MW Trip to Madeira. 27 th -29 th March Trip Report

Transcription

1 MW Trip to Madeira 27 th -29 th March 2014 Trip Report 1

2 Contents Pereira de Oliveira by Arne Ronold MW Lunch in Zona Velha by Rod Smith MW Barbeito by Sarah Jane Evans MW HMBorges by Sheri Morano MW Welcome dinner at IVBAM by Mark de Vere MW Henriques e Henriques by Charles Curtis MW Lunch H& H by Justin Howard-Sneyd MW Justino s by Anthony Barne MW Dinner at Montanha (traditional espetada) by Neil Tully MW MWC/Blandy s by DC Flynt MW Visit to the Vineyards by Stephen Skelton MW Dinner at Choupana Hills by Jean- Michel Valette MW Master of Wine biographies p3 p3 p5 p7 p8 p9 p12 p12 p15 p15 p19 p20 p21 2

3 27 th March Pereira de Oliveira - Arne Ronold MW The first visit on our trip on Thursday morning went to Pereira d Oliveira, with headquarters in a beautiful building dating back to 1619 in a central part of Funchal. The company was founded in 1850 by João Pereira d Oliveira and has over the years acquired 6 other Madeira producers, all previously run by island families, most recently Adegas do Torreão in 2002 and Artur de Barros e Sousa in Today Pereira d Oliveira is run by the fifth generation Pereira, Aníbal and Luís, together with Aníbal s son Filipe, who joined the company as winemaker in The winery is now located in a building next to the Madeira Wine Company in central Funchal, previously owned by Adegas do Torreão. Pereira d Oliveira did not export much wine until the 1980s, and as a result they have accumulated a considerable stock of rare old wines, built up over the years from the company s own wines and those of the companies it has purchased. On our visit the oldest wine available for sale was a Verdelho 1850! Grapes are purchased from around 100 small growers each year, and the present production is about litres per year. This includes a range of 3, 5, 10 and 15 years old wines made from Tinta Negra Mole and 15 years old and older wines made from Sercial, Verdelho, Boal, Malvasia and Terrantez, although Terrantez has been scarce since Older vintages also include some Bastardo. Wines up to 10 years old are made by the Estufagem method, whereas wines of 15 years old and older are made by the Canteiro process. Our group was greeted by Luís d Oliveira, who is in charge of sales and marketing, and we were seated to a magnificent and rare tasting of 19 wines dating back to The first group of dry wines (Seco) included an elegant Sercial 1989 and a Sercial 1928 with real grip. Then a medium dry (Meio Seco) flight followed, with my favourites being the elegant Terrantez 1971, the liquorice flavoured Bastardo 1927 and the very concentrated Verdelho Here Luís d Oliveira made a comment about their Terrantez always being made in a medium dry style, similar to Verdelho. The third flight of medium sweet (Meio Doce) wines comprised a 15 Year Old wine and 4 Boals, with the enormously concentrated Boal 1908 being my pick, even if Boal 1958 and Boal 1922 were not far behind in quality. And then a final round with sweet wines followed, with Malvazia 1907 standing out, even if it also was a privilege to taste the Malvazia 1875! Old Vintage Madeira is one of my favourite wines, and to be able to taste such a brilliant range at the premises of Perreira d Oliveira was a real treat. Thank you! Lunch in Zona Velha at Restaurant Do Forte - Rod Smith MW This lovely restaurant is situated in part of the old fort of Funchal, and we all walked there after our first and extraordinary tasting at Pereira d'oliveira. 3

4 We were made very welcome by Paula Cabaço, the Director of the Institute of Embroidery and Wine (Cultural Institute of Madeira), who with her colleagues was to be out host and guide throughout the trip. The Institute was founded in 1977, took over from existing Junta. Also responsible for Rum from local cane sugar. Paula also introduced us to some table wines from the island, a first I think for most of us. The pair at lunch today were from Barbusano (White: Verdelho, Red: Aragonez, Touriga Nacional, Merlot) Light wine programme has been developed relatively recently, in addition to the local Madeira varieties and some from the mainland, Arnsberger also planted (a Riesling x Riesling cross). Of Madeira s total 500ha of vineyard, some 5% is now used for light wine (200 tonnes) Barbusano Verdelho 2012 Mid pale lemon colour. Citrussy-fresh aroma with plenty of fruit and floral hints. Quite vibrant and inviting. Good acidity. Fresh. Rather well made. ** Barbusano Aragonez, Touriga Nacional, Merlot 2010 Inky purple colour, deeply violet aromatics. Clean, fresh inviting aroma. Spicy, some jamminess, rich. Reasonably well balanced. **.5 After some appetisers of bacalao and other delicious bits (pretty much all of which were consumed with the kind of zesty appetite that only consuming a lot of Madeira for several hours can engender.) Peito de frango Marinado em manteiga de alho e ervas, legumes salteados e arroz de tomate (Chicken Breast with butter and garlic sauce, sautéed vegetables and tomato rice.) Or Paupiette de Espada com molho meunier (Scabbard Paupiette with Meunier Sauce) I think most people went for the fish, because it is local and a speciality. Scabbard fish, a little like seabass to taste I found. Delicious. To follow 4

