For The Love Of Port

In a recent email, Roy wrote that the Negra Mole grape has the ability to emulate the noble varieties that Madeira wines are often named after. I have also heard this statement from a number of other people.

But what does this actually mean?

Does it mean that when you make a lotte out of NM grapes then you can blend it with juice from any of the noble varieties without damaging the flavours of the noble grape?

Or does it mean that if you plant a NM vine next to a Sercial vine that the NM grapes start to look and taste like Sercial?

Or does it mean something completely different?

I have drunk relatively little Madeira but have drunk some blended wines where NM was the largest component and have enjoyed them considerably. However, I have always assumed that what I tasted was a NM flavour with overtones from some of the other grape varieties that were included in the blend.

Many thanks,

Alex

Depending on where you plant it and when you harvest, Negra Mole can be made in a wide variety of styles that mimic the classic varieties. For example, if planted a higher altitude and harvested with higher acidity, it can mimic sercial. If low down and sweeter, it can mimic malvasia.

Dear Alex,
certainly there is no such a thing as an "aroma transfer" from the Sercial vine next on to the TNM. But as Eric rightly said one factor is the different outcome of characteristics of the TNM depending on the altitudes. Also of course the treatment after fortification (fast or slow estufa), duration of time in wood afterwards and so on matters. Also one of the big advantages of the TNM is (as one producer once put it) that it has little outstanding individuality, meaning that it is a good aromatic grape to blend with. As many good TNM wines demonstrate, there is enough multi-layered aroma and complexity in TNM and in the blends usually the added older wines will carry that special individual something. Therefor it matters little if the base of the blend is TNM or Sercial or whatever other grape allowed. No wonder why some producers make even the 10 YO blends drom TNM. When you compare these 10 YO TNM blends to a 10 YO blend of the other varieties like Sercial od Bual, honestly I do not see the difference in style, complexity or overall quality. Regarding the long-life quality of TNM when it comes to old vintage Madeiras I still have some doubts about TNM. I keep waiting for that old TNM Madeira to come along and convince me.
Best
Peter

Eric,
Peter,

Many thanks for your replies. I now have a much better understanding of what people mean when they say that Tinta Negra Mole can be made to emulate the noble varieties of grapes in Madeira.

Alex