Annual Madeira dinner
Posted: Sun Jan 24, 2010 12:53 pm
GUYS NIGHT OUT – ANNUAL MADEIRA DINNER 1/19/2010
The eleventh annual Madeira tasting, and fifteenth such dinner since 1999, took place at Spezie Restaurant in Washington, DC. Chef Todd Gray of Equinox, a consistent genius at producing varied meals to match with madeiras, was scheduled to provide dinner at Equinox. The restaurant had a kitchen fire and was being refurbished. Chef Gray was kind enough to arrange for dinner at Spezie, coordinating the menu and sharing the cooking chores with his friend, Chef Caesare Lafranconi at Spezie. The resultant meal was terrific, with excellent Madeira-matched alternative choices for attendees with special dietary needs. Fifteen enthusiasts attended.
All wines were double decanted and remained in unstoppered bottles for one month prior to the tasting.
Apperitif:
1940 Borges Solera Riserva (Verdelho): Medium yellow-brown; slight green apple edge. Nose of nuts and caramel, bit of smoke. Similar flavors, medium body, perfect balancing acidity. Medium length finish. Not complex, but lovely balanced wine. 17.
Wines for courses 1 and 2:
1954 Miles Verdelho: Medium-dark brown, light green rim. Full, rich nose of toffee,caramel and hazelnuts. Nuts and caramel persist in the mouth, with nice hint of orange peel. Long finish, but could use a little more acidity for balance. 18.
1905 D’Oliveira Verdelho: Very dark with green edge that goes with significant age. Deep, full aromas of caramel, Benedictine and Brandy, coconut nuances; later a liitle salt and some date flavors. Long finish with plenty of acidity to balance the sugar. 19.
Wines for courses 3 and 4:
1971 Blandy Bual: Medium-dark amber with slightly green edge. Usual caramel, toffee, chocolate nose, with a little citrus peel. Caramel and toffee flavors with good depth, but little complexity; good acidity. Long, clean finish. Nice wine, but needs time to develop more nuanced flavors. 18-.
Henriques & Henriques W.S. Boal (circa 1820): Medium amber with medium green edge. Fabulous nose, the best of any Madeira in my memory. Cloves, allspice, dill, brandy, nice waft of volatile acidity and marzipan; all seem to harmoniously work together while being individually apparent. In mouth, herbs, citrus peel, hazelnuts and Brazil nuts plus touch of cloves. Medium body. Very long, balanced finish with good acidity. 19.5. Great wine!
Wines for dessert:
1971 Miles Malvasia: Very dark brown, but no green rim. Huge molasses nose, with some alcohol showing. Rich but relatively simple molasses flavors. Good acidity. Medium length finish. Needs more age. 17.
1886 Barbeito Malvasia: Very dark brown,green edge. Mild reduction initially, but blows off. Molasses and herbal flavors with moderate complexity. Good acidity. Medium length finish. 17.
In conclusion, dinner and the food-wine pairings were outstanding. The Henriques & Henriques W. S. Boal was the clear superstar of the evening, with the 1905 D’Oliveira Verdelho an excellent second. The other bual and the malvasias may have scored better if not in the shadow of the old H & H wine.
Dinner Menu
Amuse-Bouche
Roasted Monkfish "Saltimbocca"
Prosciutto, fresh sage, Madeira sauce
Fresh Egg Fettuccine
Wild boar ragu and Parmesan Reggiano
Slow Cooked Scottish Pheasant
Grilled forest mushrooms and Alsatian red cabbage
Tenderloin and Sweetbread of Marcho Farms Veal
Green lentils, winter vegetable mirepox, black truffle veal jus
Tom's Warm Date Cake
Toffee sauce, Armagnac dates, Mascarpone gelato
Cookies and truffles
For next year, we’re contemplating an all-bual dinner. At some point in time, an evening of malvasias with mixed desserts is likely. Past groupings of 4 buals or 4 malvasias have been well-received, with appropriate cheeses, fruits and nuts as complement.