5 Carpaccio de Ananáa com gelado de coco (Pineapple Carpaccio with Coconut Ice Cream) A solid Piña Colada! Great! Super refreshing and just what was required. A delightful meal which set the scene for the rest of the trip, and an afternoon at Barbeito marvellously. Muito obrigado! Barbeito- Sarah Jane Evans MW Host: Ricardo Vasconcelos Freitas, MD since 1990, grandson of the founder. An excellent host, full of information and charm. The winery and main offices are up a vertiginous slope, at 670m. Contrary to the image of Madeira wines being baked in the sun, Ricardo Freitas looks for cold temperatures. In September it can go down to -5C; I like to work with nature, I don t control the temperature of fermentation except by the weather. Freitas joined the business in In 1991 it became a joint venture with Kinoshita, the importer/distributor of Wines & spirits in Japan. He now has 3 ageing warehouses, in different parts of the island for different climatic influences. He buys grapes from around 135 farmers. He has a mechanical lagar, the only one on the island, he says. He has only used it since 2007 so cannot yet tell the long-term significance in terms of quality. Freitas says he likes to experiment, and I am always looking to reintroduce old techniques, though working in small quantities. If I make a mistake with 1000 litres then I can always blend it in to a 3 y/o. He is a strong defender of the 3 y/o: I know people only use it for cooking. My goal is to get them to drink it. His carefully designed warehouse shows his attention to natural influences. The ceiling is zinc which heats up in the sun. The tall windows are narrow, to slow cooling, retaining acidity and slowing development of sugars. The temperature difference across the 4 stacked rows of barrels is 5 degc. So over time wines are moved from upper to lower and corner to middle. I try to guide my wines and not interfere. He doesn t top the barrels: topping changes the wine. Freitas is looking for acidity. He says he dislikes overly sweet wines: My Malvasias are the driest of all. 5

6 As the wines age they will eventually be moved to smaller 300 or 100l casks. And finally demijohns, a very important tool for our work. My mother has an underground treasure of old wines in demijohns. Talking of rare treasures, Freitas has 300l of Bastardo. It comes from one vineyard and he has been making it since He hasn t bottled any yet, but could come in the future. Rare Wine Co (USA) Baltimore Rainwater Special Reserve 61.3g/l RS 18%ABV Rainwater is a name of Madeira wine romance. Undoubtedly the wines used to arrive in the USA pale in colour and not strongly oxidised. The name rainwater referred to this colour. Part of a project for the Rare Wine CO. Aromas of almonds, white flowers, smoky leather. Brilliantly vibrant in the mouth, light bodied, but with a bold linear freshness surrounded by notes of marmalade and cocoa. Sercial Reserva Velha 10 yr old 54.5g/l RS 19%ABV A blend of 50% Sercial vinified dry, and 50% Medium Dry. Gloriously buttery caramel nose. Palate shows nervy acidity, following through to a spicy, peppery character with bitter orange, dried herbs, coriander. Rare Wine Co (USA) Thomas Jefferson Medium Dry 74.5g/l RS 19%ABV Blend of Verdelho, Bual, Malvasia and Tinta Negra. Includes 60 y/o TNM, drops of 80y/o Malvasia. In honour of a great drinker of Madeira. Smoky, nutty, rich caramel aromas. Dry, with bright lime acidity, coated with a silky richness. Savoury, almost salty aspect, finish of roasted coffee. Verdelho 1992 Frasqueira 73.6 g/l RS 19% ABV 1992 was Freitas first vintage. My first job was weighing the grapes and that way I started to get to know the growers. Floral, spiced caramelised kumquats on the nose. In the mouth tense, tight acidity, with notes of dark cacao. Bual Frasqueira g/l ( the limit for Medium sweet ) RS 19%ABV We don t make them like this now Roasted, reduced aromas. Palate shows brisk acidity, with roasted butterscotch, finishing with notes of bitter caramel. A very much more powerful wine, with notes of dark muscovado sugar. Very persistent finish. 6

7 Malvasia 20 y/o Lot g/l RS 20% ABV The most recent blend of 20 y/o. Butterscotch and fine herbs on the nose. Brilliant acidity in the mouth (8.04 TA), golden peach fruit, vivid piquant freshness, rich, warm finish. Mãe Manuela Malvasia 40y/o 99.6g/l RS 20%ABV Made in honour of Freitas mother Manuela Vasconcelos, who started working with her father in the business in the 1970s. A blend including some private collection wines. Copper coloured with red highlights. Fine herb and caramel aromas. Initially a vivid racy acidity, then a creamy, nutty caramel richness develops, as of rice pudding and nutmeg. Then burnished red plums with a long clean, brisk finish. Malvasia 1875 Frasqueira 180g/l RS Freitas grandfather originally bought full casks, which form the basis of the library collection. The oldest wine in the collection is 1850 Verdelho. Pungent aromas of tar, iodine. Equally pungent palate: tongue-tingling, tight, with a firm grip, a powerful intense style. Brilliantly fresh for one so old. HM Borges- Sheri Morano MW The group enjoyed a fascinating visit to H.M. Borges, which was originally established in Today, the winery is currently being run by the 4 th generation of the family. The current owners, along with 2 of their employees, spoke a bit about the history of the island and the winery and gave the group a short tour through the facility. There were numerous highlights, including seeing a fantastic thank you note the winery received from Winston Churchill. One of the best parts of the group s visit to Borges was all of the historical information that was discussed. We learned about Madeira s history of sugar cane production, which was believed to have been introduced from Sicily. In the 15 th century, Madeira was the largest producer of sugar cane! Many believe that part of the reason the practice of fortifying the wines came about stemmed from the tradition of visiting sailors who liked to add sugar cane spirit to their wines to make them more drinkable. The Borges also spoke of how Madeira was initially part of the dowry of Catherine of Braganza, who was married to Charles II of England. However, according to our hosts, Catherine s fondness for tea lead to the popularization of that beverage in England and eventually to Charles swapping Madeira for access to India. There were many in our group who were rather dismayed to realize that had it not been for Charles II, afternoon tea would have actually featured a glass of Madeira instead of a cup of Earl Grey. After our tour, we tasted through several wines. 7

