What is your BEST Madeira consumed in 2020?

[Roy Hersh]

You may characterize this in any way you would like. The #1 of your year. Top by category of Madeira. Best by Producer. Best Value. Your Top 10 or however else you would like to display your greatest hits of this year ... to this point in time.

We have done this every year since 2005. It matters not if your top Madeira is a Blandy's Rainwater or 1802 Acciaioli Terrantez. Whatever you liked best!

[Eric Ifune]

1880 Blandys Solera Verdelho
1850 D'Oliverias Verdelho
1834 Barbeito Malvasia
1832 Acciaioly Terrantez

[Glenn E.]

My 2020 for Madeira has been significantly less impressive than it has been for Port, but I've still opened a couple of nice bottles.

NV Borges 30 Year Old Malvasia
1986 Faja dos Padres Malvasia Frasqueira
V. Sattui Madeira (California)

[David Spriggs]

Barbeito Malvazia 30 Years Old (Lote Especial) - Bottled 2006
1957 Blandy's Bual

[Le Gamin de Paris]

My number one in 2020 was 1832 Oscar Acciaioly Terrantez. Tastebud Heaven. So far I've managed to resist drinking the remaining half bottle, it's so tempting...

At lower price point I really enjoyed Blandy's 1968 Sercial, now that bottle is finished!

[Michael R]

1864 Boal TTC Lomelino (the bottle was opened in 2019 and there are still a few drops remaining)
1863 Barbeito Boal
1914 Faja dos Padres Malvasia (also opened in 2019, continued to improve for many months)

[Eric Ifune]

Who bottled the 1914 Faja dos Padres? ABSL?

[Michael R]

Who bottled the 1914 Faja dos Padres? ABSL?

I believe so. No producer was identified in the stencils (and the stencils were in horrible shape). However:
- The bottle comes from the Patrick Grubb batch sold at Bonhams in 2016 and is identified as "Barros e Sousa Malvasia Faja" on the auction house sticker.
- I have a couple of similar bottles and one of them bears an AB seal on the wax.

[Andreas Platt]

I recently had a chance to ask Mr. Olim and received the answer that their 1914 was no Faja, but the 1934 in fact was.

So, where the definetely existing 1914 Faja comes from, stays a mystery.

I do, btw own bottles of both:

"Malvasia 1914 Solera" with ABSL seal and confirmed by Mr. OLIM

and

"Malvasia 1914 Faja" with still unconfirmed origin.

[Eric Ifune]

I've a bottle of the 1934 as well. I think also a 1933 Verdelho.
Wish I could find more ABSL.

[Michael R]

This is very curious - here are the pictures of a bottle I own. I thought it is the A|B seal of ABSL. Perhaps it is something else - can anybody recognize it?
I also have a bottle with no seal (acquired from the same source)

[Eric Ifune]

Don't recognize the capsule. The stenciling looks like ABSL's.

[Andreas Platt]

Stencil looks like ABSL.
Seal is definetely ABSL.
I will go deeper once I have the opportunity to ask additional questions.
Also, I will take pics of my bottles and post those here.

[Eric Ifune]

There are other fajas other than Faja dos Padres. A faja is a spit of land arising from a collapse of an ocean cliff face. These are warm and sheltered and so are prized for agriculture. Faja dos Padres is far and away the most famous however.

[Michael R]

An excellent point, Eric.

Here is an auction blurb on this wine from the sale of Patrick Grubb's collection in 2016 (https://www.bonhams.com/auctions/23373/ ... egory=list):
Barros e Sousa Malvasia Fajã 1914
Tasting note: 'Amazing to reflect on the history behind this wine. The colour is deep reddish bronze, with powerful nose of raisin and spices and later more floral'. Patrick Grubb MW


The opaque reference to the "history behind the wine" made me believe is from Fajã dos Padres, but I have not even realized it is just my assumption.