What Madeira Have You Opened This Week?

[Al B.]

Think of it as a more boozy version of fruitcake.

[Eric Ifune]

Barbeito 50 year old Verdelho Anniversio.

[Mike J. W.]

Think of it as a more boozy version of fruitcake.

That works for me.

[Le Gamin de Paris]

1986 Cossart Terrantez

[Eric Ifune]

2002 Barbeito Boal.

[Marco D.]

1976 Blandy's Madeira Terrantez

A bit sweeter than what I associate with Terrantez, but delicious.

[Jim S.]

I’ve never enjoyed the 1976 Blandy’s Terrantez. I’m happy to sell bottles of it for $200 each.

[Eric Menchen]

Barbeito 30 Year Old O Engenheiro Tinta Negra

[Roy Hersh]

In celebration of launching the 123rd FTLOP newsletter, I opened two nice sippers that I will keep around for a bit, along with some 19th century bottles. But these are far more every day kind of sippers.

A Blandy's 10 yo Verdelho, which was satisfying, tasty, reasonably priced for a Monday night glass; and also an old favorite that I've had a zillion times, but will also be a fan of: Henriques & Henriques 20 year old Terrantez. Love this juice but it is no longer the great bargain it was at $75 years ago. And it was even less expensive in the early days before it became well known.

[Roy Hersh]

Bottled 2022. A 2005 hand-bottled Faja dos Padres Malvasia. So young, so tasty. I needed something to share with a friend who had done me a favor, and it was related to the 20th Anniversary of FTLOP, so this was extremely appropriate. He and his wife are heading to the island for Christmas, so I let them have the bottle to take with them. So yummy. He loved it, but doesn't get to drink much Madeira, as he is way into Scotch. But I could see the lights go on.

[Mark L]

1954 VJH Verdelho - decanted 5 days
1964 VJH Boal - decanted 3.5 days

I actually don't know when either of these were bottled. (if someone knows and can share, I'd love to learn.) I have quite a few bottles of both and, after several bottles of sneaking a sip every day (or maybe every 12 hours ) I have found that I like these bottles best after these amounts of days. Both are great, even if not entirely monumental, and always bring a smile to my face. There is a slight salinity(?) to the 64 that keeps me coming back for more and more. (not that the 54 doesn't, but there is something about the 64 that reminds me of potato chips or doritos... there is something about it that makes it hard to just have one [sip]!)

Happy Holidays everyone!

[Glenn E.]

Not something opened, but rather something finally finished.

I just polished off a Barbeito 50 Year Old "O Japonês" that was opened in 2020. Still fresh, light, and lively!

[Le Gamin de Paris]

1976 Blandy Verdelho

Nice, but bit too much VA for me

[Al B.]

H&H 15YO Bual. I bought it; I opened it.

It’s a very satisfying glass of Madeira, on the drier side for Bual.

[Andreas Platt]

Justino's 1964B

[Eric Ifune]

Barbeito 20 yo Malvasia.

[Glenn E.]

After we finished up the Ports for our 2026 "Kick off the year right" gathering, I opened one of the bottles of 1875 D'Oliveiras Malvasia that I just picked up from Farr Vintners in London.

Corked.

I tasted it earlier in the evening when I opened it, and it definitely wasn't living up to its reputation (it's my favorite Madeira ever), but of course I couldn't tell that it was corked. But once I shared it around a couple of people noticed it independently, even though the power of Madeira itself is almost enough to overwhelm the TCA.

Now I'm worried that the other 3 bottles are going to be corked, too. I'm fine with drinking this one myself - it may not be as good as usual, but it's still excellent - but I don't know that I want to have two bottles open at the same time. Madeira seems to last forever, but best not to tempt fate, eh?

Anyone think I should try to return this to Farr Vintners? It's weird for me to return corked bottles since I can't actually taste it, but even though I can't taste it here the bottle definitely doesn't seem right. Even to me.

[Andy Velebil]

After we finished up the Ports for our 2026 "Kick off the year right" gathering, I opened one of the bottles of 1875 D'Oliveiras Malvasia that I just picked up from Farr Vintners in London.

Corked.

I tasted it earlier in the evening when I opened it, and it definitely wasn't living up to its reputation (it's my favorite Madeira ever), but of course I couldn't tell that it was corked. But once I shared it around a couple of people noticed it independently, even though the power of Madeira itself is almost enough to overwhelm the TCA.

Now I'm worried that the other 3 bottles are going to be corked, too. I'm fine with drinking this one myself - it may not be as good as usual, but it's still excellent - but I don't know that I want to have two bottles open at the same time. Madeira seems to last forever, but best not to tempt fate, eh?

Anyone think I should try to return this to Farr Vintners? It's weird for me to return corked bottles since I can't actually taste it, but even though I can't taste it here the bottle definitely doesn't seem right. Even to me.

Since it’s not a $10 wine, if possible, I would return it if it’s spoiled.

[Andreas Platt]

The problem is probably detecting the corkiness for those 2 bottles without opening; maybe it was just one single faulty cork; besides this I luckily have rarely experienced corked Frasqueiras.

[Mark L]

Hey Glenn,
I'm sorry that you had that let-down experience with your 1875!
I don't recall that this was bottled that long ago, but still -- I would recommend waiting several days and re-tasting. It sounds like you opened and then tasted, and served same-day?

Naturally, I trust your expertise and your experience in madeira (even though you often prefer port), so if you think it's corked, I believe you. My only thought might be to give it a few days of serious air, and then see how it is before opening a second bottle (or returning the first).

Good luck!!!! Naturally, I hope it works out. (One of the reasons I recommend this is also to hope that if it does work out OK by waiting, that it will give you the confidence in your remaining bottles!)

I will say that periodically there are bottles that I've opened and fully decanted as recently as a couple weeks ago then closed with a t-stop, still need more time in glass before they "return" to their normal selves upon serving. (not all, but a couple here and there -- enough that I tend not to worry anymore when a madeira is tasting like it's out-of-whack out of the bottle, ...but it does remind me that serving from an open bottle that I haven't tasted from in a while might not show very well if I decide to share it spontaneously (on the spot) with a visiting guest. At best, I will pour it earlier in the evening, and come back to serve/share it later.)

Cheers, and good luck,
Mark