8 3 yr old dry style Tinta Negra light color with a moderate intensity and a spirity character on the finish. More of a restrained style. 10 yr old Sercial Fairly pale color with notes of spiced oranges, nuts and herbs. Racy acidity on the finish with a delicate character. 20 yr old med dry Verdelho Notes of salted nuts, orange marmalade and a smoky, tea leaf character dominate the nose. Racy acidity with a savory flavor on the fairly concentrated finish. 15 yr old Bual A touch of an earthy character on the noes with hints of marzipan, coffee, spice and orange marmalade. More sweetness, but with a butterscotch and lime character that leads to the impression of a lighter finish than the previous wine. 15 yr old Malmsey Still a bit tight on the nose with notes of roasted caramelized peaches, crème brulee and grilled pineapple. A mixture of sweet and savory with vibrant acidity on the finish. Sweeter, but with freshness and a tangy character on the finish that lingers. 40 year old Malmsey a special bottling done in 2008 for the 500 th anniversary of Funchal. Smokey and concentrated with a spirity note on the nose and hints of burnt sugar, coffee, fruit cake and spice. Very intense and concentrated with a rich and viscous finish. A lovely way to end the tasting! Welcome dinner at IVBAM- Mark de Vere MW An excellent and diverse opening day was brought to a gracious close with a wonderful dinner at the Instituto do Vinho do Bordado e do Artesanato da Madeira, (IVBAM), the Institute for the wine, embroidery and handicrafts of Madeira. While handicrafts and embroidery were proudly on display inside, as we walked down the red carpet towards the entrance, a large red banner draped on the wall of the historic building reassured us that we were here for the Vinho Madeira. We were greeted with a glass of D Oliveira s medium dry 5 year old, that accompanied the delicious passed hors d oeuvres; a charming a delicious aperitif, that set the mood for the evening, and reminded us to drink more Madeira before dinner. The reception gave us the chance to mingle and meet representatives from each of the shippers, and from IVBAM, who had kindly come to help facilitate our learning this evening. We were very grateful to be joined by Humberto Jardim, Rita Galvão, Chris Blandy, Dina Luis, Isabel Figueiroa, Juan Teixeira, Noélia Palma, Isabel Borges, Helena Borges, Luis Faria and Paulo Mendes. Also, a special mention and thanks might be made to Rubina Vieira from IVBAM, who had kindly prepared the overview and introduction to Madeira that was intended to start our trip, as appeared on the original itinerary; although time constraints had unfortunately squeezed her lecture off the agenda, those of us seated at her table learnt invaluable details; we are appreciative of the time she spent preparing for us. The curiosity of a few MWs might have led them to look around a corner and see an interesting trial ; a cask of 2000 Malvasia that had been sailed around the world, next to a control cask that had remained in the IVBAM cellar. We did not get to taste from either of the two small casks, both protected with the institute s seal, however it was fun to see the visible difference between the casks: the unmoved cask looked normal, whereas the cask that made the viagem de circum-navegação in 2010 had the faded grey patina of an ocean-going mariner. Five large round tables of seven, each named after one of the island s major grape varieties, were set in front of large concrete vats, atop of which sat a row of canteiro-style casks. Our hostess Paula Cabaço, Presidente do Conselho Diretivo, warmly welcomed us to dinner on behalf of the Institute and its members; we were graciously thanked for coming to learn more about the wines of this island. 8

9 We were honoured with two Entradas, starters. First came a beautiful plate with three goat cheese puff pastries, topped with walnuts and sitting on a drizzled balsamic vinaigrette with raspberries and blueberries, on top of which were strewn a very light salad of green herbs and a pink fuchsia flower; finely sliced ham was curled in the corner of the presentation [for the linguists: Mil-folhas de presunto com queijo de Cabra e Salada com Balsâmico de Framboesas]. The second starter was a puréed cream soup of yellow pumpkin with a swirl of local cane sugar syrup coiled in its centre [Crème de Abóbora Amarela com Mel de Cana]. With these starters we were introduced to the first of two rare treats of the evening, wines made by the Institute from their own experimental vines and vinified for research purposes. While these wines were of exceptional quality, they are never made available commercially, due to a feeling that this would be an act of competition with the wineries on the island. We were fortunate enough to be the recipients of their educational and promotional use. The first wine was a very fine Terrantez 20 Anos, a twenty year old Terrantez, bottled in January 2008: the front label had the traditional stenciled details from I.V.B.A.M. and the back had a useful paper back label, reminding us that the wine can form a deposit, and that we should serve with special care to avoid turbidity. This wine had been perfectly decanted earlier in the day. With a medium pale browning hue, a very delicate but intense nose and an elegant and long palate, it was a delightful Terrantez. Its 85 g/ltr of residual sugar and 32 g/ltr of dry extract were a beautiful balance to its searing 9.2 g/ltr T.A. and adequately concealed the 1.2 g/ltr of V.A. For the main course we were treated to local line-caught tuna mignons on crushed sweet potatoes [Mignon de atum em esmagada de batata doce]. With this we were reminded that IVBAM go beyond Madeira, and also represent the table wines of the island. First we enjoyed a fresh and textured white DOP Madeirense, the Terras do Avô Grande Escholha Branco 2012, largely from the Seixal region on the north coast. This, we subsequently learned, was one of the dry white wines made from Verdelho that now compete with the noble fortified wines for the prized white grapes of Madeira. Second we had a red DOP Madeirense, the Primeira Paixão This was labeled Merlot, but also contains between 5% and 10% Touriga Nacional, and is made by one of the three producers in the Caniçal district, a very dry area of reclaimed land in the far south east tip of the island. To finish we had passion fruit crème brulée with a chocolate biscuit and pistachio sauce [Crème Brulée de maracujá com biscuit de chocolat e molho de pistachio]. The real star of the dessert course, however, was the wine. This was a Boal from the great 1954 vintage, also from the Institute s cellars, bottled in the late 1980s, in the days when it was simply IVM. This wine had been decanted the day before, and was shining; powerful yet balanced, and with a lovely nutty citrusy extraction, and a very long compelling finish. (A note for anyone who kept the menu and only saw the decanter during service, the menu erroneously suggested this was a 1922 Bual, the bottles were all clearly stenciled Boal 1954.) IVBAM s generous hospitality was a wonderful way to close our first day of the trip, and the conversation of our hosts greatly expanded our understanding of the wines from the island of Madeira. 28th March Henriques e Henriques- Charles Curtis MW Warmly welcomed by Humberto Jardim, the Managing Director and CEO of Henriques & Henriques, the assembled group enjoyed both an instructive discussion of the operation of the present-day market for madeira as well as a delightful tasting. We were treated to a comprehensive visit to the facilities at the new premises at Câmara de Lobos. This includes a temperature-controlled reception area that profits from gravity feed after the destemming operation and a total of 200,000 litres capacity, with enough tank space to vinify 100,000 litres per day. Estufa for the entry-level winesis 9

