Madeira 101?

[Micky Jensen]

So... whats with all this madeira?

I tried looking for a faq or collected post to get some more information about why all you port-fanatics are so fond of madeira as well, but it seems to elude me.

Could someone point me in the right direction, or just give a brief intro about it, so I know whether I should keep my eyes open to learn something more about it, or not?! :)

EDIT: I know _what_ madeira is, and have tasted probably some of the (probably cheapest) stuff on a trip to Spain once, I believe. But never heard about it in this way before, which is what I am curious about!

[Ray Barnes]

I would suggest, being a fellow neophyte, that the best place to dip your proverbial toes is the Madeira Wine Guide, for which a link is provided from this website.

Why appreciate madeira? Hmm, well speaking only for myself,

The good stuff has very rich aromatics - and I mean you can smell an open bottle from a distance. Or to give an example from Saturday, a friend and I had a Louis Latour 2006 generic Pinot Noir (basic red Burgundy, not even village level). An empty glass of 10 year old Henriques and Henriques boal was aromatically stronger than this red wine. No kidding.

It has excellent acidity, making it an excellent food wine. Someday, again, I am going to have a vintage sercial, but this time with soup - and I want to find out for myself that it is absolutely the greatest soup wine in the world.

Vintage madeira is almost indestructible. When it's 40 years old, it is still young. When it is 100 years old, from a great vintage, it is just starting to fire on all cylinders. When it is 200 years old, if properly kept, it is still drinking very well. It outlives all other wines. Period.

Its taste is as complex as its bouquet. I have been having this boal since Dec 20 and have picked up subtle different nuances every time.

As far as value for money is concerned, although it is not cheap, compared to other great wines, madeira remains a relative bargain. Thank heavens for that.

It is a true artisanal product, and in my view offers more than just a pleasurable wine experience. It is a spiritual thing as well.

Once you have acquired a taste for it, you are hooked.

Ray

[Ray Barnes]

Not to mention, I think madeira's flavour profile is very unique and cannot be compared to any other wine. Mature vintages are more often than not described in magnificent, glowing terms.

The great wine critic George Saintsbury went so far as to claim that madeira is the greatest wine in the world. In the 19th century, that opinion was shared by many people.

Ray

[Roy Hersh]

And ... it still is.

[Ray Barnes]

For good reason I expect. While I have had little of the good stuff, that bottle of boal (which may be in part a little older) was one of the best decade-old wines I have had in a very long time.

In the last two weeks or so I have introduced 5 gentlemen and two ladies to this kind of wine, all of whom are serious wine lovers. Based on the reactions, a local madeira wine club, if I can get enough of it, could work here.

Ray

[Eric Ifune]

The richest, most complex thing I've ever ingested.

[Micky Jensen]

Ok, thanks for all the replies! I will definately read up some more on it then, and visit one of my local port-dealers, as I can see he has some stock of Madeiras as well, and see if I can get a nice selection to start up with, and see the differences.

Btw, I think I tasted one, called "Rainwater" or something akin, just before Christmas. But that was quite dry as I recall?!, hmm.

[Eric Ifune]

Rainwater is a basic blend, the lowest quality level. It is a drier wine.
You might want to try wines with an indication of age, i.e. 5 year old, 10 year old, 15 year old. If the name of the grape variety is on the label, i.e. sercial, verdelho, bual, malmsey or malvasia, so much the better.

[Micky Jensen]

Rainwater is a basic blend, the lowest quality level. It is a drier wine.
You might want to try wines with an indication of age, i.e. 5 year old, 10 year old, 15 year old. If the name of the grape variety is on the label, i.e. sercial, verdelho, bual, malmsey or malvasia, so much the better.

Ah ok, makes more sense then.

I will take a trip to my old Whisky- and Port-dealer then, as I can see he has a short list of maderira, but wide range it seems. Its in Danish, but you can probably understand the modt vital parts

http://www.juuls.dk/get/3002.html

[João Rico]

Those prices are in Euros?

[Micky Jensen]

Those prices are in Euros?

No-no! Danish crowns!

745 dkr = 100 Euro

[Roy Hersh]

Ray,

You're going to be in for a real treat when you get to try something with some age on it. The difference between the 5-15 year old Madeiras you've experienced so far, and something from the early part of the 20th century, no less from the 19th (or 18th century) is about as different as old Burgundy and young Australian Shiraz. You are going to think you died and went to heaven.

You really need to sneak away for a trip 'cross the border this winter.

[Micky Jensen]

So now I bought a H. M. Borges Madeira 10 Years Old Malmsey, to have something to begin with. Will let you know later, whether it sparked my interest or not :)

[Peter Reutter]

Madeira is unique in every way:
The unique history, its special unique method of production, the excellent price-quality-ratio, the acidity especially the volatile acidity, and of course the unique range of aromas as well as the complexity.
The few people I have met so far that did not like Madeira usually drank it to cold and fresh from the bottle, so make sure your Madeira has room temperature and has been opened some time before, even better decanted (this is crucial for vintage Madeira). Even a 10 yo blend benefits from some time with air.
I would guess that the 10 yo Borges wines are very good to start with, hope you are going to like it!