TN: 1908 D'Oliveiras Boal Vintage Madeira

[Glenn E.]

2009 Port Gala
Friday, January 30th, Madeira tasting
Flight 3: 1908 D'Oliveiras Boal, 1900 D'Oliveiras Moscatel

1908 D'Oliveiras Boal

Another dark glass, but again with some red left.

"Not as nice as the '05."

Can you say ?

[Alan Gardner]

This was my runner-up (after the 1905).
Deep tawny in colour, with a trace of olive in the rim.

Drinking very well right now. Orange cream with lemon peel on the nose.
Very open and fruity in the taste with some candied fruit and some bitter citrus peel. Another huge finish, but rather mellow as contrasted with more complexity in the 05 Verdelho. Very attractive but I'm not sure that it will improve significantly over time.

[Eric Menchen]

I got some chocolate/coffee notes in this one, and did like it.

[Richard Beeken]

gorgeous color, quite sweet, orange, dark chocolate, singed sugar, finish left me wanting another sip - 93 pts

[Joe Dachille]

New FTLOP forum member here.

I purchased a bottle of the 1908 in November 2008 and a 1929 Barbeito Verdelho, as well. The 1908 is put up for the time being awaiting a truly special occasion (retirement is probably too far off). The verdelho was opened right away as I had not had an opportunity to taste one before.

Thanks for the TN's.

Joe D'Achille

[Alan Gardner]

Tasted this wine again on Dec 9, 2009 - non-blind (alongside the 1903 - which was easily the winner). This time a little clumsier, also showing the heavy notes, but lacking some of the 'upper register' that I found before. The orange notes were somewhat deeper andthe acidity was lower this time around. Still pleasant but suffered severely in comparison to the 1903 served at the same event.

[John Trombley]

Was this sourced from Rare Wine Company? I have a pair of these on order for a friend.

[Alan Gardner]

Hi John,
Yes - about 3-4 years ago, so I'm not sure if they are still selling the same bottling.

However, both examples I tried this year were open different lengths of time. The first (with the 'orange cream with lime peel' had been open a lot longer (5-6 hours if I recall correctly), whereas the 'heavier' one was between 1-2 hours. So extra decanting time might help.
However, both lacked complexity (compared to others of similar age).
And certainly the 1903 was worth the extra $100 (in my opinion).

[John Trombley]

Hi John,
Yes - about 3-4 years ago, so I'm not sure if they are still selling the same bottling.

However, both examples I tried this year were open different lengths of time. The first (with the 'orange cream with lime peel' had been open a lot longer (5-6 hours if I recall correctly), whereas the 'heavier' one was between 1-2 hours. So extra decanting time might help.
However, both lacked complexity (compared to others of similar age).
And certainly the 1903 was worth the extra $100 (in my opinion).

Are you THE Alan Gardner, Alan? The one for whom no German wine has sufficient acidity, and who will be buried in an oversize Egon Mueller Scharzhofberg-styled casket? Or maybe there is more than one Alan Gardner. Oh well...

[Alan Gardner]

There is only one Alan Gardner! (and I am him).
Come on John - high acidity - just screams madeira doesn't it?

And it's my wife who will be buried at Egon Muller(OK ashes scattered) - it's in her Will (I'm not joking) - that way I'm the one who travels there and gets offered some wine as consolation (I hope!).
My demise is slated for d'Yquem - she will carry the ashes (it's in my Will).
Sometime (August?) I'll tell you the story and the lawyer's attempt to talk us out of it.

And my living will calls for a 19th century madeira to be poured between my lips (was supposed to be the 1899 Terrantez, but the lawyer objected and suggested we use 19th C - just in case we don't have any of the 1899 left) and the 'plug pulled' - if I don't come back for that, then I'm never coming back! (and that means we've discussed madeira, so this is a 'legal post').

Alan

[John Trombley]

Alan, I just read your note to Barbara and she let out a great guffaw. Actually you're right--you told me about your plans for the ashes and the reasoning in August--but the Madiera resuscitation demise scheme in the living will is something new to me. Didn't know you loved Madiera, as I do very much. One of my favorites is posted below as a tasting note: (look at the price and call me a felon!)

12/4/2007 rated 98 points: TN: Henriques & Henriques Special Reserve Madeira Grand Old Boal Vintage 1860, first bottled 1927 and re-bottled 1955. $180/1 pt and 9 floz at Arrow Wine Co; Centerville, Ohio, August, 2007. From a bottling for The Hammer Co; Cleveland, OH. Bottle number 340 out of 353 bottles (actual numbers reversed in error on bottle). There was at least one other bottling of this vintage of about 1500 bottles for an Australian importer as well, according to auction records.