10 done in jacketed stainless steel tanks with remontage to equalize the temperature. One of the problems of old-fashioned heating coils inside the tanks was that in order to heat the wine to 45 the temperature inside the coils had to be at 80. This would lead to excessive caramelisation of the sugars in the vicinity of the coils leading to bitter notes, while the use of jacketed tanks allows one to avoid this. One of the intriguing aspects of our visit was a fascinating look at the Henriques and Henriques barrel seasoning program. One of the Henriques and Henriques sidelines is importing Kentucky ex-bourbon casks to prepare them for Scotch production. Here barrels are seasoned with wine made from the Tinta Negra Mole (TNM) grape to be sold on to distilleries such as Jameson, Glenfiddich and Bushmills. Once the barrels have been seasoned, the wine is sold in bulk as a food ingredient with salt and pepper added. The export of Madeira wine in bulk is now forbidden by the regulations of the island since bulk wine exports were competing with sales of the 3 year old madeira for market share. The difficult nature of the madeira market was crystallised in the comment of Sr. Jardim that Selling Madeira is like bringing sand uphill with a fork. Our tasting included the following wines: 3-year-old Monte Seco Extra Seco We began our tasting with the Monte Seco aperitif madeira, made in a vermouth-like style and vinified dry (25 g/l RS). The wine is produced from first press TNM juice aged three years. It was first produced in Minerally and crisp, the wine is done in a special style seldom found elsewhere. 3-year-old Full Rich Doce We continued with the three year old Full Rich, with 112 g/l RS, the wine that generates the profit for the firm. It is an all-purpose madeira, relatively neutral on the nose with hints of roast nuts and sweet caramel. In fact, the wine is colored with caramel as many are in response to demands of certain markets and buyers who are creating their own brand, according to Sr. Jardim. Next we were able to taste a couple of blending components. The first was a sample of TNM just fortified. It had been fermented almost dry and fortified to 19 and was waiting to go into estufa. The wine was ruby red in color, and showed a berry fruit that had not yet developed the characteristic madeira tanginess. At present it showed its alcohol fairly prominently as one would expect. The total acidity was 6.2 g/l. The second was the sordo, a vin muté, which had been fermented to 5 and then stopped by the addition of one quarter volume of alcohol. Light pink in color, the resulting wine had 129 g/l RS Colheiita Produced from TNM, the resulting wine is g/l RS. It shows a nutty caramel aroma on the nose and a character on the palate that is at once sweet and crisp. As with all Colheita wine, it is aged in cantiero for a minimum of 5 years for, although 8 10 is more usual Colheita Similar to above except for vintage, the 1997 Colheita was aged in sherry cask. On the nose it shows a bit more molasses and an edge of toastiness. On the palate the wine is pleasantly rich, and although the overall character is somewhat neutral, the wine is well balanced and elegant Colheita The 1995 vintage Colheita is produced in the same fashion, although the vintage year this time provided a wine with a distinct tropical character that was fatter and suppler on the palate with an almost chewy texture. 15-year-old Sercial The 15-year-old Sercial shows a balanced acidity and a pleasantly silky texture on the palate not as vibrantly racy as some examples, the lighter body makes the wine fairly elegant. A typical bottling is approximately 9 g/l acidity and 55 g/l RS Sercial The 71 Sercial shows a nose of roast hazelnut and lemon peel along with a leafy herbal notes and a suggestion of ginger. On the palate there is a slight bitter note originating with fact that the stems are pressed with the fruit during fermentation. 15-year-old Verdelho 10

