For The Love Of Port

Which half dozen post 1900 Madeiras would you pick as your favorites?

Bruce

Bruce,

From the oldest to newest:

1920 Blandy's Bual
1926 Barbeito Verdelho
1948 Barbeito Malvasia
1954 Barbeito Malvasia
1954 Leacock Terrantez - my favorite
1968 D'Oliveira Bual

Gary Banker

Thanks for the input, I have a few of the 1968 D'Oliveira Boals that I picked up in Madeira a few weeks ago, and just bought the 1954 Barbeito Malvasia ($130, last one left). I'll keep my eyes out for the others too.

Gracie!

P.S. Tasted the 1968 at D'Oliveira in Funchal, couldn't believe it was that 'young'. Picked up the 1977 Terrantez too, not quite the wine the 1968 Boal is, but still excellent.

Gotta go with the 1920 Cossart Malmsey. I also believe it made Broadbent's top ten list of wines of the 20th century.

Well, if you could include 1900 ( which is not "post" ) there are a few like my favorite DOliveiras 1900 Moscatel, 1900 Barbeito Malvazia.

Here is my dirty dozen. If someone packed me up a bottle of each and I could drink this case as my very last, I'd die a happy man.

1905 D'Oliveira Verdelho
1907 D'Oliveira Malvasia
1908 D'Oliveira Bual
1910 Barbeito Sercial
1912 D'Oliveira Verdelho
1920 Cossart-Gordon Malmsey
1922 D'Oliveira Bual
1929 D'Oliveira Verdelho
1950 Faja dos Padres Vineyrard Terrantez
1964 Broadbent Boal
1968 D'Oliveira Bual
1977 D'Oliveira Terrantez

Great post and great answers! This is very helpful. Thanks!

-Dave-

My choice would be the 1920 Cossart Gordon Boal. I'm soooo glad it was not consumed in a single sitting, as it just kept getting better over a week's time.

I recently purchased the 1920 Cossart Gordon Malmsey. I haven't sampled that wine yet, but it has received rave reviews as one of the top Madeiras of the 20th century.

Marco,

You are in for a wonderful treat. I've only had it twice, but both experiences are SO memorable!

Marco,
I hope you don't mind, but can you tell us where and how much you paid for the 1920 Cossart-Gordon Malmsey?
I only have a few bottles left and wouldn't mind getting more.
Thanks!

It wasn't pretty... US$700 from Hart Davis Hart. It was their only bottle, however.

Am I the only one who thinks the Cossart Malmsey 1920 a tad overrated?

Not that it is bad, but there are a number of C20 Malmseys I would rate above this (e.g., 1906 Leacock's and 1934 Faja from Barros e Sousa).
I think Liddell's ****(*) is perhaps a fairer assessment.

Broadbent in Vintage Wine states "Made from the last Malvasia Candida vines from the Faja dos Padres vineyard". This copies unquestioningly Noel Cossart's aside (p.143, Madeira the island vineyard), but this is highly spurious as argued by Liddell. Indeed, Vizetelly (1880) cites the Faja as
"planted principally with vines of the verdelho variety" although he recognizes the earlier importance of Malvasia.

Paul,

Don't forget the recent 1950 bottling of the Faja, which of course, was Terrantez.

The upcoming newsletter is all Madeira with reminiscences of one of the greatest Madeira tastings I have been to plus some other fun tidbits from our island visit.

Roy,

I have tasted the 1950 Terrantez, and agree that it is very fine.

It is made in the Jardim Fernandes style ... very elegant, pure, not too sweet. Very much like their superb demi-seco verdelhos from the 1940's and 1950's, but with the added complexity of a bitter thread of true Terrantez right through the palate. I have bought as many bottles of this as I can find, and agree wholeheartedly with your recommendation.

The other week, I was also fortunate enough to visit the Faja and taste samples of recent Malvasia Candia wines from Jardim Fernandes. (They prefer the alternate Candia rather than the corrupted Candida spelling.) I tried the 2000, 1990 and 1986: fine and elegant they are too, if not as intensely sweet as the early C19 Faja dos Padres Malmseys I have tasted.

Paul

It wasn't pretty... US$700 from Hart Davis Hart. It was their only bottle, however.

Didn't know the current price was so steep! You could get a great wine a century older for that price! I'll just have to cherish them more.