1879 João Martins da Silva Madeira Malvasia (a Family Wine?) -- Request for Information

[John Trombley]

12 bottles available in Germany @ Euros 800 (2 bottles listed in CellarTracker ownership, other bottles offered for sale in Europe at about $1161/750 ml.)

There are no bottles listed in FTLOP under this producer at all--looks like a private family bottling by a Villa Lobos vineyard owner. Does anyone know this wine at all or have any of you tasted it? There are some numbers listed by a MWA analyst and some brief TN notes amounting to:

a Malvasia Candida wine

92 points overall score

about a 7 percent residual making it a little drier than many Malvasias; moderate-high current acidity (9 percent).

for picture of bottle included in 2014 South Africa charity auction: https://www.nederburgauction.co.za/2162 ... ater-good/

1879 João Martins da Silva Madeira Malvasia

0,75 L
list price: 950 € your price: 800 €

The year was 1872. The scourge-prone Portuguese island of Madeira was hit by the disastrious Phylloxera, sucking the sap out of commercial grapevines and decimating the acreage to a thousand acres within less than ten years. While others bemoaned the significantly lower production, wine-maker Joao Martins da Silva, in the prime vineyards of Camara de Lobos, stoically shrugged off his viticultural limitations to produce a rich, sweet wine from the Malvasia Candida grape: the Malmsey 1879. His creation was Canteiro-aged in 105-gallon wooden barrels for more than 60 years, bottled in 1943, since then developing enormous concentration and complexity.

This wine was from the inheritance of João Martins da Silva, born in 1860 and deceased in 1940. He was a ship-owner and founded the Madeira Navigation Agency. He supplied the boats that passed by Madeira during the 1º World War, and became later a shareholder of the railway of Monte, the bank of Madeira and also proprietor of the Company Insular (“Pastas”). As an owner of vineyards near Camara de Lobos which were planted with the grape variety of Malvazia, he vinified his on wines every year, storing them in wooden casks, which were later inherited by his children. This wine was bottled in 1943 for occasion of this daughter Matilde's wedding to the medical doctor António de Castro Jorge.

Technical Data:
Alcohol: 19,2 % vol.
Residual sugar: 74,1 g/l
Acidity: 9,45 g/l
Sugarfree Extracts: 9,45 g/l
Visual Impressions
Clear and bright, clear, dark coppery gold color with greenish nuance, fleeting foam and slow aura-laced tear revealing a lot of glycerin.

Olfactory Impressions
Characteristic, very exuberant, intense, revealing a bouquet of exotic woods, resins and balsams with notes of spices and roasted confectionery.

Taste Impressions
Half sweet and concentrated, voluminous and soft, with a very long and fresh finish leaving a very spicy bouquet on the palate, remembering molasses and curry.

Also see that this is offered at a Langton's auction at a current $US 1616, an estimate of $1800-2000, in about 2 days.

[Eric Ifune]

Never had it. Sounds like a growers wine. These seem to have been coming out of the woodwork lately. Also sounds a bit atypical as you mention. Is this the same wine that Patrick Grubb obtained? He had a great reputation. $1600 sounds expensive. 800 euros less so. I've tasted one 1879 Malvasia before, it was only OK.

[John Trombley]

Yes, Patrick Grubb did have this wine and was excited by it. I'm interested because it's a Malvasia candida (is that correct) nearly extinct original strain of Malvasia nearly put out of business by the phyllox/oidium one-two punch and I've never before tasted a wine made with this.

This grower's wine, if it is such, was produced in every vintage, so a question might also be what kind of a year it came from. There's only one other in the data base; will have to look at Michael Broadbent's Great Vintage wine bood.

The offer is for 800 Euros; this is the lowest recent price I can find. That's with anywhere in the world delivery insured refund or replacement.

Broadbent lists 1879 as a five-star vintage but reviews only one wine.

[Justin A]

If I recall correctly, some bottles of this wine were in a Christies sale sometime over the past 3-4 year.

[Michael R]

I believe the wine might be the same as Herdeiros Dr. Castro Jorge 1879 Malvasia tasted at the "Majesty of Malvasia"

For that one you can find tasting notes in a several places, including http://www.richardmayson.com/madeira-wi ... y-malvasia

[Eric Ifune]

If it's the same wine as the Castro Jorge, then I have had it. I don't my notes here, but I don't remember being too impressed with it. Aaron Nix-Gomez and Roy have tasting notes on the web as well.
If you're interested in Malvasia Candida, it is still grown on the Faja dos Padres and the plantings there are slowly expanding. The 1986 and 1990 Barbeito Faja dos Padres bottlings of Malvasia are made from it. The Rare Wine Company may still have the 1986 for sale. It was thought extinct on the island until Mario Fernandes, the owner, found a stray vine near the cliff. DNA analysis in Lisbon showed it was the original and all replantings on the island have come from this vine. Unfortunately the initial vine has since died, but it's progeny live on. Malvasia Candida seems to be a very finicky variety and really does well only in a couple of places on the south side, such as the Faja dos Padres. The Madeira Wine Company grafted some over to Boal since it wasn't doing too well in their plantings. Mario Fernandes and Ricardo Freitas said 2017 might be a very good vintage for the Faja. I do know that when we visited this past spring, it looked like a big crop.

[Andreas Platt]

Hey guys...

@ John: I guess the 2 CT bottles belong to...

@ Michael: no - the Castro I also do have but this is not the same.

@ Eric: would be great meeting again in Faja - maybe? I (&Sabine) will be in Palm Springs first and last week in May '18 - offline?????

Cheers

[Michael R]

Hm, this is the extract from Roy's newsletter N 87 with notes on the "Majesty of Malvasia" tasting:

MB: 1879 Herdeiros Dr. Castro Jorge Malvasia – From the heirs of Jorge Castro. Bottled in 1943;
recently recorked and rewaxed. This wine was from the inheritance of Joao Martins da Silva, 1860-1940, a ship
owner and founder of the Madeira Navigation Agency.

Sounds like the owners and the bottling dates are the same; Andreas can you please let us know what convinced you they are different?

[Eric Ifune]

Andreas,
In May, I may have to clear my schedule!

[Andy Velebil]

Andres, I may be able to do Palm Springs around that time. Let me know and I'll sort dates. Perhaps we can coordinate with Eric's schedule.


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[Steve Pollack]

Andres, I may be able to do Palm Springs around that time. Let me know and I'll sort dates. Perhaps we can coordinate with Eric's schedule.


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Please keep me in the loop if a SoCal offline develops.

Also, I agree with the comments re the 1879 Malvasia; mediocre at best. I personally would not buy at the price mentioned. Too many other great Madeiras available for the same money or less.

[Andy Velebil]

Info related to the Offline in Palm Springs IS NOW POSTED HERE