11 The 15-year-old Verdelho began with a rather neutral nose that opened up to show a hint of orange peel and hazelnut. On the palate there was balanced sweetness, a similar suggestion of bitterness and moderate length. 20-year-old Verdelho The 20-year-old Verdelho showed a bit more aromatic character on the nose, with dried apricot fruit and hints of smoke, caramel and sweet rich toffee. On the palate the wine was very fresh with good length Verdelho Solera An 1898 Solera Verdelho showed a fairly light color and an aroma that combined roast walnut, sawdust and orange peel along with a hint of volatility. On the palate, balanced acidity and sweetness and a lingering finish 2000 Boal A 2000 vintage Boal showed notes of molasses and brown sugar on the nose. On the palate the wine was rich and yet still retained remarkable balance. 92 g/l RS 15-year-old Boal A 15-year-old Boal showed figs caramel toffee and smoke on the nose and on the palate a sense of minerality and firmness, with a deft sugar balance Boal A 1957 Boal showed rich notes of toffee, caramel, coffee and nuts on the nose. On the palate the wine showed a firm quality with a hint of bitterness and an almost metallic finish. 15-years-old Malmsey The nose of the 15-year-old Malmsey showed aromas of raisins, figs and prunes almost recalling Pedro Ximénez along with a hint of tar and an almost saline note. The wine has 115 g/l of RS and 6 g/l of acidity. 20-year-old Malmsey A 20-year-old Malmsey shows the classic green ring at the edge of the glass and a darker fruit character on the nose with more of the tangy oxidative notes. On the palate the wine is sweet and luscious yet still balanced Malmsey As we taste the 1954 Malmsey we are reminded of the local saying about the Malvazia grape: Don t eat them, don t give them away, for wine God made them. The wine is beginning to show a bit of rancio character, with earthy notes, exotic spices, molasses and brown sugar, backed up with a tangy fresh acidity that helps the wine retain balance; on the palate the wine is elegant yet so thick it is almost viscous. Delicious wine. 20-year-old Terrantez A blend of 5 vintages aged 20 years, the wine shows an exotic nose with notes of lemon and orange peel, a slightly herbal note, and anise-like spices. On the palate the wine is crisp in spite of more than 74 g/l sugar and the lingering finish is very pleasant Terrantez A 54 Terrantez was powerfully aromatic with notes of sweet caramel and exotic Asian spices on the nose. On the palate the wine was tangy and concentrated, with an elegant balance and a marvelous finish Terrantez Solera A 1900 Terrantez solera was a bit muted on the nose and showed its maturity, with a waxy, almost dusty note, and a bouquet of dried fruit, dried flowers and truffles. On the palate the wine was supple and gracious, with no hard edges and no hint of excess: balance and elegance were the watchwords of this style through the subtle finish. 11

12 Lunch H& H- Justin Howard-Sneyd MW After an excellent tasting of H&H wines, we spilled out into the mist-shrouded hills surrounding the winery, where a gentle drizzle has set in, and not wishing to linger long, we were ushered in to a small outbuilding where a table had been laid for lunch. The H&H team had been busy preparing a home-made feast for us, and wafts of stuffed cabbage, garden vegetables, and a hearty Portuguese stew full of pork and bread sausage billowed up from the dishes laid out on the side. No Madeira for lunch here after such an excellent tasting we didn t really need any, but a Douro red and white called Dalva dutifully washed down the grub. An hour, and a couple of home-made fruit pies or so later, we trickled out of the door to find that it had stopped raining, and sunshine looked on the cards for the afternoon. Justino s - Anthony Barne MW If lunch in the vintage kitchen of Henriques & Henriques, set high up in a cleft in the mountains, was a taste of the old Madeira, then the industrial-style installation that has housed Justino s since 1994, and has allowed them to double their production, is a taste of the present. Justino s, taking in grapes from over 800 growers, accounts for 40% by volume of the market and is probably the only producer large enough to justify a site on this scale. Owned, like Henriques & Henriques, by the rum company La Martinquaise, they have the investment to allow them an impressive wall of Seguin Moreau hogsheads maintained by their own coopers. Even this array of barrels, purchased second-hand from Cognac houses, only represents a small part of the maturation capacity, the remainder being in stainless steel and in wood ranging from ,000 litres. This allows for 1.7 million hectolitres in wood and 5.7 million in tank. Madeiras in wood are aged in canteiros, the overground cellars designed to be heated by the sun. These generally rely on natural heat penetrating the roof but Justino s have a system of solar panels which, together with insulation, allow for a more constant temperature, the target being degrees. This gives a more even ageing process and a better retention of acidity. Although the production of cheaper wines is, currently, a very large part of Justino s business, they place great importance on the canteiro process as it is through this that they will be able to trade up and market wines of higher value, just as the port producers have successfully done. In support of an established trend which has seen the proportion of the basic 3 Year Old Wine in their exports to the United States reduce from 80% to 70% over the last 3 years, they lay claim to the largest canteiro stocks of any Madeira producer. The emphasis on this stock is being changed from a holding of old Fresqueiras (vintages) to a more commercial rotation of younger wines to sell in the 5-10 Year 12

13 Old and Colheita (wines of indicated vintage year) categories. The intention is that 15-20% of the wines that they are exporting in 10 years time will have been aged in wood. Júlio Fernandes the Commercial Director, then talked more about the direction of the market for these higher grade wines, with Europe, Brazil and Japan being targeted. He pointed out that the total production of Madeira amounts to 4 million litres per year, compared with 120 million litres of port, so a different marketing strategy is required, focussing on individual contacts. At present France is the main market, taking the younger wines, but there has been a significant decline in bulk shipments since 2001 and less is now destined for sauces. Even so, a shift to 10 Year Old is not seen as a prospect for the near future. The French market is relatively stable, unlike Russia and Scandanavia which are growing fast. The Ukraine also got a mention as an area of fast developing sales, maybe that market is now experiencing a certain amount of disruption. It was at this point in the talk, as a we were tasting our wines and listening attentively to Júlio, and to Dina Luis, the recently appointed wine-maker, that the visit moved from being interesting to being unforgettable The Institute places a professional obligation on its members to eat and drink in style, perhaps even copiously, in order to set a good example to others. The very generous hospitality extended to us in Madeira found us at the top of our form and the plastic chairs hired especially to seat us all were simply not prepared for the onslaught. In one way it was fortunate that 23 of us were shoe-horned into an office designed to house 6 people because the wedging effect helped to cushion the landings. But the domino effect, so much dreaded by Senator Mac Carthy in South East Asia, also took its toll. I believe it was Dr Johnson who wrote that an impending execution concentrates the mind wonderfully and we sat, still as mice, our minds focussed like lasers. The tasting notes from this visit are probably the most accurate of the trip, although once the ominous crack came from below, it was hard not to think about whether you could afford to swirl the wine in the fashion honed to perfection over many years of study for the Tasting Paper. Our newest MW, Demetri Walters, clearly lacked the experience to swirl without moving any other part of his anatomy and quickly disappeared from view, joining Charles Curtis and Joel Butler on the parquet. Those who stood for the remainder of the tasting, and I seem to recall that this included our Chairman, get no marks at all from me although for those whose chairs collapsed and they sat down on a replacement it was, in Groucho Marx s words, the triumph of hope over experience. Júlio, our most charming host, displayed a degree of stoicism which would have done credit to the Iron Duke and was not deflected for a moment from what he wanted to say. Happily everyone was still able to file out unaided at the end of the visit and to be presented with a bottle of 1974 Colheita Tinta Negra Mole, especially interesting on this side of the Atlantic as it is almost impossible to find a Colheita from this variety. Wines tasted were: Justino Fine Dry 3 Year Old Mid straw colour with slightly spirity nose. The concentration to be expected of a 3 year and quite sweet for a wine labelled as dry but soft and supple with moderate acidity. Broadbent Rainwater 3 Year Old Pale amber colour with some vestige of the Cognac cask on the nose. As the name suggests this is quite a light, delicate wine, clean and with a gentle finish. Broadbent Fine Rich 5 Year Old Reserve 13

