For The Love Of Port

Roy's interesting thread on tawny ports aging in the bottle begs the same question on Madeiras. I agree with Roy on older tawnys getting a more rounder, syrupy texture in the mouth. Funny that I really don't notice this with Madeiras that have extreme bottle age; perhaps the elevated acidity levels keep the wines "fresher", for lack of a better term.

The few Madeiras I've had with extreme bottle age have seemed to have a unique "sweet" bottle bouquet - something akin to sweet sandalwood, pressed dried flowers and women's perfume.

Anbody else have any input on Madeiras with more time in the bottle?

Great topic. I will keep quiet until a few others weigh in here. I really hope we start to get some more Madeira traffic going in this part of the Forum. If anyone has any ideas, I am open to listening. This is the kind of thread that if was on Port would be swarming with replies. Come on folks! :help:

I find this a little difficult to answer in a brief response.
Certainly the colour changes – that beautiful olive green rim develops over time in bottle.
However, in order to answer ‘knowledgeably’, I’d have to follow the development of a single bottling (several bottles) over a longer period. Typically the vintage madeiras just don’t come in significant quantities (at least for my pocketbook).
I’ve followed a 1905 Sercial for over 10 years and the acidity seemed to drop and the aromatics become more complex. However, what’s 10 years in a 100-year-old wine?

Similarly, I’ve tried the same Madeira bottled at various times (the 1795 Terrantez and a late 19th century Barbeito Bual) and the earlier-bottled version seems brighter and less caramelly – but I ascribe those differences to the further wood aging of the later-bottled versions (rather than anything from the bottle-aging).

For younger madeiras I find the differences between ‘bottlings’ to be more significant than any aging effects. If I find a ‘bargain’ (in terms of price for quality) I’ll buy a case. When we first got the Broadbent 5-yr-old in Ontario, I bought a case after sampling a single bottle.
The subsequent shipment (just over a year later), I tried a bottle – and it seemed like an entirely different wine. (And I bought another bottle to save for when I next encounter Bartholomew, so we can try the two shipments side-by-side).

Again, with 5-yr-old Madeira Wine Company bottlings I recently tried the Cossart Gordon Bual, which was superb, alongside the Blandy – which seemed tired. My understanding is that ‘only the label is different’ – the contents come from the same ‘storage unit’. But I don’t know which (if either) was longer in bottle.

So, the honest answer is – I don’t know (with a possible ‘yet’) added.

Coincidentally I just discovered a long-forgotten Leacock 5-yr-old Sercial in my cellar (it shows as being there in a 1997 Inventory), and so we opened it last weekend and served it blind at a dinner party (with a ‘white gazpacho’ – main ingredients almonds and cucumber – not an easy course to match a wine with). My big surprise was the fine sediment (so obviously a change in bottle) – but all the participants easily identified it as a sercial (OK, not quite true, one thought it a palo cortado sherry). I, of course, knew the identity, so didn’t need to guess, but it seemed a touch sweeter than expected, more in the style/mouthfeel of a verdelho, but still dry.

For sure, I don’t think there’s any significant risk of a well-stored bottle going “over-the-hill”, but I wouldn’t expect major changes over a generation.

Marco D. wrote: Funny that I really don't notice this with Madeiras that have extreme bottle age; perhaps the elevated acidity levels keep the wines "fresher", for lack of a better term.

The few Madeiras I've had with extreme bottle age have seemed to have a unique "sweet" bottle bouquet - something akin to sweet sandalwood, pressed dried flowers and women's perfume.

Anbody else have any input on Madeiras with more time in the bottle?

Have had some old Madeiras, I have noticed this with. The one that fits this description the best was a 1975 Barbeito Terrentez that looked like it was bottled mid-late 19th century. It was not as delicate as let's say an 1895 Port. This Barbeito filled the room with sweet aromas. Just heaven!

Another sample!
I found a half-bottle of 5 yr-old, Cossart Gordon Bual that had been in my cellar for about 10 years (for sure it was over 7 years, but less than 12 - the dates of two inventories). I would assume that any bottle changes would be exaggerated in smaller bottles.
My assessment was that it was (still) in perfect shape - not really any different than from recent examples I've tried in 750ml botles.
So, with the possible exception of sercial (and rainwater?), I have been unable to detect any significant differences in bottle-aged madeiras.
But I do sense that some sercials appear to become 'rounder' - although I haven't performed any 'formal' evaluations.

And, in a similar vein (and as an afterthought - again no formal 'evidence') I have similar impressions of sherry - the only styles that seem to change in bottle are the drier versions. The sweeter oloroso styles seem to age superbly in bottle, but the finos certainly lose their freshness.

Moses Botbol wrote:The one that fits this description the best was a 1975 Barbeito Terrentez that looked like it was bottled mid-late 19th century.

Did you mean to say 1875 Barbeito Terrentez... or (yikes) 1775?
:)

Marco D. wrote:

Moses Botbol wrote:The one that fits this description the best was a 1975 Barbeito Terrantez that looked like it was bottled mid-late 19th century.

Did you mean to say 1875 Barbeito Terrantez... or (yikes) 1775?
:)

Op's, did I type 1975? :help: Meant 1795... I guess there's a difference...