For The Love Of Port

After seeking help on what to pair this wine with, I served it yesterday with cold frid chicken strips and blue cheese dipping sauce. It was an excellent pairing.

The wine was a bit different than I expected. It was deep caramel in color. The palate was medium dry, not dusty at all, with no real residual sweetness that I expected. There wasn't much VA, something else I expected. It actually reminded me a bit of dark amontillado sherry. The flavors were nuts and figs. I really liked it a lot.

For food pairings, in addition to the chicken noted above, I think this wine would pair well with very caramalized diver scallops.

All the best,
John

Actually, that sounds like a brilliant pairing. I might even add an ounce into the sautee pan when cooking some scallops ... which I love. I might have to use a different Verdelho though, as I don't currently own the H&H.

John, I'd be interested in more impressions. How was the body weight, acidity level, finish etc. ?

Thanks!

Hi Roy,

That's a great idea about adding some of the wine in with the scallops. I would probably use the wine to deglaze the pan and create a pan sauce with it, using some shallots and a little Herbs de Provence.

The body weight was about mid-range, perhaps a little thinner than a 10-year tawny. The wine's acidity was very much in balance with its dryness, nothing like the type of VA that I'm used to in a madeira. That's why I equated it more to a medium dry sherry than a madeira. Lastly, the finish on your palate lasted a minute or more, with figs dominating. While I don't think it will win any awards compared to many other madeiras, I think it's a very approachable wine and might be a good "starter" madeira for some people. I'm pleased based on the $36 I paid for each bottle (all in) from Winebid.

All the best,
John