14 Mahogany colour with green edge. A nose of suede leather. Palate medium sweet with toffee and fruit cake. Balsamic notes on the finish with firm acidity and a hint of vanillin. Broadbent Sercial 10 Year Old Mid amber colour with a spicy nose and some kerosene. Some concentration here, but spirit too and a little toffee sweetness. Finish distinctly fruity. Broadbent Verdelho 10 Year Old Tawny colour with a waxy nose and a hint of the Cognac casks. Mouth-filling flavour with cutting acidity balanced by sweetness. Broadbent Boal 10 Year Old Mahogany colour with green edge. Slightly unforthcoming on the nose but an expansive palate with plum pudding flavours and a long, soft finish. Broadbent Malmsey 10 Year Old Medium full colour with green edge. Quite a bit of wood apparent on the nose but a soft and mouthfilling palate with background acidity and good length. Something of an aged Tawny port about this. Justino Fine Rich Colheita 1995 Deep colour with green edge. A minty nose with herbal notes. Sweet and succulent on the palate, full bodied and with fresh acidity Good length and nice complexity on the finish. Justino Terrantez 1978 Mahogany colour with green edge Quite a dusty nose. Flavour still quite unresolved but with firm acidity and good concentration. Length too, with a little barley sugar on the finish. Justino Verdelho 1954 Mahogany colour with green edge. A nutty nose reminiscent of Amontillado sherry. Long, rich palate freshened by a touch of spirit and a tangy acidity. Good length. Justino Boal 1964 Full colour with green edge. Nose and palate of toffee and candied fruits. Very sweet and intense with a firm balancing acidity and a long, plum pudding finish. Justino Malmsey 1933 Deep colour with green edge. The nose is luscious with lots of complexity and the palate has concentration matched to a fine acidity with flavours of walnuts and umami. Justin Howard-Sneyd mentioned roast beef pan scrapings while I found chocolatey flavours on the long finish. A flourish with which to finish an eventful tasting. 14

15 Restaurante Churrascaria at the Montanha the Espetada - Neil Tully MW The Ocean Gardens Hotel is situated high up on the eastern side of the bay of Funchal, with some spectacular views of the bay itself. Clearly popular with locals, an animated scene of Madeiran folk singers and dancers greeted us, many sporting characteristic pointed hats (barrete de lã), with the fullthroated performance continuing for much of the evening. For those not familiar, the espetada, which is a speciality of this restaurant involves pieces of seasoned beef barbecued on a skewer the length of a sword. These are hung vertically in front of each diner, forming a dramatic carnivorous guard of honour the length of the table. The refreshingly dry white wine was Terras do Avô D.O.P. Madeirense, Verdelho, and for the meat: Terras do Avô D.O.P. Madeirense, Tinta Roriz, Syrah e Touriga Nacional and Quinta Seara d'ordens, Talentus, Douro DOC. 29th March MWC/Blandy s- DC Flynt MW Saturday morning in Funchal and a mild breeze, driven by the Canary current, was at our back. We casually paced three minutes upwards from the Avenida Do Mar past the 16 th Century Fortress Palácio São Lourenço, and after a final glance back at the Cathedral Albergaria, over our right shoulder, a score of MW s stepped under that symbolic black awning and slipped through the portal at 28 Avenida Arriaga into the Blandy s Wine Lodge courtyards. This is a site that remains fixed in time, little different than when Charles Ridpath Blandy purchased the quarters in No degree of anticipation could prepare us for what would simply prove to be one of the finest Madeira tastings ever, and this was not just because of the impeccable quality of the wines present, but the meaningful way in which the Blandy s team organized the wines. Today, just three years past their significant 2011 bicentennial celebration, the future of the Madeira Wine Company (MWC) and their flagship brand, Blandy s, is clearly in very capable hands. The 6 th and 7 th generation family members of Michael and Chris Blandy drive the business, along with a significant supporting cast captained by a true triple threat, three time IWC Fortified Wine Maker of the Year, Francisco Albuquerque. Chris Blandy directed the tour adding a personalized view into the Blandy s family banking and hotel enterprises, but most importantly he provided a careful and thoughtful insight into his vision of Madeira. What I do today will have little immediate impact on our business. Our success today is a result of the last generation, and the success they enjoyed was the work of the generation that preceded them. I have to constantly keep in mind that my efforts good or bad will be realized 40 or 50 15

