1996 Broadbent Colheita Madeira

Written by Roy Hersh

Thursday, 12 June 2008

1996 Broadbent Colheita Madeira (Sweet) - Bottled by Vinhos Justino Henriques.  I was a bit taken back that there was no varietal listed on the bottle, but assume there is a very large percentage of Tinta Negra Mole in the cuvee, but also sense Boal here too.  The importer (Broadbent) claims that this was the very first bottling of Colheita by any producer to make its way into the USA.  The a.b.v. is 19%. My imrpressions of this dark amber hued Madeira is that it is as sweet as the typical Boal.  The nose is captivating with roasted espresso bean, sea mist and beef broth aromas.  Very fun to sniff.  Medium to full body weight and quite smooth in the mouth with a great balance of citrusy acidity to keep the sweet fruit in check.  The melange of walnut, orange zest and raisins provide for a bit of complexity and the flavors meld nicely in this wine.  The MSRP is $45, but it can be found online at $35 too. 90 points ~ 6-12-08