For The Love Of Port

2009 Port Gala
Friday, January 30th, Madeira tasting
Flight 2: 1907 D'Oliveiras Malvazia, 1905 D'Oliveiras Verdelho, 1952 Leacock's Verdelho

1952 Leacock's Verdelho

Dark brown in the glass - darker than the previous Madeiras - but still with a tint of red to it.

VA on the nose again, no surprise.

Some nice toffee in the mouth.

This wine was a puzzle (can it have bottle shock?).
Presumably 'late-bottled' as the colour was unusually dark. But already showing a touch of olive in the rim, which seems a bit early.
On the nose far too creamy. Sort of a dusty chocolate surrounded by vanilla cream. And low VA. Not showing Verdelho typicity at all.

Raw acidity on the mouth entry - bracing to say the least! This also wiped out the fruit that was anticipated for the middle palate, but there was a hint of caramel and a touch of tangerine on the finish.

Certainly not in its drinking prime. I'd lay it away for many years and hope for integration - or decant a month or so before consuming.

The color, which I wrote down as "very dark and deep with burgandy red" was interesting, but this one was too tart and sour for my liking.

Nice tasting note. I love VA in Madeira (no other wine type though).

I think this particular bottle was under-decanted and it probably could have used a full week or more. Alan might be 100% right and a month would not hurt either.

For me, intense, nutty, mildly sweet ample VA, needed LOTS more time (age and decanter) to deepen and smooth out the rough edges. 90 pts. I agree re the "week-or-month decanting" notion - couldn't hurt this wine

Was this the 1977 bottling of the 1952 for the Silver Jubilee of the Coronation of Elizabeth II?