16 years from now by the children of our generation. It was the verbal confirmation of our Madeira education missed calculations cannot be corrected in 3 or 4 years. Here it could likely take 50 years to right the ship once a mistake is made. The ancient wooden stairs lead to loft rooms throughout the lodge. Here each space on the compass provided a separate microclimate for maturing Blandy s finest wines in this canteiro system. Active barrels from as far back as the 1920 s are still present in the canteiro. Some of the oldest, rarest and finest Madeira is now reduced to quantities of small demijohns. These are housed in a lower level caged vault. We fortunate few were soon to experience some of these, first hand. 16 Canterio aged wines were presented in flights of 8 followed by, with out question, the best meal we had on the island. It was a grand and elegant buffet. A mid-day meal that was as beautifully presented as it was fine. Two long oaken tables with sturdy chairs were set in the Wine Library. The shelves held the liquid manuscripts of Madeira s history. Blandy s Sercial 10 Years Old o Alcohol: 19% o Total Acidity 7 g/l o Residual Sugar 48 g/l o Baumé 1.1 o Style-Dry o Bright, silky, tart orange-green notes and bitter almond, warm alcohol and lifting acidity on the finish Blandy s Verdelho 10 Years Old o Alcohol: 19% o Total Acidity 6 g/l o Residual Sugar 73 g/l o Baumé 2.2 o Style-Medium Dry o Light orange-apricot notes with hints of wood and broad mid palate, crisp finish of orange with subtle hazelnut and vibrant acidity. Blandy s Bual 10 Years Old o Alcohol: 19% o Total Acidity 7 g/l o Residual Sugar 100 g/l o Baumé 3.4 o Style-Medium Rich o Elegant bouquet of raisins and orange peel, concentrated sweet baked apple, brown sugar and fig with hints of orange-lime marmalade and walnut and a continuous thread of acidity. Blandy s Malmsey 10 Years Old o Alcohol: 19% o Total Acidity 6.5 g/l o Residual Sugar 123 g/l o Baumé 4.9 o Style-Rich o Toffee, molasses and fig cake bouquet carried through the viscous mid palate with concentrated power and tension held together zesty lime notes and a slight salty finish. Blandy s Colheita Sercial 1998 Single Harvest o Alcohol: 20% o Total Acidity 7.50 g/l o Residual Sugar 58 g/l o Baumé 1.1 o Style-Dry 16

17 o Bottled 2013 o Citrus aromas and almond notes with a bright citrus-lemon acidity carries through to a creamy apricot and lemon chiffon mid palate, seamless alcohol and a bright fresh finish of Mandarin orange. Blandy s Colheita Verdelho 1998 Single Harvest o Alcohol: 20% o Total Acidity 6.30 g/l o Residual Sugar 77 g/l o Baumé 2.2 o Style-Medium Dry o Bottled 2013 o White floral and lemon grass and honey notes lead to a broader more complex midpalate of quince, green apple and almond and a baked lemon finish Blandy s Colheita Bual 1996 Single Harvest o Alcohol: 20% o Total Acidity 6.75 g/l o Residual Sugar 100 g/l o Baumé 3.4 o Style-Medium Rich o Bottled 2011 o Nutty caramel and dried fig and date notes, vanilla toasted oak, combine with orange marmalade zest, sweet full body and completely balanced acidity and alcohol Blandy s Colheita Malmsey 1996 Single Harvest o Alcohol: 20% o Total Acidity 7.75 g/l o Residual Sugar 135 g/l o Baumé 5.4 o Style-Rich o Bottled 2011 o Praline and burnt sugar notes with hints of smoke, sweet ripe apple with cinnamon spice, rounder mid-palate with an impression of warm brandy and the fresh finish shows a touch of sea salt Blandy s Vintage Terrantez 1976 Vintage/ Frasqueira o Alcohol: 20% o Total Acidity 9.3 g/l o Residual Sugar 90 g/l o Baumé 3.2 o Medium-Rich o Bottled 1997 o Aromas of smoke and caramel combine with savoury notes and candied orange-lime, a mid-palate that is richer sweeter with date cake that slightly overpowers the acidity until the finish. Blandy s Vintage Bual 1969 Vintage/ Frasqueira o Alcohol: 21% o Total Acidity 9.7 g/l o Residual Sugar 94 g/l o Baumé 3.3 o Medium-Rich o Bottled 2012 o Smoke, toffee and vanilla spice notes combine with candied fruit and walnut and flavors of exotic wood spice and crisp apple tart and an extremely long finish Blandy s Vintage Terrantez 1954 Demijohn* o Alcohol: 19.4% o Total Acidity 9.6 g/l 17

