1945 Cossart Gordon "Duo Centenary" bual

[Joe Dachille]

I've been away awhile, stuck in the madeira desert of central Florida,

but I am reviving and have a thirst for madeira.

I am now the happy (I hope) owner of a 1945 Cossart Gordon "Duo Centenary" bual, though I have not yet taken delivery of it as yet.

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I had some questions, which the purveyor of the wine could not answer to my satisfaction, but I believe that the wine is not a vintage wine but a blended wine that was offered for sale as a special bottling. I do not know if this could be called a solera, strictly speaking, but I thought the price reflected a NV status.

Any information or comments would be appreciated.

Joe D'Achille
Orlando FL

[Bergs LH]

Hi! Your wine is a solera, that's a blend, intially created to commemorate the Cossart duo centenary operation in 1945. That was a very fine solera then, with a good portion old wines in it. later, it has been replenished with too much younger wine (in my opinion), so one should go for older bottlings of this wine. Which your is not, I am sorry to say. Nevertheless it's a fine wine you've got there. Seckford Wines sold some last year at no more than around 100£. I've got some since years back, about the same bottling period as yours (look at the labels - identically). It's good!
There is also a quite modern 15 YO blend in the "Duo Centenary Celebration Series", which confuses things. This is not up to the standard of the older bottlings.
Enjoy your wine!
Lars

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[Bergs LH]

PS At a closer look, the labels on yours and mine btls are not quite identical. Mine are apparently older, shipped to England when yours was imported to the US, probably in the 80-s (?). The Duo Centenary Solera in the 1940-s and 1950-s was founded on the famous Cossart Gordon Bual 1845 solera, from start a vintage wine which was transformed into a solera (topped up with younger wines) in the 1870-s when phylloxera struck Madeira. The Cossart Gordon "Bual 1845 Centenary Solera" (not the "Bual Duo-Centenary 1745-1945") trades for huge sums nowadays.
This is an excerpt from a Sothebys Auction catalogue ten years back:
LOT 691
Bual Centenary Solera 1845 OB
Cossart Gordon
We are lucky enough to have this in our cellar & it is a magic potion. SS.
691 3 bts. (sl)
per lot: $600-800
600—800 USD
Lot Sold.  Hammer Price with Buyer's Premium:  920 USD
Sale: NY7375  |  Location: New York
Auction Dates: Session 1: Sat, 06 Nov 99 10:00 AM

[Joe Dachille]

Lars,
I am grateful for all of the information you have provided. I was aware of the 1845 Centenary Solera and the $$ it would be valued at.
I see the difference in the labels that you note. Unfortunately, I can not see an indication of the year of bottling on my photos.
I paid less that $150 for the wine, so I knew from the price it was a solera, I just could not find any information on it.
I hope that I can secure the bottle from my daighter soon (she lives about 200 miles away) and I can give you my tasting notes an overall impression.

Joe D'Achille
Orlando, Florida

[Bergs LH]

Wow, Joe - you're on line! The first time it ever happens to me that I get an answer - and in real time!
Well, 150£ is exactly the equivalent to 150 USD, so you made a keen purchase. I'm happy to hear from you in the future.
Lars

[Joe Dachille]

Lars,
I was not on line long though (at least not on FTLOP). The boss (me) does not mind a bit of web-surfing.

I complain often in my posts that I am stuck in the "madeira desert of central Florida". Not many wine shops in this area carry madeira, let alone vintage madeira. As an unfortunate consequence, my library of madeira currently consists of 1 D'Olivera 1922 Bual (plus a dozen of so empty bottles as souveniers).

The wine shop I have obtained my most recent purchases from is having a madeira tasting next month

http://www.winewatch.com/?DepartmentID= ... ventID=521

although they have yet to tell me the wines being sampled (I would sure like to know if I am to travel 200 miles for the event).

What do you have in your library of madeira?

Joe D'Achille
Orlando, Florida

[Roy Hersh]

Joe,

You should seriously consider joining us on the FTLOP Fortification Tour next May. What you'd taste during our visits would create lifelong memories.

[Joe Dachille]

It has arrived!

I had the wine delivered from one to another to another to me and the wine is now resting on my bar/wine cabinet!

The holidays are looking up. I will post tasing notes when the grand opening occurs.

Joe D'Achille
Orlando, Florida

[Bergs LH]

Dear Joe, I beg your pardon for not replying to your last letter. I do not often visit the forum because of hard work and studies pressure.
Regarding my madeiras, there are a few bottles... I'll keep you posted on that subject. Regarding YOUR madeira, the Cossart "Celebration", I'm happy you have it landed in your home! It's always a bit anxious with one's fragile btls drifting along. Only one has broke during all my years, but that was quite a thing: Verdelho Reserve 1849 (obviously a vintage wne, bottled around 1900-1910) from the little known Koenig house, which was purveyours to the Swedish court. Happily, one of the bottles was intact, and IT WAS GREAT! I recently purchased two bottles unspecified Koenig "Madera 1907", which were personally givenby King Gustav V of Sweden to their last owners grandfather in the 1930-s.
Next what's on is a port tasting which I am gatheringing in Stockholm nov 17. Quinta do Noval Nacional in focus, with a rare bottle from the previous owner van Zeller's private family collection as highlight. Vintage unknown, but Whitwhams who recorked the bottle in 1994 supposes it be from the 1940-s. Also a "ordinary" Noval 1963 plus a unknown supposed-to-be-port from around 1900 (see photos). There are 14 of us participating in the tasting, which comes at 275 dollar per person, inclusive of cheese taken from good old London firm Paxton & Whitfield (est 1792). The setting is a 1700-th century house in central Stockholm, an old wooden table, old candelabra and probably snow falling outside the handblown glass windows in the winter evening - quite romantic! I love it!
Please keep contact, Joe!
Lars

[Andy Velebil]

Bergs,

I've sent you a private message "PM".

