Massandra Madeiras

[Andreas Platt]

Now to something completely different.

From the Massandra Collection there were some "Madeira"-style wines I'd like to mention.

The following is an excerpt from the catalogue and I wonder if anyone tasted any of those; I for one have quite some Massandra bottles, but none of the Madeiras.

Sothebys-catalogue 1990

"MADEIRA (Lots 320-433)
There are three main types of `Madeira' in the Collection. The first is Massandra Madeira which used to be known as Massandra Madeira No. 83. This usually has an alcohol level of between 18.5%-19.5% and is a drier style with around 30 grammes per litre of residual sugar. It was made from Sercial (40%-50%), Verdelho (40%-457o) and Albillo Krymsky (5%-20%) grapes. The second is Kuehuk-Uzen Madeira No.31 which in more recent years has become known as Alushta or Krymskaya Madeira. This was developed after Massandra Madeira in 1905 as a sweeter style having between 80-110 grammes per litre of residual sugar but in 1910 it was reduced to around 60 grammes per litre with a increase in the soluble solids, tannins, aldehydes and volatile acids. This made it more typical of true Madeira. Before 1932 up to 25-30% of older aged reserve madeira was added before bottling.
The third style of Madeira is Koktebell which falls between the other two in sweetness but otherwise has the same characteristics. All are matured in cask left in the sun on ullage for between four to five years to develop the full maderisation that makes these wines so distinctive.
Dry Madeira 1905 KB
Massandra Madeira 1908 KB
Massandra Madeira No. 83 1909 KB
Madeira No. 83 1915 KB
Madeira No. 31 1922 KB
Kuchuk-Usen Madeira 1923 KB
Kuchuk-Usen Madeira 1933 KB
Massandra Madeira No. 83 1934 KB
Massandra Madeira 1936 KB
Massandra Madeira 1937 KB
Massandra Madeira 1938 KB
Massandra Madeira 1939 KB
Massandra Madeira 1945 KB
Koktebel Madeira 1945 KB"

[Vince K]

Interesting... I had tried different Massandra Madeira wines back to '90.
Moreover, I have a bottle of new version of Massandra Madeira expression made after Russian annexation in 2014 - a long story how the bottle crossed several custom borders in last September...

IMG_20241108_184401183~2.jpg (409.98 KiB) Viewed 2007 times

[Mike J. W.]

Vince was kind enough to recently share half of that bottle he has pictured in his post above. I have had a few small glasses of it and it is delicious. I don't have a ton of experience with Madeira from Madeira, but this bottle from Crimea holds up very well against what I have had previously. I will put a tasting note up in the next week or so. Thank you again to Vince K. for so generously sharing this with me. If you see any in auction I would recommend buying it.