Pictures to follow.
The eleventh annual Madeira tasting, and fifteenth such dinner since 1999, took place at Spezie Restaurant in Washington, DC. Chef Todd Gray of Equinox, a consistent genius at producing varied meals to match with madeiras, was scheduled to provide dinner at Equinox. The restaurant had a kitchen fire and was being refurbished. Chef Gray was kind enough to arrange for dinner at Spezie, coordinating the menu and sharing the cooking chores with his friend, Chef Caesare Lafranconi at Spezie. The resultant meal was terrific, with excellent Madeira-matched alternative choices for attendees with special dietary needs. Fifteen enthusiasts attended.
All wines were double decanted and remained in unstoppered bottles for one month prior to the tasting.
Apperitif:
1940 Borges Solera Riserva (Verdelho): Medium yellow-brown; slight green apple edge. Nose of nuts and caramel, bit of smoke. Similar flavors, medium body, perfect balancing acidity. Medium length finish. Not complex, but lovely balanced wine. 17.
Wines for courses 1 and 2:
1954 Miles Verdelho: Medium-dark brown, light green rim. Full, rich nose of toffee,caramel and hazelnuts. Nuts and caramel persist in the mouth, with nice hint of orange peel. Long finish, but could use a little more acidity for balance. 18.
1905 D’Oliveira Verdelho: Very dark with green edge that goes with significant age. Deep, full aromas of caramel, Benedictine and Brandy, coconut nuances; later a liitle salt and some date flavors. Long finish with plenty of acidity to balance the sugar. 19.
Wines for courses 3 and 4:
1971 Blandy Bual: Medium-dark amber with slightly green edge. Usual caramel, toffee, chocolate nose, with a little citrus peel. Caramel and toffee flavors with good depth, but little complexity; good acidity. Long, clean finish. Nice wine, but needs time to develop more nuanced flavors. 18-.
Henriques & Henriques W.S. Boal (circa 1820): Medium amber with medium green edge. Fabulous nose, the best of any Madeira in my memory. Cloves, allspice, dill, brandy, nice waft of volatile acidity and marzipan; all seem to harmoniously work together while being individually apparent. In mouth, herbs, citrus peel, hazelnuts and Brazil nuts plus touch of cloves. Medium body. Very long, balanced finish with good acidity. 19.5. Great wine!
Wines for dessert:
1971 Miles Malvasia: Very dark brown, but no green rim. Huge molasses nose, with some alcohol showing. Rich but relatively simple molasses flavors. Good acidity. Medium length finish. Needs more age. 17.
1886 Barbeito Malvasia: Very dark brown,green edge. Mild reduction initially, but blows off. Molasses and herbal flavors with moderate complexity. Good acidity. Medium length finish. 17.
In conclusion, dinner and the food-wine pairings were outstanding. The Henriques & Henriques W. S. Boal was the clear superstar of the evening, with the 1905 D’Oliveira Verdelho an excellent second. The other bual and the malvasias may have scored better if not in the shadow of the old H & H wine.
Dinner Menu
Amuse-Bouche
Roasted Monkfish "Saltimbocca"
Prosciutto, fresh sage, Madeira sauce
Fresh Egg Fettuccine
Wild boar ragu and Parmesan Reggiano
Slow Cooked Scottish Pheasant
Grilled forest mushrooms and Alsatian red cabbage
Tenderloin and Sweetbread of Marcho Farms Veal
Green lentils, winter vegetable mirepox, black truffle veal jus
Tom's Warm Date Cake
Toffee sauce, Armagnac dates, Mascarpone gelato
Cookies and truffles
For next year, we’re contemplating an all-bual dinner. At some point in time, an evening of malvasias with mixed desserts is likely. Past groupings of 4 buals or 4 malvasias have been well-received, with appropriate cheeses, fruits and nuts as complement.
Pictures to follow.
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