And very cool bottles, looks like its going to be a very good tasting.

[Joe Dachille]

1945 Cossart Gordon "Duo Centenary" bual - Tasting Notes

Day 1 - Tuesday, November 9, 2010

I had been letting the bottle rest since it arrived some weeks ago, but the wine is to be shared this Saturday with the pair who kindly transported the precious cargo from Ft. Lauderdale.

The purchase receipt had been attached and they saw the price ($140) and were a tad shocked, being unacquainted with madeira wine. My wife had been promising the pair a prepared dinner, a Morrocan feast, which was finally set and I promised them I would bring some madeira for the last of three desserts. They seemed as excited about the wine as the food.

In preparation, I uncorked the bottle last night. I was concerned because the cork was obviously wet and would disintegrate. I managed to remove the cork with only the last quarter inch breaking.

The aroma of the wine seemed trapped in the bottle, but there was no foul odor either. I poured an ounce or so. The wine seemed a bit cloudy with a yellow rim and lighter amber color. The wine had wisps of aroma, not strong at all.

The wine had the usual bual acidity on the front of the palate and a short, soft, and sweet finish. A "B-" to "B" score - 2 ** so far.

I will taste again and decant before Friday. More to follow.

Joe D'Achille

[Bergs LH]

Ough... Seems a bit scary. Hope the wine opens up.
I will open one of my bottles within a few weeks (special occasion) and let you know, Joe.
Best to you
Lars

[Joe Dachille]

Lars,
Better news. Here are the developments.

Day 2 - Wednesday November 10, 2010
The aroma is a bit more forthcoming. The wine is a bit clearer, but the taste is about the same.


Day 3 - Thursday
The aroma of the wine has blossomed! Nuts and citrus aromas are present. Longer and sweeter finish.


Day 4 - Friday
Not sampled.


Day 5 - Saturday.
I decanted the wine and it is good that I did! There was a tremendous amount of sediment, about 1 tablespoon, in the bottom of the bottle. The wine is noticeably clearer now that the wine is decanted into a clear vessel and observed in strong daylight.

I will prepare the wine for transport to the Morroccan feast and will report on the reaction of the madeira virgins mentioned below.

Joe D'Achille

[Bergs LH]

Hi Joe! Seems better now! Good that it is. Odd with the sediment... very much. Usually it's not.
Please tell how it works '(what's a MMooroccan Feast???)

Receiving a guest within one hour. Gastronomic evening with Foie Gras / Roederer Bdb 2000 and grilled filletts of duck / Liger-Belair Vosne Romanée Clos du Chateau 2000. Plus Warres Nimrod Tawny Port 20 YO with St Agur cheese and pears and nuts. I''mm going nuts over it!

In all haste
Lars

[Eric Ifune]

Sounds like you have a nice bottle. Lots of air always helps Madeira.

[Joe Dachille]

A somewhat belated posting about the "Moroccan Feast" and the initiation of our hosts to madeira...

As I had posted, the two folks who transported the 1945 "Duo Centenary" to Orlando for me were quite intrigued about the wine, particularly to to the age on the label and that "the bottle looked really dusty." They also were somewhat shocked at the accompanying receipt for the purchase price of $140.

My wife, who has been studying Moroccan cuisine (and now Turkish cuisine, as well) had promised to make these folks a Moroccan Feast of a tagine (stew) of chicken with preserved lemon and olives, carrots with spices and mint, and couscous. The tagine is likely the "national dish" of Morocco, and the preserved lemon (actually lemon pickled in salt for a month) is unique to Moroccan cooking. The preserved lemon has a lemon drop quality and a exquisitely long finish. The desserts were also elaborate - almond pastries, dates stuffed with almonds, nuts and Moroccan mint tea (served very sweet). I had thought the madeira would go quite well after the sweet, nutty desserts.

Dinner went quite well and our hosts certainly enjoyed second helpings (all the food being consumed). While my wife was making the tea, I provided some basic information about madeira wine and the solera to be served to them. I believed them to prefer lighter wines and I explained the unique caramel and nutty qualities of a bual, as well as the lively acidity and sweet finish.

After the tea and desserts, I poured the wine. As explained earlier, I had decanted the wine (which was a good thing due to the large quantity of sediment), but brought a quantity of the wine to our hosts' house in the original bottle. My impression of the wine on the fifth day after opening was that the aroma of the wine had continued to develop in strength, but the flavor of the wine was generally as I had previously described when it "blossomed".

Our hosts were stunned by the powerful aroma (as I said, they were used to lighter wines) , but they were also captivated by that strength. My wife's cousin indicated he almost preferred to inhale rather than imbibe. They were truely impressed by the tangy and sweet qualities of the bual. They considered the experience a real treat. I promised them I would treat them to a malvasia the next time.

I have had some more of the madeira since then and I would rate it a good wine for the price and grade it 2 to 2 1/2 stars (scale of 5).

Joe D'Achille
Orlando, Florida

[Bergs LH]

Hi Joe,
thank's for your letter. It's a great thing you do, introducing not only fine madeira to your friends but also fine food from a part of the world that many of us have mixed feelings for.
I wish you all the best in search for more madeiras. After all it's an important part of the American history. Please call back if you are in questioning on madeira, I try to help.

Best regards
Lars