18 o o o o Residual Sugar 113 g/l Volatile Acidity 1.56 g/l Medium-Rich Explosive, absolutely focused power and finesse with lifting volatile acidity that increases the sense of fruit and alcohol as well, finishing warm with exotic candied notes of spice wood and sweet orange. Blandy s Vintage Sercial 1940 Demijohn* o Alcohol: 19% o Total Acidity 11.4 g/l o Residual Sugar g/l o Volatile Acidity 1.34 g/l o Medium-Rich o (First time the family seal was used on top of a bottle). Tight green, citrus orange and a touch of smoke and wood, dominated by quince, and bright clean lifting green edged lemon-lime notes. Blandy s Vintage Bastardo 1927 Demijohn* o Alcohol: 21% o Total Acidity g/l o Residual Sugar g/l o Volatile Acidity 1.53 g/l o A sense of wood smoke and roasted coffee, hazelnut and fig-cake lifted by volatile acidity that expands the aromas and lightens and elongates and ads a level of precision to flavors of tart orange and lime zest Blandy s Vintage Bual 1920 Vintage/ Frasqueira o Alcohol: 21% o Total Acidity 10.5 g/l o Residual Sugar 96 g/l o Baumé 3.5 o Volatile Acidity 1.44 g/l o Bottled 2006 o Chocolate, coffee and smoked walnut aromas lead to sweet fig and dates with stunning length and finesse driving to a finish of sweet orange and bracing acidity Blandy s Verdelho Solera 1870 o Alcohol: 21% o Total Acidity 9 g/l o Residual Sugar 90.2 g/l o Baumé 2.8 o Volatile Acidity 1.08 g/l o Bottled 1988 o Smoke, coffee, and gentle hazelnut notes with caramel apple and cinnamon spice, a silky mid palate with racy-elegant green-edged acidity Blandy s Verdelho 1887 Demijohn* o Alcohol: 21% o Total Acidity 10.5 g/l o Residual Sugar 91 g/l o Volatile Acidity 1.26 g/l o Sweet green-bright citrus and candied orange zest and a continuous scintillating vibrant acidity that controls and balances the concentrated praline, burnt sugar notes from attack to finish. *The wines from Demijohn were generously procured from the Blandy s family private cellar as part of this fantastic tasting, Thank-you Chris and Francisco. 18

19 Visit to the Vineyards- Stephen Skelton MW Visits to vineyard areas by Masters of Wine typically start with an introduction to the region, its history, something about its vineyards size, grape varieties, clones, rootstocks, training systems etc followed by numerous tastings and vineyard visits. Not so Madeira. Did we learn how many hectares were planted overall? What was the average size of holding? What the split was between the noble varieties and the workhorse Tinta Negra Mole (TNM)? Did we hear anything about rootstocks, clones or training systems? Is disease a big issue? What are the losses from mildew and botrytis? What about the finances of grape production in such a difficult region? Well not really has to be the answer and we didn t actually get to meet any growers at all! The Madeira Wine, Embroidery and Handicraft Institute (IVBAM) who not only look after wine, but also lace-making and rum production did take us to their small experimental vineyard where experimentation mainly seemed to be on clonal selection and then to the north side of the island to see the scenery and to allow some of us to get the real Madeira-vigneron experience of climbing up a steep goat track to see some vineyards. However, from what we were told by various producers and from some of the questions we asked, we did learn that there are around ha of vines, 1,500 individual growers, that most of the spraying is done by hand with back-packs, that TNM makes up about 85% of the total and that grape production is not a very profitable pursuit. Prices of grapes, picked and delivered to the winery, range from 1.20 per kilo for TNM up to 1.40 for the noble varieties Sercial, Verdelho, Bual (or Boal if you prefer) and Malvasia and that Terrantez is also grown and valued for high quality. We also divined that a variety developed at Geisenheim in the 1930s and heavily promoted by my old mentor there, Professor Becker for making Sekt, was also valued. This is the Riesling x Riesling variety Arnsburger which even the Germans don t grow any more. The Madeirans like it for its high acidity and there was even talk of making sparkling wine from it. Of the old hybrids, Cunningham and Jacquet, we heard nothing but it is my guess that these high-yielding, disease-resistant varieties are still grown on the island and who knows where they end up. One thing we did learn was the very low natural sugar levels at picking. 8-9% potential alcohol was about normal, with anything over 10% exceptional. Why sugars were so low is an interesting question. To retain the acidity was the standard answer, but occasionally the idea that the grapes often had to be picked before they succumbed to mildew or rotted from botrytis was floated which sounds a more convincing answer to me. With the extremely small size of many (most) vineyards, the lack of roads and decent paths to many of the plots, the problems associated with hand-spraying and the low value of most of the grapes, if I was a producer I too would want to get them picked and into the press as soon as possible. Then truth is about wine in Madeira is that it is not really about the grapes. The terrain is inhospitable and vineyards plots are uneconomically small and mechanisation mostly impossible. The pressure from diseases is huge and the normal means of controlling them not always available. Costs are high, distances to the wineries often great and grape prices are low with only six main buyers, all of whom seem to get along with each other, this has to have a bearing. Grape growing is for many (probably most) a hobby. The vineyards have been inherited and unless you are very lucky and build on it, probably not worth much for agricultural use. So grapes are required, but there isn t a huge relationship between quality of grape and quality of wine. The quality of the wine which we were shown in tasting after fabulous tasting is down to the skill of the winemakers and the way in which they age their wines. It was great to visit a vineyard area even smaller the the UK s (in fact about one third of the size) and one which also has its climatic limitations. The hospitality of the IVBAM and of the producers was exemplary and made for an amazing four days. 19

20 Dinner at Choupana Hills- Jean- Michel Valette MW Our last gathering began with a nod to our first day in the form of a choice of four 10 year-old Madeiras from Barbeito: Sercial, Verdelho, Boal, Malmsey, expertly served by local sommelier Americo Pereira. Not only did we learn (as we would confirm later at dinner) that Madeira is a fine accompaniment to food in the form of passed canapés, but it is also goes wonderfully well with stars and sweeping nighttime terrace views. Indeed, for our final goodbye our hosts at IVBAM treated us to the spectacular setting of Choupana Hills high above night-time Funchal..whose lights following the contour lines of the by now familiar steep terraces looked like so many garlands on a Christmas tree. Dinner followed at a monumental table offering multiple micro-climates at its various extremes. Interestingly, this was our first meal with Madeira during the main course Barbeita Rainwater and 10 year Verdelho followed by H&H 10 and 15 year old Malmsey. Delicious in all respects. And to close, much like on my first MW trip many years ago, end-of-trip thanks fell to our most recent MW who (unlike this scribe so many years ago) showed no sense of nerves delivering a most humorous and heartfelt speech of thanks to our hosts, worthy of the best. Surely it was (the) Madeira! 20