2007 Vallegre Vista Alegre White Colheita

[Mike J. W.]

I had this on Glenn's birthday tour and liked it so much that I bought a few bottles. This was bottled last month (May 2024). It's a different take on White Colheita's in the sense that it's drier and more savory than sweet. The sweetness is there, but it's secondary to the acidity and dryness of this White Colheita. I don't have a lot of experience with Madeira, but it sort of reminded me of a nice Boal. The aroma was of sweet varnish / turpentine, but it wasn't unpleasant at all. The color is light burnt orange with some yellow straw notes mixed in. It had a clear rim with just the slightest tinge of green. The acidity and the sweetness were perfectly balanced. On the palate I tasted some peach, tropical fruits and a light touch of butterscotch. The acidity was mouth puckering, but nice and there was a long aftertaste. This is a really nice, young White Colheita. I give it 93 points.