Which Non-Vintage Madeira?

[bcaln1]

I'm wondering which 'every day' Madeira you enjoy most? I've had the Henriques 5 in the house, but it's very hard to find. I did try the Blandy 15, but don't think it compares to the Henriques (15). If you've had any of the 5, 10, or 15's from Miles, Blandy, Cossart, or Henriques, please let me know which you really enjoyed (Malmsey, Boal, Verdelho, Sercial).

Thanks,

Bruce

P.S. Is the Henriques 5 'Fine-Rich' any good???

[Gary Banker]

The Cossart 10-year bual is very good. If you can go outside the brands that you mentioned, I think that Roy has spoken very highly of the Broadbent 10-year malmsey. The Rare Wine Company Boston Bual is excellent, also.

Gary

[pgwerner]

10-year Malmsey is my "everyday" Madeira. My favorites are Broadbent and Henriques. Broadbent is a very intense, very sweet, concentrated, forward style, while Henriques is slightly less sweet (though still as sweet as one would expect from Malmsey), nicely complex, and a bit less forward. The wine merchant I buy the latter from says that Henriques is more "feminine" than Broadbent.

Barbeito also does an excellent 10-year Malmsey in a style similar to Broadbent, but its quite pricey. Blandys is sweet and syrupy and a bit one-dimensional – I don't think its as good as the others.

The 15-year Malmsey from Henriques is wonderful and intense with a long finish, bordering on Vintage Madeira, but for me its more my "special occasion" bottle than my daily one.

The Henriques 10-year Sercial is quite nice too. I occasionally have it chilled as an aperitif. Its very nice with a well-aged Gouda.

Peter

[Roy Hersh]

I am a big fan of the Broadbent 10 year old Malmsey. Folks here reported that the other great 10 year old Malmsey is the H&H and I bought my first bottle earlier in the week and will have a TN in my next newsletter. Some will say I am "jaded" but for my tastes so far, the Broadbent is far more in the style that I appreciate.

The best way to explain this, is a wine comparison:

The Broadbent is equivalent to the 1971 Yquem, while the Henriques & Henriques is the '71 Climens.

[bcaln1]

Much thanks to all of you for the feedback, I'll give some of these a try.

Gracie!

Bruce

[Reidar Andersen]

I have not tasted the Justinos ( Broadbent 10 year olds ), but I must say if I have to choose, I will pick the H&H and Barbeito 10 years.

BUT, I love everything from Isabel and Borges, their 10 & 15 year olds. But you have to go to their lodge to get it ( Of course in shops around also ).

Next time, guys, i Funchal go there !!

[pgwerner]

I have not tasted the Justinos ( Broadbent 10 year olds ), but I must say if I have to choose, I will pick the H&H and Barbeito 10 years.

I'm told that even though Broadbent is bottled by Justinos, it is not the same thing as the Justinos 10-year Malmsey that they sell under their own brand. I haven't had the latter, but I'm told Broadbent is much better, and that Bartholomew Broadbent had a hand in coming up with the blend.

Peter

[Paul Day]

Having tasted all the usual suspects, I am amazed at the quality of the current 10yo Barbeito releases (S, V, B & M). Very pure.
(Incidentally, to my taste, much more preferable to the older wines imported to the US as the RWC Historic Series.)
But the best Barbeito Colheitas are something else (not yet imported to the US, btw)!

[Gary Banker]

I purchased two of the Barbeito colheitas ('94 Malvasia and '95 Bual) from Patrick Grubb. The prices are lower than the MWC colheita/harvest wines. I have tried the '94 Malvasia, which I thought better than any of the various 10-year olds that I have had. I hope to be able to get more.

Gary