What Madeira will you open at Thanksgiving?

[Roy Hersh]

Will your Madeira be served along with the bird itself or for dessert?

[Philippe Borel]

For our american visitors a two year old gobbler from the local farmer-friend is quietly awaiting his fate: to make us all happy.
To take him to his final resting place a magnum of your friend Georges Roumier Chambolle-Musigny 'Les Cras' 08. Floral, elegant, aristocratic, great length. These were my notes on the last bottle.
Have similar expectations for his soon to be open brother.
What was the question?
Ah! yes, Madeira.
With the mince pie (british side of the family) Boal Velho, Miguel Jardim, H&H the 1906 purchase, 1927 bottled. Here again, great expectations. Not very well reviewed in the Madeira Forum i vaguely recall. We'll see.
Happy Thanks Giving to all.

[Eric Ifune]

Got the H&H 20 yo Terrentez. Figured it is a good time for it.

[Timothy B.]

A couple years ago (2009-11-18 - I had to go check) I went to a Madeira tasting at the Wine Country here in Long Beach sponsored by Blandy's (with a bit of Cossart-Gordon).

I remember the presenter talking about marinating a Thanksgiving turkey in Madeira, though I forget the details.

Anyone here doing that?

--- T

[Gary Banker]

Got the H&H 20 yo Terrentez. Figured it is a good time for it.

I would open it a day ahead. It opened up for me on the second day and gradually over the next four days.

I plan to open either 20 year or 30 year Barbeito malvasia for before and after dinner. I'm leaning toward 2003 Volnay (d'Angerville or Potel) for dinner.

[Philippe Borel]

I think that the Late Duke of Clarence was marinated in a butt of Madeira, very much against his wishes around 1478. Was it a vintage?
Turkey? am not sure.

[Eric Ifune]

I had a bleh Thanksgiving. I opened the 20 yo H&H Terrantez in the morning along with the Rare Wine Co. Benjamin Franklin, but I had come down with a case of shingles a couple of days before. As the day progressed, I felt lousier and lousier. Ended up drinking only a single glass of Champagne with dinner but didn't indulge in the Maderia. Didn't even have dessert which is my favorite thing about Thanksgiving! There's some left over from the other diners, so I'll try them sometime in the next few days.

[Roy Hersh]

I was sick as a dog for a couple of days including Thanksgiving with a major stomach virus. Wow, this was a bad one.

On a brighter note, it was over in about 60 hours. Last night I opened a 1968 D'Olly Boal for my cousin as it was his birth year and he'd never had a Madeira but loves Port. I think he will be buying several bottles.

[Philippe Borel]

Oh, dear, dear me! So much sickness. Forum reads like an installment of 'General Hospital'.
Will skip notes on 'Les Cras'. This is not a Burgundy forum.
Couple of words on the much maligned H&H Boal velho (my previous thread) Elegant, aristocratic, refined, understated, subtle. A soft october day kind of wine.
Great bottle.
I notice that my taste on Madeiras is usually far away from the mainstream of this forum : with the odd exception (Verdelho 1850, superb bottle) i find D'Oliveira's wines often on the rustic side. I am usually impressed by what comes out of ABSL: linear, clean, precise.
And to top it off, and this should get me banished from the group, i don't understand the 100 point rating formula.
I might have been drinking Madeira for far, far, too long.....
Cheers

[Roy Hersh]

Philippe,

Do you drink Madeira while watching episodes of General Hospital.

[Philippe Borel]

I was afraid you were going to ask this terribly cruel (but fair) question, Roy.
I have no choice but face the music and accept the consequences.
The answer is yes, yes, before, during and after each episode.
After which it's nap time by the fire with Rover our large red dog at my feet
Now Roy, tell me, and please don't hold up your punches: does it make me a lesser person?
Cheers
Philippe

[Roy Hersh]

Who am I to judge?

My mother suffers from the same affliction ... no, not Madeira; GH. Her life