For The Love Of Port

After talking to an expert yesterday I got a recommendation for a Madeira that pairs perfectly with a cigar. After my education I checked wine searcher and the brand new Total Wine store nearby has it in stock. Not only that, they are having an online 20% discount for old world wines until 1/31. I was able to pick up 2x 1988 D'Oliveiras Madeira Terrantez bottled 2016 today.

Pereira d´Oliveira Terrantez 1971
Barbeito Verdelho Frasqueira 1992

D'Oliveiras Colheita Boal 1984, bottled 2014

1860 Blandy's Bual Madeiar. "Bottle No. 305/360"

1900 D'Oliveira's moscatel
1900 Shortridge moscatel (AO-SM)
1910 Barbeito sercial
1927 Leacock's bastardo
1979 H. M. Borges sercial
NV J. Nunes Pereira moscatel

It would be interesting to try the D'Oliveiras Moscatel and the Shortridge AO-SM Moscatel side by side.

Eric Ifune wrote:It would be interesting to try the D'Oliveiras Moscatel and the Shortridge AO-SM Moscatel side by side.

I've thought the same. I assume that the D'Oliveira's moscatel was bottled in the 1970's. The Shortridge moscatel looks to have been bottled more recently. Considering the "AO-SM" on the bottle, does that mean that the MWC acquired the Shortridge wine already in the bottle?

Almost everyone is buying really old bottles. Is Madeira not that interesting until it's 100 years old?

I've recently bought/opened:
* Broadbent Verdelho 10yo. - Good, but I'd like more richness / complexity.
* Rare Wine Co. Boston Bual - Extremely off-putting nose when first opened, flavor was also weird, but not as awful as the nose. A day later the nose was fine and the flavor good. I will definitely enjoy drinking this, but not blown away.

So is Madeira much more an acquired taste than Port? Or am I choosing poorly? :)

Mike, I enjoy the RWC New York Malmsey. I've only barely started trying drier styles of Madeira because I do very much prefer sweet, but the bottles I've been buying aren't from the 1800's. I last purchased two Malvasias from RWC - an Imperial Malmsey and a Porto Moniz Special Reserve. I prefer the Imperial Malmsey, but both are very nice.

Glenn E. wrote:Mike, I enjoy the RWC New York Malmsey. I've only barely started trying drier styles of Madeira because I do very much prefer sweet, but the bottles I've been buying aren't from the 1800's. I last purchased two Malvasias from RWC - an Imperial Malmsey and a Porto Moniz Special Reserve. I prefer the Imperial Malmsey, but both are very nice.

Thanks Glenn. I prefer sweet as well, I'll keep an eye out for the ones you mentioned.

Mike K. wrote:* Rare Wine Co. Boston Bual - Extremely off-putting nose when first opened, flavor was also weird, but not as awful as the nose. A day later the nose was fine and the flavor good. I will definitely enjoy drinking this, but not blown away.

That was kind of my experience with the Boston Bual, and since it entirely consumed the first evening, there was no opportunity to see if it improved.

I've thought the same. I assume that the D'Oliveira's moscatel was bottled in the 1970's. The Shortridge moscatel looks to have been bottled more recently. Considering the "AO-SM" on the bottle, does that mean that the MWC acquired the Shortridge wine already in the bottle?

I think the MWC bought both bottled and unbottled wine. Annibel Oliveira was a partidista on the island before he started bottling his own wine.

So is Madeira much more an acquired taste than Port? Or am I choosing poorly?

Madeira is definitely more acquired than, say Port. The wines you mentioned are good, IMO, introductions to Madeira. The Imperial Malmsey that Glenn mentioned is definitely a step up as is the Porto Moniz. They are several times older and more expensive however. Even more expensive, but again a step up, are things like D'Oliverias' 1968 Boal and 1989 Malvasia. These wines definitely will improve with several days of aeration.

Eric Ifune wrote:

So is Madeira much more an acquired taste than Port? Or am I choosing poorly?

Madeira is definitely more acquired than, say Port. The wines you mentioned are good, IMO, introductions to Madeira. The Imperial Malmsey that Glenn mentioned is definitely a step up as is the Porto Moniz. They are several times older and more expensive however. Even more expensive, but again a step up, are things like D'Oliverias' 1968 Boal and 1989 Malvasia. These wines definitely will improve with several days of aeration.

For reference, RWC New York Malmsey is usually around $50. My Porto Moniz was $145 and the Imperial Malmsey was $175. Last I recall seeing, the 1989 Malvasia was $110 and the 1968 Boal was $250. I wish there were another Malvasia between the 1989 and the 1907, because that's a pretty major price step.

Eric Ifune wrote:

I've thought the same. I assume that the D'Oliveira's moscatel was bottled in the 1970's. The Shortridge moscatel looks to have been bottled more recently. Considering the "AO-SM" on the bottle, does that mean that the MWC acquired the Shortridge wine already in the bottle?

I think the MWC bought both bottled and unbottled wine. Annibel Oliveira was a partidista on the island before he started bottling his own wine.

Was Annibel Oliveira part of the Pereira D'Oliveira business? I have seen some discussion about MWC using AO-SM wines, but could not find it when I searched.

Founder of Pereira D'Oliveira. The SM stands for San Martinho where the original family vineyards were at.

1834 Barbeito malvasia
1875 Barbeito malvasia
1910 D'Oliveira's sercial (2)

According to the back label, the 1910S was bottled in the 1970s and recorked in 2009. I haven't seen that with D'Oliveira's before this.

From the last two Skinner's auctions.

1927 Leacock bastardo
1954 Blandy's bastardo
1971 D'Oliveira's terrantez

Finally pulled the trigger on my "stock up" purchase. The 1875s are pre-arrival, so this won't ship until early next year.

2 x 1875 D'Oliveiras Malvasia Family Reserve
1 x 1895 D'Oliveiras Malvasia Family Reserve
1 x 1900 D'Oliveiras Malvazia Family Reserve

1 x 1987 D'Oliveiras Bual
1 x 1988 D'Oliveiras Terrantez
1 x 1989 D'Oliveiras Malvasia

1 x NV Barbeito Malvasia 30 Year Old Vo Vera

Went to a Henriques & Henriques tasting today. It was well done, 8 bottles poured with food pairings for each. I bought:

- Tinta Negra 1997 Single Harvest
- Boal 2000 Single Harvest
- Verdelho 15yo
- Malvasia 20yo
- Terrantez 20yo