For The Love Of Port

[The Leacock Family Madeiras (Hotel Monaco, San Francisco, CA)]: Probably another private family wine; believed to have possibly been laid down for Edmund Erskine, born in 1891. Very dark in color; almost cola-like. Interesting camphor/sandalwood/tea leaf/pressed dried flowers and perfume. These are the scents I normally associate with extreme bottle-aged Madeiras -- and it was intoxicating. Initialy luscious and round on entry, but very good balancing acidity. Off-dry. Beautiful "sweet" bottle bouquet that I could not get enough off. An unusual wine in that the nose strongly suggested bottle-aging while, paradoxically, the color suggested cask aging. (94)
6/6/2009