For The Love Of Port

Strange how little the often-brilliant, versatile and subtle but powerful Sercial can be

Broadbent Madeira Sercial, 10 years old. Broadbent Selections; Sonoma; CA. Saratoga, Wines, $39.95/750 ml; Justino’s Madeira Wines S.A., Santa Cruz, 19 PABV. T-cork. Clear bright amber with almost imperceptible haze. Not volatile but somewhat sharp on top; in mid-nose vibrancy of exotic wood honies, then to earthy notes while the nose begins its integration, e.g. into a wintergreen-and-woodruff-scented Tannenbaum.//A delicate and subtle brothiness shows forth after a little dilution with water, carrying on into a finish both savory and ripe. 91/100; will probably live, from 2018, while the corks do. Sierra de Estrella cheese brings a somewhat orangewood mouthful, but complaints this is too sweet find little sympathy here. Cheese and wine are magnificent together. Not cheap but for an example of its type a good value for money.

Hi John,

Was the T-cork 'branded'?

Typically, my Broadbent's have had a Justino T-cork. I'm still trying to figure out whether they are 'special bottlings' or just labelled Broadbent for the North American market.

I remember tasting the 10 year old Justino's series side by side with the Broadbent series some years ago. Both had Justino's branded tee type closures. While there were familial similarities, they were definitely different blends.

Alan Gardner wrote:Hi John,

Was the T-cork 'branded'?

Typically, my Broadbent's have had a Justino T-cork. I'm still trying to figure out whether they are 'special bottlings' or just labelled Broadbent for the North American market.

Don't know what a T-Branded cork is, Alan. There seems to be no branding on the T-cork's surface. Also, on the back label, Justino's is listed as producer.

Thanks, Eric, for answering the underlying enquiry.

And John, my Tee corks have the Justinho name embossed on top of the Tee portion of the closure (although I've just opened the Broadbent Terrantez 'Old Reserve').

Maybe they've now switched to a blank (unstamped) closure, so as not to confuse the 'branding'.