beginner

[simon Lisle]

which affordable vintages should i approach.

[Gary Banker]

1968 is a good place to start. The D'Oliveira Boal is first rate. D'Oliveira's 1973 (verdelho and boal) and 1977 (terrantez and boal) are also good.

[Roy Hersh]

Simon,

Welcome to the netherworld of Madeira. Good to see you are catching the "bug." Pricing in the UK is a tad high but there is really one great place to buy it there, kind of like here ... although our auctions are much more fruitful for Madeira than in the UK.

I agree with the 1968 D'Oliveiras Bual, simple put, the best QPR young Vintage Madeira available.

[Megan B]

OK, absolute beginner here.
Where does one buy madiera? I've never seen it on the shelves at my local wine shops, but perhaps I am not looking in the right places - Roy, are there local retailers you recommend? Or do I have to order it?

[Andy Velebil]

Megan,

Welcome to great to have you with us. Where abouts do you live and I'm sure people will be able to point you in the right direction to some good

[David Spriggs]

Where does one buy madiera?

The best place in the US is The Rare Wine Company ( http://www.rarewineco.com/ ). They are direct importers for both Barbeito and d'Oliveira's. Highly recommended.

-Dave-

[Megan B]

Megan,

Welcome to great to have you with us. Where abouts do you live and I'm sure people will be able to point you in the right direction to some good

Ah yes, that would have been helpful! I'm in Tacoma, nearish to Seattle. I do prefer not to order wines if I can help it...

[Roy Hersh]

Hey Megan,

Thanks for coming back here and continuing to learn and post.

David is correct, in his assertion that the Rare Wine Co. is by far and away the best Madeira source in the USA. I have been working behind the scenes for one year to get H.M. Borges Madeiras imported in here to WA and all over the W. Coast. It is now available on the E. coast and in CA. We are a couple of months from having them here locally, and I am very excited about this development. There is already too little Madeira around.

You can buy it in two places locally: The Spanish Table maintains a good stock and so does (or did) Redmond Fine Wines. I must say that their prices are astonishing though. You can do better. I will help make that a reality for you upon my return on Monday from Edmonton.

I must say that with Madeira, you will need to "order it" from out of state in order to save significant money and have a much broader selection than what is available anywhere here in the No. or So. Puget Sound region.

Please email me (no PM) and I will be in touch with you. Again, maybe we do a small tasting for your tasting group! It would be fun to drink together again, this time, Portuguese wine.

Madeira is a very expensive "habit" and you may want to rethink your new found curiosity while you and Mr. B. can still afford your mortagage. :help:

[Glenn E.]

Megan,

I wouldn't worry about ordering Madeira online. RWC is a very reputable company so I really don't think you would have anything to worry about in that regard. And Madeira is pretty close to indestructable, so you don't have to worry about it being damaged during shipping either.

Wine and Port require a little more strategic planning to ensure that it doesn't get stuck in some truck in Arizona on a 100 degree day, but even that probably wouldn't be an issue for Madeira.

[Reidar Andersen]

RWC is the best there is in US.

I have used them for 7 years. They ship to the hotel I stay at around the US so I can pick up and take it to Norway !

[Roy Hersh]

Reidar,

It is great to have you back here. Your Madeira wisdom has been missed.

What have YOU been drinking lately for your Madeira fix?

[Reidar Andersen]

Well, recently it has not been as much madeira drinking as I wished ( soo busy with a lot of none-wine stuff ), but hope to
get more in the winter :

By the way I am passing by SEA Dec. 21st AF then NW to HNL.. 5 hours in the NW lounge.. In case you are flying NW that day ?