Have You Ever Encountered a Fake Madeira?

[Barry Sunderland]

Whenever you have something going for high prices, there's always the possibility of a fake, including Madeira. Have you ever encountered a fake Madeira?

[Andreas Platt]

The REAL question is

"Have you ever identified a fake Madeira and if so, how?"

I have suspected once but have been overruled by Blandys, telling me it was genuine.

Best,

Andy

[Peter Reutter]

I have had one definitely so far. It was a bottle of 1847 Luiz Gomes Terrantrez (with the additional R), bought from a private source. Contrary to the description, the cork had been sealed with a bright red sealing wax, so it was obvious seomthing was wrong. Also the cork was leaking and the smell was not typical for Madeira. I opened the bottle and found out that it had been recorked and had been filled with a cheap Sherry. I got my money back after writing a not-so-polite email cc'ed to my lawyer. The second picture shows the faked bottle with the red top.

In general I have the impression that most Madeira fakes are empty old bottles that have been rekorked and "aged". Also there are some old blended bottles, mostly cheap 3YO or 5YO. The labels are exchanged against stencils or against a label promising a much older wine. Years ago you could even buy these old labels directly at the MWC in Funchal as a souvenir... This will leave you with an old bottle, a genuine looking foil or straw-cap and almost no way to find out about the real contents. If it is done the right way, the stencils or new labels have also been "aged"... As an example I also included a picture of a Blandy Velha, supposedly from 1862. Take a look at the color of the stencils and the vintage year. Also take a look at the edge of the stencils. Do you note the difference? The small importers label could come from another bottle. Of course this is no proof of this bottle beeing a fake, but personally I have my doubts...

Peter

[Reidar Andersen]

He, he. One thing is a authentic bottle and fake wine..

Other way around, bottle is real with real contents , but is the wine in the bottle real madeira ??

I posted this three years ago with no reply. No matter I will open it this autumn and taste... Bottle is not worth anything ...

Quote from 2009....

"My mystery bottle. I have asked so many, including Mr. Alex Liddell . No one could help....

I bought the bottle at Garrafeira, Lisbon around 2002... I was completely aware the day I bought it that it may be plonk and my money went out the window. .. But it was so fascinating that I took the chance, and the price was not that expensive. So well done in design etc this bottle. So "REAL" looking...

Colorful faded, paperlabel with a small picture of a man at top left corner . Text like this:

Homenagem AO

Presidente 1890

Madeira Vinho Velha

J. J. De Menezes Funchal

Red capsule, blue seal with small text, one word Lisboa and the number 1246.....

Of course one can guess this is madeira bottled in Lisboa ?? "

So guys, what is it ???

Will report later....

Reidar

[Peter Reutter]

Reidar,

did they suggest that 1890 was a vintage date? Homenagem is just a tribute to someone. I would guess that it is a blend (not necessarily a low quality one) like one of those British tribute blends for the Queen's coronation.

Peter

[Reidar Andersen]

No Peter, no suggestion... Wien I open I will send you you a "medical test" ...

[Peter Reutter]

OK, offer accepted, I will be glad to test it. I prefer the good old-fashioned personal nose-and-palate approach over any laboratory-stuff anyway.

[Andy Velebil]

Stumbled on this old thread and reminded me of a bottle a year ago a Producer in the Douro opened for me and others. There was a lot of talk around the table this was fake and it was generally agreed upon to not be real. It was a bottle of 1904 MMV Boal.

[Eric Ifune]

Have had a couple. One was an obvious 5 year old with a waxed capsule and a different label. After taking off the wax, the old capsule and tee cork were easily seen. They didn't even make an attempt to recork! It tasted like an old (decades) 5 year old as well.

[Andreas Platt]

Hi Eric!

So in case this was a 5 YO and if bottled in lets say 1930 then it would have been a 1925!!! Not bad.

Just joking.

[Moses Botbol]

Would be easy to fake if you could nail the capsule and cork.

[Alan Gardner]

Yes, I've had 'dubious' madeiras - and an occasional fake!

My speculation is that there are a number of bottles out there that are 'old' madeiras - but not necessarily bearing a specific date (vintage). I bought a case from a source subsequently identified as 'spurious'. However, the 8 bottles I've tried were all 'notably' madeira, although I can't substantiate the wine itself.
I had photographs of the cellar (prior to my purchase) which clearly showed lesser madeiras (as well as the 'gems'). Also, my bottles have rarely been duplicated (as far as I know). Comparing different bottles the capsulation/dust aging seems similar for different bottles, so my current theory is that these were 'unstencilled' unknown age (but old) madeiras, where the 'fake' portion has been the stencilling (i.e. were formerly old but unidentified). The 'date' has been added to bump up the price, so essentially still 'faked' - but are still (mostly?) old madeiras of unknown age.