Contains approx. 1 1/4" regular straight-sided (not T-shaped) cork, which came out in two clean pieces. Double-decanted, since it was due to be served in an hour or so. Very little sediment.

Poured at a dinner with Barbara and myself for Ed O’Keefe and Sean O’Keefe of Chateau Grand Traverse, and Brian Ulbrich of Left Foot Charley’s, at Stella’s Restaurant, Traverse City, MI, both wineries of the Old Mission Peninsula, November 19,2007.

Tawny, transparent yellow-green.

Powerful, salty, tangy lime, and lacquery, with roasted walnuts and a hint of beluga caviar, vanilla, woodsmoke, sweaty saddle and baked cherry pastry.

Very firm acidity and balancing sweetness; woody with just a hint of earthiness and sweatiness on the intense, almost endless finish.

Still quite stable to flavor and scent five days after opening; same is true at 10 days. 98/100.

This is an exquisite but very sparse vintage, about 97 percent of the usual harvest having been destroyed by oidium (powdery mildew). This vintage and previous ones were marked by starvation among the vineyard workers, and, although the remedy for the fungus was already discovered (Bordeaux copper sulfate mixture), this was just in time for the attack of the phylloxera. The vineyards have truly never quite recovered. This extremely rare and perhaps even unique 147-year old pre-phylloxera bottle shows the 21st century what a tragedy all this was. A wonderful but humbling and sorrowful experience. (Notes from Alex Liddell's book Madiera; Faber Books on Wine, 1998). By the way, a search of Cellar Tracker shows that there is at least one bottle of this stuff out there in someone's cellar, or at least there WAS one.

I've never posted this on the TN board here so I'm going to do that right now.

[Joe Dachille]

After stashing the 1908 D'Oliveras Boal in my wine cabinet since 11/08, I have decided to uncork it.

I will post the tasting notes in the database as well, but just a few words first to follow up on my original 4/13/09 post.

I saw that John T. posted an inquiry in December and I assume he was referring to my original post. My reply is that I purchased both the 1908 and a 1929 Barbeito Verdehlo from Wine Watch in Ft. Lauderdale. They have a website and they recently showed numerous vintages available, but they only had a few bottles on hand (they apparently had not sold much vintage madeira since the sale to me in 11/08).

I have not had much opportunity to satisfy my desire for frasquiera in the last six months. I have been focusing on trying the Broadbent 5y and 10y and the Sandeman n/v. Those selections are enjoyable and my family enjoyed the Sandeman quite a bit. In the spring, I came across a 1937 D'Oliveras Sercial and before that was the 1929 Verdehlo. So my tasting notes might be on the high side due to the frasquiera drought here in central Florida.

2009 was a dismal year and most everyone I know was happy to see it go and hopes 2010 will be better. In that spirit, I wanted to start 2010 with a bang, so why not uncork the 1908?

1/1/10 - Day 1
Bottles was uncorked and left open for 1-2 hours

Amber rim; (expected) dark in glass; highly concentrated aroma which continued to build as I sipped first glass over a span on 60 minutes; nice chocolate aroma; intense up front but acidity mostly overwhelmed by aroma; medium-long finish.

In savoring this wine, there was a significant sweet residue on my lips which I enjoyed well after the glass was consumed.

It was a wonderful reminder why I fell in love with this wine. The aroma was, by itself, intoxicating. I will not quantify the experience because I am still a madeira underclassman, but the scores suggested by others are on the money.


Today is Day 3 and I will want to end the weekend on a high note.

Joe D'Achille
Orlando, Florida

[Joe Dachille]

1/3/10 - Day 3
Highly concentrated aroma still the most distinct characteristic; developing a rounder, less acidic quality up front, wonderful finish as before

1/4/10 - Day 4
Brought some of the 1908 to a friend's house to celebrate one friend's first day at a new job (and to toast the new year as I did not see them over the holiday weekend).

Mellowing some, but still a sharp contrast up front/acidic v. finish/sweetness.

Friend 1 - "This is a meal" (a comment usually denoting a mouthful of flavor and very satisfying)
Friend 2 - "This is stinkin' delicious"

There you have it.

Joe D'Achille
Orlando, Florida