A rich
expression of this variety of Malvasia grown on Madeira.
According to technical notes from the maker, grape brandy is added to the juice
after 48 hours in stainless steel tanks, “arresting fermentation at the desired
degree of sweetness.” Then comes 15 years of aging in oak, with periodic transfers
of the wine to lower, cooler barrels in the “lodge.”
This
painstaking process presumably accounts for the bottle's $35 price tag for 500 ml. But it is a
treat, at least for those who enjoy oxidized madeiras and sherries.
In the
glass it’s the color of Midwestern coffee, and the 19 percent ABV is evident in
the legs. The flavor, after applying the usual de-hyping factor, is as Blandy’s
describes it: “complex dried fruits and wood, toffee and vanilla. Sweet,
smooth, full bodied, complex, and a long finish of nuts and dark chocolate.”
A good
sipper if you’re trying to stay out of the cookies after dinner. Also a candidate
to break out at the end of a small dinner party with cheese or nuts, or maybe even
bread pudding with raisins and vanilla sauce.
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