Madeira in 1993.

The category suddenly 'popped up' (and if I'm correct about the 1973, then it would clearly predate the 2000 mass release by MWC).

Roy, I really appreciate that you followed up on this.

Does anyone else out there still have the 1973 d'Oliveiras - I recall it had a neck tie-on, but don't recall whether that had the Colheita information, or whether that information was on the label (of course, if it postdated the MWC releases it would be a 'genuine' Vintage qualifier as over 20 years-old)?
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Re: COLHEITA Madeira: factoids and opinions from another thread

Post by Andy Velebil »

Alan Gardner wrote:...
Does anyone else out there still have the 1973 d'Oliveiras - I recall it had a neck tie-on, but don't recall whether that had the Colheita information, or whether that information was on the label (of course, if it postdated the MWC releases it would be a 'genuine' Vintage qualifier as over 20 years-old)?
I do still have some 1973 in my offsite. Next time I head out there I'll try and dig it out and photo the bottle/back label for you (front is stencil lettering IIRC). It may be a week or two for that...if I don't forget, which I'll try not to.
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Re: COLHEITA Madeira: factoids and opinions from another thread

Post by Alan Gardner »

Thanks Andy,

IIRC there is a neck tie-on tag.
That may also contain information.
I also recall that this came in a cardboard box - not at all conducive to storage.
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Re: COLHEITA Madeira: factoids and opinions from another thread

Post by Roy Hersh »

Having been to D'Oliveiras many times, I know of the cardboard boxes that you speak of. I suggest you just remove said cardboard and make life easy on yourself. [friends.gif]
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Re: COLHEITA Madeira: factoids and opinions from another thread

Post by Eric Ifune »

I do believe I've a 500 ml bottle of Blandy's 1990 Malmsey Colheita. I'll have to get home and check.
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Re: COLHEITA Madeira: factoids and opinions from another thread

Post by John Trombley »

Have several times come across adverts for what appears to be relatively young vintage (frasquiera, etc.) madiera that turned out to be older colhieta. The Portuguese seem to be not very good at protecting their intellectual property rights from ignorant or unethical marketing--for wines and cheeses at least.
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Re: COLHEITA Madeira: factoids and opinions from another thread

Post by Alan Gardner »

Hi John,

My 'speculation' has been that the Colheita category was more a case of clumsy legislation/administration rather than intentional misleading - at least initially! So, oversimplifying, it was an omission or oversight, which 'somebody' noticed in due course, and called Colheita because it was from a single year.

Of course it's confusing; given the lack of knowledge generally found in North America (outside the contributors to this Board, of course), I'm willing to give most retailers the benefit of 'confused doubt'.
Plus, as Roy states, this may be a boon to the producers, allowing them to improve cash flow.

Sadly, the price of madeira (both retail and auction) is heading in only one direction - certainly limiting my access - does one drink 'more' or 'better'?
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